Job title: Intelligence and Policy Officer
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Merrion House (with some hybrid working)
INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.
As Intelligence and Policy Officer you’ll be at the forefront of providing key data, analysis, advice and support across Housing Leeds. The role provides an exciting opportunity to work with a wide range of areas helping to better inform decisions which will lead to improved services and better outcomes for our customers.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As Intelligence and Policy Officer, you will bring to the role:
* Ability to effectively communicate and distil complex information and challenging messages in person, in presentations and in writing
* Ability to use Microsoft packages proficiently
* Ability to develop resolutions to complex issues
* Knowledge of the area of public service this role is focused on, as outlined in the job advert, including national policy direction, the local authority role, sector-led improvement, intelligence needs, practice requirements and performance expectations.
* Can work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
About the role
As our next Intelligence and Policy Officer you’ll be integral to the Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development team. You will work with Housing Leeds on a variety of areas and projects. You‘ll need flexibility to adapt to a changing working environment and be able take on urgent working requests. Using your knowledge of current social housing and issues affecting the sector, you will help develop innovative solutions to varied and complex problems alongside developing effective working relationships with a variety of people to achieve defined outcomes.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
* a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
* membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
* flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
* a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
* a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Lee Ward, Risk and Regulation Manager. Call (0113) 3783195 or email lee.ward@leeds.gov.uk
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose
The post-holder will provide practical advice and strategic support to one or more functions and service responsibilities within Leeds City Council’s Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development Team. The team provides a wide range of insight to frontline services, senior managers, elected members and partners with the aim of informing decisions and improving services and outcomes. This happens at locality, service city and wider levels.
The Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development Team’s functions include:
* Data analysis – including the analysis of population outcomes and need, demographics, activity impact, service performance and quality assurance activity and surveys
* Business planning – comprising the council’s corporate planning, risk management and business continuity management, performance management and consultation and engagement
* Policy development and support
The post-holder will work flexibly as part of the team and with internal and external colleagues to support the development and implementation of the authority’s strategic approach in one or more of the functions outlined above. The role will require significant cross-council and cross-partnership working; as such, success depends on building and maintaining strong, positive relationships with these stakeholders. This will include the management of key relationships with specific service areas, key partnerships and other support services. The post-holder will also need to demonstrate knowledge and experience of delivering comprehensive aspects of one or more of the Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development functions and of managing staff and teams.
Should the role require specialist knowledge, skills and/or experience in a particular functional or service area, this will be detailed in the job advert, though the post-holder will need to be flexible with the role evolving in line with the council’s and Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development Team’s priorities. The post-holder will also have cross-council responsibilities.
Responsibilities
General Responsibilities
* Promote, demonstrate and evidence the council’s values and expected behaviours through your own role and through the work of the service.
* Support colleagues with the delivery and improvement of key areas of work within Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development, ensuring that strategic and service outcomes and priorities are delivered successfully to a high standard
* Work flexibly across the service and wider organisation to meet council and city priorities and exploit opportunities for personal development.
* Work closely with commissioners of Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development services to inform both service prioritisation and the evaluation of service delivery.
* Maintain knowledge of local, regional and national issues as they relate to Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development functions.
* Develop and manage staff within the service, especially those for whom the post-holder directly line manages, including agreeing responsibilities and objectives, ascertaining training and development needs, work planning, monitoring performance, assessment and appraisal.
* Support the team with the procurement, implementation and ongoing management of the teams technical solutions and processes, maximising the use of technology to facilitate efficiencies and improved performance.
* Build strong, dynamic relationships and networks, positively engaging with relevant stakeholders.
* Contribute and support colleagues in the preparing and deliver briefings, reports and presentations to senior managers, elected members and partners.
* Support colleagues with delegated budgets, resources and assets effectively and efficiently and in line with the council’s financial and contract procedures rules.
* Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, national standards and best practice in pursuit of excellence in service delivery.
* Work within all relevant policies, procedures and systems established corporately or locally. These include the council’s arrangements for Health and Safety, Human Resources, Information Governance and Equality and Diversity.
Specific Responsibilities
The post-holder will play a Key role in the development and delivery of Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development Team’s priorities in one or more of the following areas.
Data Analysis
* Provide responsive, timely and accurate intelligence and analysis that meets the needs of stakeholders, including face-to-face contact with service users and the general public.
* Support intelligence capacity through enabling self-service, contributing to innovation, involving partners and thereby making data more accessible, better integrated and readily used; in a manner that is consistent with good information governance.
* Ensure intelligence informs improvement conversations and consequent actions, supporting managers and colleagues to own and use intelligence, linking data with other evidence and taking consideration of trends, benchmarking, forecasting, underlying need and equalities characteristics including disadvantage.
* Support managers and colleagues with further developments, improvements to and implementation of intelligence and data analytical systems and processes, including support to underlying data quality and the promotion of data as an asset. These may include Business Intelligence tools, GIS and specific applications such as the Leeds Observatory. This will include cross-council, city partnership and regional/national sector best practice.
Business Planning
* Contribute and support the development of the council’s corporate plan, working with colleagues to ensure consistency with other key council and partnership strategies and in line with the authority’s policy direction and strategic narrative.
* Support managers and colleagues with further developments and improvements of the corporate risk management and performance management frameworks, facilitating informed decision-making, benchmarking and service improvement.
* Support managers and colleagues with further developments of the corporate business continuity management framework, providing advice and guidance to support the council in preparing for and responding to significant service disruption.
* Provide practical advice and guidance of a co-ordinated approach to online and offline consultation and engagement, including survey design and analysis and community engagement.
Policy Development and Support
* Provide support to colleagues, managers and elected members around key national, regional and local policy areas.
* Collaborate with colleagues across the organisation to improve cross-policy co-ordination and promote a common strategic narrative, aligned with the council’s corporate plan.
* Contribute and communicate socio-economic insights and analysis to inform council and city policies, priorities and decision-making.
* Contribute to the representation of Leeds City Council at external policy meetings, ensuring the views of the council are reflected.
* Contribute to partnership working across the Leeds City Region, including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, to support proactive input to policy development.
General Behavioural responsibilities
* Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
* Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
* Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
* Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
* Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
* Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
* Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
* Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
* The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
* The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements.
Skills required
* Able to manage and monitor performance, setting clear objectives for the review of individual, team and service level performance
* Able to engage and influence senior managers and partners
* Able to analyse and interpret complex qualitative and quantitative information from multiple sources
* Able to effectively communicate and distil complex information and challenging messages in person, in presentations and in writing
* Able to write reports and communicate in a business context for a variety of audiences
* Able to undertake a senior role promoting organisational values within the service and in relationships with other services and partners
* Able to support the negotiation of service commitments, ensuring commitments are manageable and that resources are being used for the greatest benefit
* Able to work flexibly, at pace and manage a demanding workload
* Able to develop resolutions to complex issues
* Able to work flexibly across a range of simultaneous initiatives and as part of a larger team adapting to changing needs and priorities
* Able to use Microsoft packages proficiently
* Use of analytical software and tools appropriate to the focus of the role
* The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Knowledge required
* A good understanding of Leeds City Council strategies, policies and current direction
* An understanding of the council's political context, including the pressures facing public services in their drive to improve service delivery and outcomes
* Detailed and up-to-date knowledge of one or more of the Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development functional areas, as described in the job advert. This includes good practice, methodologies and legislative / regulatory requirements.
* Knowledge of the area of public service this role is focused on, as outlined in the job advert, including national policy direction, the local authority role, sector-led improvement, intelligence needs, practice requirements and performance expectations.
Experience required
* Experience of working at a principal officer level in one or more of the specific responsibility areas outlined in the job advert: data analysis, business planning and/or policy development and support
* Experience of managing staff
* A record of building positive and collaborative relationships that have enabled the effective application of insight to improve services and outcomes
* Experience of delivering performance improvement
* Managing and contributing to delivery within complex environments involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes
* Managing and prioritising competing work pressures and the relationships underpinning these
* Delivering work to expected quality and to meet deadlines
* Experience of changing and evolving how services are delivered in terms of approaches used, service priorities and service relationships
Behavioural and other Characteristics
* Commitment to working within the council’s values and ability to instil values in others
* Commitment to continuous improvement of processes and systems, ensuring value for money
* Willing to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development
* Prepared and able to pick up and lead new areas of work as required
* Take personal responsibility for delivering work on time and for managing your own and your team’s workload
* Recognise and appreciate that everyone is different and respect the views and opinions of others
* Able to understand and carry out your responsibilities as required by council policies, including Health and Safety, Information Governance, Equality and Diversity and HR policies
* Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
* Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
* Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
* Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities
Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.
Knowledge required
* Knowledge of national frameworks and sources of intelligence specific to the focus of this role, as outlined in the job advert. This includes, where relevant, the local authority role in the management, collection and submission of the underpinning data.
Experience required
* Controlling and managing budgets
* Managing and / or commissioning research projects
* Supporting the specification and contracting of technical solutions and processes to support the Housing Policy, Projects & Business Development Team’s work
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