Policy & Projects Officer

REQ01509

16/03/2023

01/05/2023

Maidenhead

£35,372 - £39,224 per annum

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, birthday leave, flexible working and much more.

37

Full time

As a council we face the same challenges every business does - investing in the right places and delivering great results. Except for us, it’s all about making the Royal Borough a great place to live, work and do business and improving outcomes for our 153,500 residents. This is a fantastic opportunity to join our high profile, well-respected and friendly Strategy, Policy and Performance unit at the heart of the council, in the role of Policy & Projects Officer.

About the role

Working across the organisation, you will support the development and delivery of effective policies and strategies in response to new and emerging priorities for the council. You will have opportunities to work across a range of priority policy issues – which might include tackling cost of living rises and inequalities, economic growth, a new transport strategy, or how we engage with our customers. Partnering with managers, you will be involved in the life- cycle of key policies and strategies from initial analysis of the problem and evidence gathering, to formulating policy options, to delivery planning, securing buy-in to delivery by working with councillors and a wide range of stakeholders.

You will research and share best practice from elsewhere, analyse and interpret data, undertake engagement with residents and other stakeholders, and produce written and verbal briefings for internal and external partners to inform strategic decision-making. You will provide policy and research support, advice and expertise to business units across the council and will build strong, influential relationships with internal colleagues at all levels and with external partners.

About you

The ideal candidate will be self-motivated and have a broad knowledge of current issues affecting local government. A proactive, “can do” attitude is a must. Educated to a good standard, you will be able to gather, research and analyse data and information from a wide range of sources, and apply this knowledge to inform policy and strategy development, including conducting or commissioning consultations and managing stakeholder engagement. You will have a successful record of developing effective policies and strategies to advance corporate priorities and be able to communicate complex issues clearly – both verbally and through the preparation of high-quality and engaging written reports and presentation materials.

With excellent communication skills – both written and verbal – and the ability to adapt your communication style for the audience, you will be able to build strong rapport and relationships at all levels within the organisation, with strong negotiating and influencing skills.

You'll also need to understand the complexities of working in a political environment and be able to appreciate and respond to different perspectives.

About the council

The council is set in a major tourism area with tourist attractions including Windsor Castle, Legoland and Ascot Racecourse and with the Royal Family on the doorstep. The borough is largely affluent, but also includes communities who are facing inequalities and disadvantage. This is an ambitious council, committed to improving the way it works as an organisation, to strengthening partnership working, and to achieving the best outcomes for our residents.

The council operates a flexible system in relation to remote working arrangements however for this post there is an expectation of working in the office at least 1 day a week, and according to the needs of the business.