Portfolio Lead, Corporate Strategy x2

Interview date:
Late July (may be subject to change)

Strategy and Communications sits at the centre of the organisation, bringing together several teams with organisation-wide remits and mutual collaboration opportunities. The work of the directorate’s teams includes delivery of major events, designing and leading public affairs or marketing campaigns, providing data, evidence and analysis, leading cross‑organisational programmes, to making sure we plan for and can respond to emerging events or emergencies in our city.

We’re a newly created Corporate Strategy team supporting CMT to set direction on how the GLA organises itself to be effective, drive pace on the priorities that matter most to the Mayor, strengthen cross‑GLA join‑up, and keep a relentless focus on delivering outcomes for Londoners. We work closely and collaboratively across all GLA teams.

We’re recruiting two Portfolio Leads. The portfolio split and account management responsibilities will be agreed after recruitment, based on the strengths of successful candidates and organisational need. You’ll act as the Strategy account manager to embedded policy teams, shape policy development and convene where required, and provide succinct advice to CMT. You’ll also coordinate portfolio inputs to major Government moments, working closely with the specialist and ensuring products (including narrative and core asks) are jointly owned with PASP.

This is a hands‑on team. Whatever your role, you’ll need to get into the detail: making sense of complex data, evidence and intelligence; framing issues simply and clearly; identifying the key decisions, trade‑offs and risks; and explaining them powerfully, both verbally and in writing, ’ll need strong political and organisational nous, curiosity and a desire to learn. You’ll be a self‑starter who can take initiative, build relationships quickly, challenge constructively, work collaboratively and deliver efficiently.

The work will vary with demand and major deadlines, so you’ll need to be comfortable working flexibly and at pace when priorities require it, while operating within GLA policies and ways of working.

• Act as the strategy account manager to embedded policy teams, support the shaping of policy development and convening where required
• Produce succinct briefings, options and recommendations for CMT
• Support compelling narratives aligned to statutory strategies and Mayoral priorities
• Coordinate portfolio inputs to Government moments, ensuring narrative and core asks are jointly owned with PASP
• Lead short, time‑limited sprints to unblock issues and produce decision‑ready papers

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Strong judgment and awareness of what matters for CMT and the Mayor, with the ability to frame issues and advise accordingly
• Excellent critical thinking and rapid synthesis, producing short, decision‑ready advice under pressure
• Credible influencing and constructive challenge skills, improving the quality of proposals while sustaining strong relationships
• Strong triage capability, making decisions on where to focus and when escalation is required
• Strong policy and fiscal literacy (funding, settlements, business cases, devolution/reform tools) combined with narrative and case‑making
• Demonstrable ability to coordinate cross‑organisation work to tight timetables using governance, project management and quality assurance, acting as a self‑starter with strong political and organisational nous

The following behavioural competencies are required for this role at Level
3. Shortlisting will be based on the five competencies marked “shortlisting”. The remaining competencies will be tested at interview and/or through further assessment.

• 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 and Londoners.
• Encourages self and others to think about the organisation’s…