Senior Strategy Advisor Jobs

Location

Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester

About The Job

Job summary

The Government Legal Department is the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters that are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our work includes:

• Ensuring value from commercial contracts worth billions of pounds
• Providing the Civil Service’s employment law advice
• Securing our economic and trade relationships
• Providing legal advice on policies
• Developing and drafting legislation

We are at the heart of delivering the Government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department, sponsored by the Attorney General. We are headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary and employ nearly 3000 people, including over 2000 legal professionals. Our offices include London, Leeds, Bristol, Croydon and Manchester as well as overseas. We provide specialist legal services including Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law as well as advising most Government Departments on the policies and services they deliver.

GLD also depends on a range of vital corporate services. These are essential to the smooth and efficient running of the Department and provide the foundation to enable GLD to deliver outstanding legal services. Our corporate functions include Strategy, HR, Finance, Digital, Data and Technology, Communications, Security, Commercial and Project delivery.

Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. This is an exciting time for GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service .

To find out more about what we do visit the Government Legal Department’s webpage or have a look at this short film which showcases the breadth of work government lawyers and legal trainees are involved in.

About The Strategy Team (Corporate Resources Group)

The Strategy Team sits within the Strategy, People & Culture Directorate of the Corporate Resources Group. It exists to guide and evaluate the strategic direction of the department; to test policy initiatives and projects against strategic objectives; and to provide strategic oversight of issues impacting the strategic agenda and delivery.

This is a hardworking, enthusiastic and friendly team made up of colleagues with a range of experiences and backgrounds. The team support one another through periods of busy work, which the post holder should expect. Your main focus will be on supporting the Business Planning cycle within GLD which will involve contributing to its development, monitoring of its delivery and of its impact.

You will be joining the team at an exciting time: the organisation is developing a new Strategic Plan and the 2024-2025 Business Plan will identify the delivery required within the first year of that Strategy. The role is a great opportunity to be closely connected to strategic decision-making, engaging with senior stakeholders across GLD. This role will develop your strategic thinking and influencing skills, understanding of evaluation and governance, and enhance your planning and facilitative skills. It will also give you exposure to the exciting work that GLD lawyers do to deliver for Government.

The Role

Key responsibilities:

• Supporting the production of strategic delivery narrative for the annual report and supporting the monitoring and management of key risks owned within Strategy Team or owned by SPC Director, escalating appropriately where necessary.
• Acting as lead coordinator for the business planning cycle, a key part of which involves supporting the development of GLD’s annual Business Plan, which sets out the priorities for the financial year ahead, and monitoring implementation throughout the year. This includes engaging with stakeholders and facilitating the identification of the required activities in support of key priorities, associated key performance indicators, measures and targets and resources required for delivery.
• Advising and collaborating with colleagues across GLD on strategy development and implementation as required, helping to build organisational capability in this area.
• Supporting production of briefings and reports as required from the team.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues, and using own initiative, to drive continuous improvement – of products and processes – owned by the team.
• Supporting the development and delivery of GLD’s strategic report – particularly through timely and accurate performance reporting with associated analysis and insight.
• Actively promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and role modelling GLD’s Values and Behaviours.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the department to identify and respond to changing priorities, in an efficient and timely manner.

This is an outline job description of the key responsibilities and accountabilities involved in the job. This is not an exhaustive list and the post holder may be expected to undertake any other duties across SPC, commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the necessary experience and/or training.

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profile that make up this role.

You will be expected to provide evidence to show how you meet the criteria at interview stage.

Delivering At Pace

• Promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time whilst still enabling innovation.
• Show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priories.
• Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.

Changing and Improving

• Encourage ideas for change from a wide range of sources.
• Clearly explain the reasons for change to colleagues and how to implement them, supporting individuals with different needs to adapt to change.
• Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to user fewer resources.

Making Effective Decisions

• Present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks
• Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making.
• Consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered.
• Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions.

Managing a Quality Service

• Work with stakeholders to set priorities, objectives and timescales.
• Identify risks and resolve issues efficiently.
• Develop, implement, maintain and review systems and services to ensure delivery of professional excellence.,
• Successfully deliver high quality outcomes that meet the customers’ needs and gives value for money.

Experience

• Competent user of Microsoft applications, including O365, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Highly effective organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Experience of business planning or of developing corporate performance reports to include advising on selection of key performance indicators.
• Good team player, with willingness to flex and support priority work as required.
• Experience of working effectively across team boundaries of developing effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse range of people (e.g., differing disciplines, levels of knowledge, seniority) both verbally and in writing.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours.

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than Monday 21st August 2023 at 12:00 pm and will involve completing the sections in the online application outlined below:

• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for these roles, with particular reference to the essential criteria listed under Experience (Behaviours and Experience will be assessed at interview).
• An online CV template setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. The CV will be assessed and scored assessing Experience . Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

Failure to complete the online application fully will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria.

Assessment

Applications will be assessed for suitability using the stated essential criteria under Experience. Behaviours and Experience will be assessed at interview.

Selection Process

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the essential criteria and experience outlined in the Experience section above.

Interview

Should you be successful in being invited to interview, you will be assessed on Experience and the following behaviours: your performance in all behaviours as listed in the Person Specification and essential criteria, alongside scenario- based questions and strength-based questions.

There will also be a 5-minute presentation assessing Experience

Candidates invited to interview will be given further information at least 1 week before their interview on the question being asked and assessed as part of the presentation.

• Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. Interviews will probably take place remotely via video conference, full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview. The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.
• Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour: Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour: Changing and Improving
• Behaviour: Managing a Quality Service
• Experience

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible after the final interview.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list for up to 12 months. We then may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) . See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality Requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Email : [email protected]
• Name : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]