The Deputy Head of Cabinet Office manages the direct support to cabinet members and takes a leadership role in the wider cabinet office team. The postholder ensures the coordination of the cross‑cutting support offered to all cabinet members, that cabinet members’ priorities and policies are reflected across the organisation, and that all cabinet‑level communications are consistent and reflect the overall strategic message of the administration.
Responsibilities
* Take responsibility for the management of the Cabinet Office in the absence of the Head of Cabinet Office.
* Line‑manage and develop the Cabinet Support Officers.
* Provide strategic advice and support to the Cabinet on key issues affecting the Council.
* Work with the Cabinet, Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) and colleagues within Strategy & Change to ensure a forward communications plan aligned to the administration’s narrative and priorities.
* Facilitate effective communication between the Leader, the Cabinet and SLT, ensuring that key issues are progressed efficiently, coordinately and timely.
* Attend meetings on behalf of the Cabinet Office, influencing policy and projects, and communicate and provide feedback as appropriate.
* Ensure that the Leader and Cabinet members are supported with a thorough awareness of new legislative, political, financial and reputational communication developments at national, regional and local levels.
* Contribute to a local engagement programme for the Leader, supported by Cabinet, to ensure that decisions are informed by feedback from residents, businesses, the voluntary sector and other stakeholders, liaising with communications, community management and partners as necessary.
* Contribute to a public‑affairs programme for the Leader, supported by Cabinet, to lobby Government and other decision‑makers to advance the interests of the borough and its residents.
* Lead project work on behalf of the Leader and Cabinet to ensure delivery of priorities and projects, liaising with Council departments and other agencies to achieve outcomes.
* Manage and be accountable for the Leader’s budget, ensuring strategic consideration of how the fund can be used to maximise impact for the Leader’s priorities; provide monthly reports on expenditure against budget, report variances and take corrective action where required.
* Manage the Cabinet Office support officers, including recruitment, training, induction, development and performance appraisals of staff.
* Work closely with the Strategic Director of Strategy & Change and contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan on time and to budget in alignment with emerging administration priorities.
Qualifications
* Extensive experience of working in an executive support position with senior managers and politicians in a comparable organisation.
* A strong understanding of the political environment and the sensitivities of operations in this environment.
* An in‑depth awareness of the strategic policy and service delivery issues facing local government.
* The ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders to communicate and deliver the Leader and Cabinet’s priorities.
* Ability to manage service delivery within a challenging and political environment.
* Must have the right to work in the UK; evidence for the right to work will be requested at the interview stage.
Ealing Council is committed to creating good jobs and delivering on its connected communities agenda. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive.
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