Head of elections

Head of Elections

Job reference number: 047208
Contract type: Fixed Term until 31 August 2028
Closing date: 22nd November, 2024 at 23:59
Interview Date: w/c 9 December
Salary: £66,063 per annum
Grade: 11

About the role

London Elects is the GLA team that organises the election of the Mayor of London, the 14 Constituency London Assembly Members, and the 11 London-wide Assembly Members every four years. The next elections are scheduled for Thursday 4 May 2028. Although part of the GLA, London Elects is operationally independent. It works directly for the Greater London Returning Officer - who is also the GLA Chief Officer - and has a separate budget and reporting lines from other GLA staff. The Deputy Greater London Returning Officer - a member of the GLA's senior leadership team - is responsible for London Elects.

The scale and complexity of these elections are unique: three ballot papers (and two different voting systems) for an electorate of nearly six million people across 32 boroughs and the City of London. Votes may be counted manually (as was the case in 2024) or electronically (as was the case for previous elections). Either option requires very close partnership working with Constituency and Borough Returning Officers and their electoral teams in each borough. Consideration also needs to be given to the possibility that a UK General Election could be held on the same day - with potentially no more than six weeks' notice given by the government.

That's why we're looking for a Head of Elections with experience of managing elections, ideally in London. You will be responsible for ensuring that mayoral and assembly candidates are supported through the nominations process that concludes in March 2028, that boroughs have the support they need on polling day; and that accurate, timely election results are delivered within the performance framework required by the Electoral Commission.

This post is fixed term and is available as a secondment or a job-share.

Principal accountabilities

1. Lead the development, management, monitoring and delivery of the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections (and/or any by-election), managing budgets and leading staff allocated directly to the London Elects team or through matrix working.
2. Establish, develop and maintain good working relationships within and outside the Authority including with London borough elections teams, in order to ensure that the elections are delivered successfully.
3. Provide efficient and effective management and delivery of the election in accordance with legislation and best practice. Act as the key go-to person for elections matters as they arise.
4. Develop and maintain arrangements to achieve and demonstrate achievement of compliance with the Electoral Commission performance standards to ensure the effective delivery of the election.
5. Prepare and implement a project plan and detailed workstream programme to ensure compliance with the statutory delivery of the election, monitoring strategies and oversee delivery of work arising from this, ensuring that milestone targets are met and remedial actions implemented for any problems identified.
6. Co-ordinate, prepare papers for and minute meetings of the GLA Elections Working Group and any sub-groups.
7. Oversee successful and timely procurement of goods and/or services relating to the election.
8. Maintain an awareness of legislative and policy changes relating to elections; and establish and maintain communications with Government departments, London boroughs, and other organisations, providing guidance and advice on election rules.
9. Undertake any other duties as may be allocated from time to time by the Greater London Returning Officer and Deputy Greater London Returning Officer, including deputising as and when required.

Person specification

Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

1. Experience in managing large multi-million pound programmes and/or projects in a public sector organisation.
2. Excellent understanding of and commitment to the GLA's role and its relationship with London boroughs.
3. An excellent understanding of election management, or evidence of quickly being able to build up expertise in a new and complex policy area.

Behavioural competencies

Communicating and Influencing

1. Encourages and supports teams in engaging in transparent and inclusive communication.
2. Influences others and gains buy-in using compelling, well thought through arguments.
3. Negotiates effectively to deliver GLA priorities.
4. Synthesises the complex viewpoints of others, recognises where compromise is necessary and brokers agreement.
5. Advocates positively for the GLA both within and outside the organisation.

Building and Managing Relationships

1. Actively engages partners and encourages others to build relationships that support GLA objectives.
2. Understands and recognises the contributions that staff at all levels make to delivering priorities.
3. Proactively manages partner relationships, preventing or resolving any conflict.
4. Adapts style to work effectively with partners, building consensus, trust and respect.
5. Delivers objectives by bringing together diverse stakeholders to work effectively in partnership.

Problem solving

1. Clarifies ambiguous problems, questioning assumptions to reach a fuller understanding.
2. Actively challenges the status quo to find new ways of doing things, looking for good practice.
3. Seeks and incorporates diverse perspectives to help produce workable strategies to address complex issues.
4. Initiates consultation on opportunities to improve work processes.
5. Supports the organisation to implement innovative suggestions.

Planning and Organising

1. Monitors allocation of resources, anticipating changing requirements that may impact work delivery.
2. Ensures evaluation processes are in place to measure project benefits.
3. Gains buy-in and commitment to project delivery from diverse stakeholders.
4. Implements quality measures to ensure directorate output is of a high standard.
5. Translates political vision into action plans and deliverables.

Decision Making

1. Makes sound decisions quickly on behalf of the GLA when a situation requires intervention.
2. Takes responsibility for team decisions, providing rationale when those decisions are questioned.
3. Involves senior stakeholders early in decisions that impact them.
4. Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action.
5. Encourages others in the team to make decisions in their own area of expertise, take appropriate risks and learn from experience.

This role is based at the 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.

Application Process & Additional Information

Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role.

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

1. Up to date CV
2. Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the 'Additional Documents' section of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g. "CV - applicant name - 012345). Applications submitted without a Personal Statement will not be considered.

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, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also 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.

On this recruitment campaign, as part of GLA's continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination.

Reasonable adjustment will be made to working arrangements to accommodate a person with a disability who otherwise would be prevented from undertaking the work.

Application closing date: 22nd November, 2024 at 23:59

If you have a question about the role or would like to discuss it informally, please feel free to contact Alex Conway at alex.conway@london.gov.uk or Stuart Scott at stuart.scott@london.gov.uk to arrange a call.

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however interviews - which may be carried out remotely, online - could be organised at short notice.

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.

Secondment Opportunity

If you are a GLA employee applying for an internal fixed term position, as an internal secondment opportunity, you must ensure you satisfy the following secondment policy criteria listed below before applying:

1. On a permanent contract or a fixed term contract where the time left on the contract at the point at which you apply for secondment is longer than the secondment period;
2. Successfully completed your probation period and are performing to the required standard for your current role; and
3. At least 18 months' service with the GLA.

If you do meet the criteria listed above, you will need to complete the Approval for secondment application form and gain line manager approval, before emailing the fully completed form to the Resourcing Assistant who is managing the vacancy. This form must be received by the closing date of the vacancy. Failure to provide this form will mean your application cannot be progressed.

If you are unable to satisfy all of the criteria, unfortunately you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy as an internal secondment. For further information, please see Secondment Policy and Procedure.

IMPORTANT: If you are a current GLA employee on fixed term contract, which is due to end BEFORE the end date of this vacancy, you DO NOT NEED to complete the Approval for secondment application form as it is not a secondment.

If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application.