Job title: Project Officer
Salary: PO2 £39,862 – £42,839 (Annual)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Temporary Contract or Secondment until 31st July 2028
Location: Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8BB
About The Role
You will work with the Transformation Team who support the delivery of an ambitious programme of change, in the context of significant national reforms. As a Project Officer your values and ambition will support the best possible delivery of services to Leeds residents in a way that appropriately meets their needs. You will use your project expertise and skills to work effectively as part of a wider programme structure within multi‑disciplinary teams, driving delivery of varied and complex projects providing project management support to ensure successful delivery. This will include supporting service reviews and design of change proposals, developing project documentation such as project plans, risk and benefits documentation, work packages and stakeholder management plans.
What We Offer You
- 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
Responsibilities
- Support effective project delivery across the directorate’s transformation agenda, some of which may be complex
- Work within multi‑disciplinary teams to drive forward delivery of projects to time, cost and quality standards
- Ensure that project documentation is up to date, reflective of progress and matters of challenge
- Maintain manual and digital records accurately collating and processing sensitive and secure data in accordance with GDPR
- Escalate risks and play a crucial role in activity reporting to project teams, programme boards and other groups
- Work with a range of colleagues from across the directorate, council and partners, providing support to achieve successful change
- Use initiative to manage competing priorities and offer solutions whilst delivering on a range of objectives
- Support and develop staff to be their best and reflect the organisation’s values
- Supervise and appraise staff in line with associated policies and procedures
- Prioritise own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines, ensuring consistency of approach with a key focus on delivery and quality
- Provide written and verbal briefs on project activity to a range of stakeholders as required
- Interpret financial policies and procedures ensuring value for money
- Support the management of project budgets, including planning, monitoring and reporting spend
- Manage and support project team meetings, boards and other groups, including agenda planning, preparation, attendance, active participation and minutes where appropriate
- Escalate issues timely to ensure swift corrective action
- Be flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
- Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to keep skills up to date
- Improve own practice through observation, evaluation and discussion with colleagues and development programmes
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, seeking help and advice when needed
- Contribute to the overall ethos of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days and events as requested
- Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures (e.g. child protection, health, safety, confidentiality, data protection)
- Support equality and inclusivity, upholding the council’s values and preventing discrimination, bullying, harassment or victimisation
- Observe the council’s flexibility protocol
- Duties are not exhaustive and may include other responsibilities as required by the post
Qualifications
The postholder should hold a relevant project management qualification or be able to clearly demonstrate substantial experience of project management.
Skills Required
- Work flexibly across different work locations and areas
- Use initiative to develop solutions to day‑to‑day issues and problems
- Apply a range of project management techniques and methodologies to achieve desired outcomes, including risk and benefit registers, project initiation and stakeholder management plans
- Collaborate with stakeholders to move projects from concept through to implementation using robust project management frameworks
- Appraise options, including evaluation and development of recommendations
- Support development of cases for change articulating need, benefits, risk, investment, target savings and resource management
- Strong report writing skills, presenting complex information succinctly
- Effective presentation skills, written and verbal
- Excellent communication skills across team and organisational boundaries
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with stakeholders
- Analytical skills to gather, interpret and present complex data from a range of sources
- Provide recommendations aligned to objectives
- Interpret financial policies ensuring value for money
- Monitor and report on project budgets
Knowledge Required
- Demonstrable knowledge of project management methodologies and practices
- Understanding of current challenges in local government and the wider public sector
- Understanding of challenges facing children’s services locally and nationally
- Knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, policies and ability to apply them consistently
- Knowledge of responsibilities in Health, Safety, security, confidentiality and data protection
Experience Required
- Significant experience within a project management environment, supporting successful project delivery
- Experience supporting and managing complex, varied projects involving partnership working across disciplines and professions
- Experience on cultural and/or operational change projects with customer‑focused outcomes
- Experience working within a matrix management approach across line managers, project managers, service managers and senior colleagues
- Experience in resource management within projects
- Experience supervising and managing staff within a project environment
- Organisational and time‑management skills to meet own and team’s work
- Ability to identify problems and seek appropriate solutions
Behavioural and Other Characteristics Required
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council values, behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas, working towards the council’s ambitions of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Understand and observe equality and diversity policies
- Carry out duties in line with Health and Safety policies
- Willingness to participate in training and development activitiesFlexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required
- Participate in appraisal, training and development activities
- Be aware of and comply with council policies and procedures
- Support equality, uphold anti‑discriminatory practices, and challenge incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation
- Follow the council’s flexibility protocol
Equal Opportunities Statement
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures, including women, carers, veterans, people living with disabilities, care‑experienced people and the LGBTQ+ community. All applicants will receive equal consideration.
Right to Work
Applicants must evidence the right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, as outlined by Home Office guidance.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…