Infrastructure Coordination Service Lead

The Infrastructure team is hiring an Infrastructure Coordination Service Lead for its Development work area—delivering against the Mayor’s priorities for infrastructure, housing and decarbonisation in the capital.

The Infrastructure Coordination Service (ICS) is an award-winning team  that works to improve how utilities (and other) infrastructure is planned and delivered in our city. We are interdisciplinary, fast moving, industry-leading and focused on innovation and creating real change.

In this role, you will lead the Development service line, which improves how new development connects into utilities infrastructure. By addressing the strategic infrastructure challenges that can stall development, as well as unlocking site-specific issues, the Development service enables affordable housing delivery across London. By building strong relationships with developers, the Development service addresses existing issues but also identifies new areas of work that need its focus.

The ICS brings significant benefits to industry and Londoners by reducing road network disruption and air pollution, supporting ‘healthy streets,’ and enabling decarbonisation. We do this by improving coordination within the sector—working with boroughs, developers, utilities, telecoms, and other infrastructure providers. We bring together a wide range of expertise—including architects, engineers, planners, policy makers, project managers, and GIS experts—in order to think differently about infrastructure planning and delivery.

You will be someone:

with experience and technical knowledge in development, housing delivery, or utilities infrastructure

who enjoys managing a small team to create meaningful change at a large scale

who will build strong relationships with developers, utilities, and others and understand their challenges

who is proactive, solution-orientated, collaborative, and able to spot opportunities

who is comfortable working flexibly in a fast-paced environment, and adaptive to address new work as it emerges

who embraces new ways of working, piloting approaches to see if they are effective

who, as a member of the Infrastructure management team, will be a thoughtful and inclusive leader

Principal accountabilities

Manage a team of professional project managers and technical experts responsible for delivering and continually refining the Mayor’s Infrastructure Coordination Service. In line with planned performance and outputs to time, budget commitments and quality specifications by monitoring the activities of delivery partners and their contractors, identifying and reporting on risks and issues as appropriate.

Provide a link between the team and the Head of Infrastructure, ensuring effective communication of objectives and work programmes.

Monitor regional, national or international initiatives and best practice in infrastructure fields to keep the GLA’s thinking and work abreast of latest developments.

Provide advice and technical support to the Mayor, Deputy Mayors, Mayoral Advisers, senior managers and Assembly Members on matters within the area of responsibility.

Prepare and present reports, briefs and recommendations on key issues and actions to the Assistant Director and Executive Directors, to facilitate executive understanding and decision making.

Lead or contribute to the development of ICS programmes and projects either delivered directly or with external partners, developers, utilities, regulators, boroughs councils or other agencies. As appropriate manage consultants to deliver projects, including procurement processes, project management, monitoring and review.

Establish, develop and maintain strong relationships with senior representatives of functional bodies, government departments, utilities, borough councils, developers, other statutory agencies, and additional external partners in a manner that ensures mutual confidence and trust, and builds avenues for the promotion of the Mayor’s priorities and shared working.

Identify opportunities for external funding and other income in support of the ICS, working with relevant teams to secure additional budgets for project delivery.

Through effective leadership, manage and motivate the ICS teams, ensuring work programmes are established, monitored and delivered in accordance with the Mayor’s objectives and priorities and within allocated budgets. Ensure effective performance management arrangements are in place to achieve these objectives.

As a senior manager, actively contribute to the corporate management of the GLA by participating in GLA-wide developments and initiatives in pursuit of GLA aims and objectives.

Realise the benefits of London’s diversity by promoting and enabling equality of opportunities and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London’s communities

Realise the benefits of a flexible approach to work in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job, and participating in multi-disciplinary, cross-department and cross-organisational groups and project teams

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

A successful track record of leadership, team management, and external engagement / relationship building

Appropriate Degree level qualification and/or appropriate professional qualifications/membership and/or demonstrable and relevant experience and skills in at least one of the following areas: development/housing, infrastructure and utilities, energy, water, sustainability/decarbonisation, or architecture.

Strong programme and project management skills and experience, including evidence of successful delivery to time and budget.

Behavioural competencies

Building and Managing Relationships

… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 4 indicators of effective performance

•    Identifies and engages a diverse range of influential contacts within stakeholder and community groups, and partner organisations

•    Builds alliances to establish mutually beneficial working arrangements, openly sharing knowledge and insights

•    Actively challenges and addresses ‘silo attitudes’ to encourage effective relationship-building inside and outside the GLA

•    Understands the complexities of political dynamics and uses this to manage relationships and resolve conflict effectively

•         Identifies clear win-win situations with external partners

Strategic Thinking

…is using an understanding of the bigger picture to uncover potential challenges and opportunities for the long term and turning these into a compelling vision for action.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

•    Translates GLA vision and strategy into practical and tangible plans for own team or delivery partners

•    Consistently takes account of the wider implications of team’s actions for the GLA

•    Encourages self and others to think about organisation’s long term potential

•    Informs strategy development by identifying gaps in current delivery or evidence

•    Takes account of a wide range of public and partner needs to inform team’s work

Managing and Developing Performance

… is setting high standards for oneself and others, guiding, motivating and developing them, to achieve high performance and meet the GLA’s objectives and statutory obligations.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

•    Motivates and inspires others to perform to their best, recognising and valuing their work and encouraging them to learn and reflect

•    Sets clear direction and expectations and enables others to interpret competing priorities

•    Agrees and monitors challenging, achievable performance objectives in line with GLA priorities

•    Manages performance issues effectively to avoid adverse impact on team morale and performance

Planning and Organising

… is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

•    Monitors allocation of resources, anticipating changing requirements that may impact work delivery

•    Ensures evaluation processes are in place to measure project benefits

•    Gains buy-in and commitment to project delivery from diverse stakeholders

•    Implements quality measures to ensure directorate output is of a high standard

•    Translates political vision into action plans and deliverables

This role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL)

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

London’s diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London’s diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share.

In addition to a good salary package, we offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Application closing date: Sunday 10th Dec 2023 at 23:59