Location
City of Westminster

Hours
Full-time, 36 hours per week with 3 days a week in the office

Salary
£63,723 per annum

About the Role
Southwark Council is a successful, passionate and forward-thinking organisation committed to tackling injustice and inequalities while rebuilding the local economy. We place our residents and businesses at the heart of everything we do. As a diverse central London borough, Southwark faces a range of opportunities and challenges addressed through the delivery of the Borough Plan. We are seeking talented and ambitious individuals to join our team and help make Southwark a borough where everyone can thrive.

Within the Strategy & Communities Department, which supports senior officers and elected members to shape and communicate the Council's priorities, we bring together political support, policy development, communications, marketing and public affairs to deliver meaningful change for our residents.

We are offering an exciting opportunity to join the Leader's Office and Executive Office at the heart of decision-making as our Executive External Affairs Manager. This unique role combines political insight, strategic leadership and external engagement. Working closely with the Leader of the Council, Executive Members and senior officers, you will play a central role in supporting the Council’s political leadership and strengthening Southwark’s influence regionally and nationally.

You will lead a high-performing team that supports Executive Members to deliver their priorities, navigate complex policy challenges and fulfil their constitutional responsibilities. You will help shape the Council’s relationships with government, local authorities, London-wide organisations, think tanks and other key stakeholders, ensuring Southwark’s voice is heard on the issues that matter most to our residents.

As part of the service management team, you will gain unparalleled insight into how local government works at the highest level, working across policy, communications, public affairs and political leadership to drive meaningful change.

Key responsibilities include:
- Leading and inspiring a dedicated team providing strategic and operational support to the Leader and Executive Members
- Delivering the Council's influencing and stakeholder engagement strategies, building strong relationships with regional and national partners, government bodies and key political stakeholders
- Ensuring Executive Members receive high-quality advice, briefings and support to deliver their priorities and make informed decisions
- Building effective relationships across council departments to ensure political priorities are understood and reflected in policy development, service delivery and decision-making
- Overseeing complex programmes of meetings, visits, events and communications to enable Executive Members to operate effectively in a fast-paced and high-profile environment

Experience
- Strong leadership and people management skills with experience leading high-performing teams
- Significant experience supporting senior leaders at a strategic level within a complex organisation
- Sound understanding of local government, political environments and the challenges facing councils today
- Experience coordinating work across multiple stakeholders and translating strategic priorities into tangible outcomes

About you
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines
- Outstanding relationship-building skills and confidence to engage with senior stakeholders, elected members, government representatives and partners
- Proactive, solutions-focused approach with the ability to navigate sensitive situations with discretion, professionalism and sound judgement
- Commitment to public service and a passion for improving outcomes for Southwark's residents and communities

Qualifications
For detailed qualifications, skills and experience requirements, please refer to the job description and person specification provided by the Council.