Programme Support Officer – Cyber, Digital and Technology

Job Description

Job title: Programme Support Officer – Cyber, Digital and Technology

Company: Local Government Association

Job description: ***Fixed Term until 31st March 2025***

About us

The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. We work on behalf of our member councils to support, promote and improve local government.

We are a politically led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government. We influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to councils to help them deliver local solutions to national problems.

We also provide councils with the tools and resources to respond to challenges present and emerging, and support improvement across the sector.

The LGA’s Cyber, Digital and Technology programme is funded by the Cabinet Office’s National Cyber Programme and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). It aims to improve the secure use of digital technology by councils and communities. The Programme is not just about cyber security or IT but serves as an enabler of public service modernisation. It has delivered, over its five-year lifespan, a wide package of support on digital change and cyber resilience. In 2022, we launched a new outcomes-based framework for improving and supporting local government digitalisation by promoting a common language and shared understanding of local government digitalisation.

The 12 strategic outcomes are connectivity, data, democracy and participation, economic productivity and growth, ethics and sustainability, inclusion, leadership, organisational capability, partnership, security and resilience, services, and value.

This an exciting time to join the team, and the successful candidate will play a key role in coordinating an effective programme of support to councils across these 12 outcomes.

About the role

As a Programme Support Officer within the Improvement Division’s Productivity team, you will be responsible for providing comprehensive administrative support to the delivery of the of the Cyber, Digital and Technology (CDT) Programme. The successful candidate will focus on coordinating finance, event management, monitoring and reporting against the grant agreement, and network support, while supporting the procurement and delivery of several outsourced projects. This is an opportunity to support a high-profile programme which is a key priority for central government, councils and the LGA.

Working in the Productivity Team within the Improvement Division, your main responsibilities will be to:

• Organise and support meetings, events and functions to support delivery of Local Government Association (LGA) priorities.
• Maintain and continuously improve administrative systems, including forward/project plans, electronic filing systems, CRM mailing lists and databases.

• Produce reports, briefings and information sheets and work with colleagues to update the website.

• Arrange room bookings, refreshments, printing, copying, distribution, travel and other administrative tasks in support of the team and/or lead members of the LGA.

• Contribute to the delivery of the team’s agreed objectives.

• Participate in relevant projects that support the delivery of the LGA Business Plan.

• Model the LGA’s values and work in accordance with health and safety, equal opportunities and environmental policies.

• Undertake any other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

This is an office-based contract, and we unfortunately cannot consider applications for home-based working. The salary for an office-based worker is from £36,158 pa (including London Weighting). The office-based working will be in line with our flexible working policy which requires a minimum attendance of two days in the office.

About you

• You will have previous administrative experience and knowledge of office systems and procedures ideally gained in a member services or project-based environment.

• You will need to have a broad understanding of local and/or central government and how they work.

• Experience of working within a team environment

• Experience of a range of software packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, e-mail and the internet.

• Experience of researching data from a range of sources and of compiling clear, comprehensive papers.

• Experience of organising meetings, events or other activities.

• Excellent written skills, with the ability to accurately summarise and convey complex information.

• Excellent oral and influencing skills, with the ability to give clear advice on procedural issues.

• Political sensitivity, with the ability to exercise discretion, judgement and confidentiality when dealing with politicians and officers at every level, and to demonstrate political neutrality at all times.

• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to deal with members, other clients and colleagues with courtesy, tact and sensitivity.

• A demonstrable commitment to customer care.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work to meet deadlines, and a concern for order and accuracy

• Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint with the ability quickly to learn new packages as required.

• Good project management and financial control skills

• Ability to work as part of a team and to support others.

• Flexible approach to work, with a keenness to adapt to meet changing work requirements.

• A positive, “can do” attitude

You must have the right to work in the UK, the LGA are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship visas. Evidence for the right to work in the UK will be requested at the interview stage.

To apply

If you would like to be considered for this role, please provide a statement detailing why you are interested, and the demonstrable skills and competencies you would bring to the role against the following headings:

• Understanding of local and/or central government

• Experience of supporting business management processes; e.g. financial processes and reporting
• Experience of working within a team environment
• Events or meeting management experience
• Other relevant skills/experience

This statement should be no more than two sides of A4. You may upload your CV in support, but please remove your name from the CV, since the LGA undertakes ‘blind’ shortlisting.

We use anonymous recruitment, which is the practice of hiding candidates’ identities. This process involves removing any identifying information from candidates’ applications which includes names. We are unable to remove candidate’s names from their CV’s. If you wish to remain anonymous, we ask that you take your name off your CV before submitting.

Closing Date: 5pm, Sunday 14th January
Interview Date: W/c 22nd January, interviews will be held virtually

At the LGA we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our recruitment decisions are based on fair, open competition, with appointment on merit. The LGA are proud to be awarded a “Disability Confident Leader”. If you are require an reasonable adjustment, which is a change to the format or conditions of the recruitment process to accommodate any disability-related needs you may have. Please contact us via HRandPayroll@local.gov.uk

Our benefits

• LGA annual leave entitlement is 29 days, rising to 31 days after three years’ service and to 33 days after five years’ service, plus all UK public holidays (pro rata for fixed term and part time contracts).*
• Flexible & agile working – office-based staff are required to work in the LGA’s London office two days per week as a minimum, subject to business need and this may vary significantly between different roles and from week to week.
• Future development – face-to-face and virtual courses are scheduled in line with developmental goals
• The LGA offers 24/7 access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme managed by Health Assured. This service is also available for Dependants.
• Family friendly policies

For more of LGA’s benefits and working with us, please view our webpage https://www.local.gov.uk/benefits-and-working-lga

Our values & behaviours

Our Values and Behaviours are there to give us an understanding of who we are as an organisation and who we want to be. They are a framework to help us understand:

• How we work with each other

• How we work with our members and stakeholders
• Our expectations for ourselves and each other

Our values are:

Inclusive – We ensure that our work is inclusive of all voices.

Ambitious – We are ambitious for councils and their communities and are committed to striving for excellence in all that we do to support our colleagues, our membership and the sector to deliver the best possible outcomes.

Collaborative – We bring together the expertise and skills needed, working as one team.

Expected salary: £36158 per year

Location: London

Job date: Fri, 22 Dec 2023 06:15:54 GMT

Apply for the job now!