Strategic Partnership Lead

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 346836**Salary**:

- £69,869 - £77,740- National £69,869 min - £77,740 max**Job grade**:

- Grade 6**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- DWP - Work and Health Services - Universal Credit**Type of role**:

- Operational Delivery**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- WalesAbout the job

**Job summary**:
The role is key to filling a gap in the flow of information between local labour market stakeholders and strategy/policy teams with regards strategic local labour market engagements, particularly in relation to funds and provision not delivered through Jobcentre Plus. A key strategic role working with Welsh Government to align DWP and Welsh Government strategies and funding streams. This has gained importance due to increasing focus on decentralisation and place-based delivery through Levelling Up, UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF).

Offering the opportunity to develop and further understand the potential and scope of the role in supporting regional strategic objectives in line with DWP and UK Government (UKG) objectives, including levelling up, decentralisation and workforce participation and the related engagement role DWP is expected to have across local and national government (including, DLUCH, DBT, Home Office) and the devolved administrations in Wales and to align strategic messages and funding streams to ensure best value for money.

**Job description**:
Performing as a strategic regional interface between DWP policy directorates, other UK Government departments regional teams Policy Teams, Local Authorities and key regional stakeholders. Senior leader for Group Partnerships, Devolution Team and Wales Director’s Group Office with a lead role on Employer and Partnership activity.

**You Will -**
- Lead the Departments regional strategic relationships ensuring collaborative and influential engagement on behalf of the DWP, partners, providers, and relevant organisations, ensuring a strong DWP presence in key governance forums - so that DWP policy objectives are better understood and landed locally, and opportunities sought for greater alignment and leverage in delivery of local services to the customer. Lead on engagement with local authorities, Devolved Administrations, other government departments, and strategic stakeholders.
- A regional expert on DWP policy agenda & regional expert on funding streams supporting DWP objectives on DWP’s labour market policy agenda and employment and skills provision delivered by DWP, other government departments, Devolved Administrations, Local Authorities and the Voluntary Sector, building improved channels for regular engagement with DWP policy teams to enable this - so that the policy intent is clear and setting the direction on behalf of the Group Director across a large geographical area.
- Lead regular structured feedback and local intelligence to the Department (policy and delivery) on local labour market issues, stakeholder positions and barriers to achieving DWP and UKG objectives - so that local labour market intelligence has a greater impact on policy and delivery development as place-based experts within region covered, and lead on selected policy themes at place level across GB and lead on selected funding streams across GB.
- Develop DWP stakeholder and partner understanding of local labour market needs and awareness of national and local employment and skills support to optimise policy development and delivery of labour market outcomes.
- Connect into local services, maintaining and sharing awareness of initiatives funded by other government departments and broader activities relating to services and initiatives within their geography.
- Lead the implementation of DWP Employer and Partner Strategy across the Group, linking to the Devolved Administration strategies to align and turbo charge labour market activity to meet the aspiration set by UK Government to reduce unemployment and support levelling up to reduce inequalities.
- As an active member of the Group and Area Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the wider Departmental agendas and providing visible, accessible, and effective senior leadership, taking a personal lead in communicating messages with clarity and conviction.
- To understanding the complex landscape of funding and provision across DWP and other government departments, lead through ambiguity and adapt quickly to changing direction and priorities.

Extensive travel across Wales with regular attendance in Cardiff is expected.

**Person specification**:
**Key Criteria**
- Demonstrate strong leadership experience, both personal and corporate, in challenging circumstances, with experience of leading and motivating high performing teams and delivering results. **(Lead Criteria**)
- Set and