Vacancy Details

The 2021 government Spending Review (SR21) allocated £37.8 million of additional funding to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) over a three-year period. Funding was uplifted to tackle cyber security challenges facing councils and invest in local authority cyber resilience, protecting vital services and data. Together with maintaining the funding that was announced during the 2020 Spending Review (SR20), this brings the total central government funding for Local Government cyber and digital to £85.8 million over the SR21 period.

The CDT team itself is split into four functional areas. These are:

• Cyber 360s - A 360 involves a multi-disciplinary team of LGA officers, council officers and – whilst we grow the sector capability – external experts working with a council to offer a different set of perspectives on a council’s cyber-security culture. This will help councils build cyber capability and capacity and improve the understanding of good cyber security principles across the organisation, not just in IT teams. 
• Digital Sector Led Improvement (SLI) - Through the Digital Pathfinders Programme, the Digital Connectivity Programme, and the Local Government Digital Committee (LGDC) stakeholder network, the programme has offered digital improvement support to over 100 councils. The intention is to continue to support councils in FY22/23 through the same or similar initiatives. Digital SLI remains focused on building the sector’s digital capability.
• Cyber SLI - By delivering cyber security testing to a 10% representative sample of councils we have built a better understanding of levels of vulnerabilities within the sector. This understanding has informed our support offer as we work with partners to deliver a range of guidance, videos, training, and research to ensure cyber security is seen as a whole workforce issue. Many of these projects – and initiatives like them – will continue to be delivered in FY22/23. Cyber SLI remains focused on building the sector’s cyber capability.
• CDT Improvement Policy - There are a diverse range of CDT related improvement policy initiatives in central government that require our collaborative development and/or engagement. These include: the new Government Cyber Security Strategy, the New National Resilience Strategy, Public Service Network / Future Networks for Government (via Central Digital and Data Office), Digital Identity/Single Sign-On (via GDS), Cyber Security in the Supply Chain, Secure Connected Places, Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, Telecom Digital Switchover, Ransomware, New Data Protection Regime (Data: A New Direction), Cyber Health Framework for Local Government, a review of the Computer Misuse Act, and the regulation of Online Harms. 

To find out more information about what it’s like to work at the LGA, please visit http://www.local.gov.uk/benefits-and-working-lga and for information on Equality and Diversity at the LGA, please visit https://www.local.gov.uk/equality-and-diversity-lga

The role 

As Senior Improvement Policy Adviser you will lead the CDT Improvement Policy pillar outlined above. You will lead a team to develop an understanding of the diverse range of CDT related improvement policy initiatives in central government, and where required engage with local and central government colleagues to support the development of policy in line with the needs of councils.  

As we encourage flexible working at the LGA, we are happy to discuss the option of a home-based contract. The salary for a home-based worker is £67,277 per annum or office-based £71,054 per annum. 

Working within the Cyber, Digital and Technology team, your main responsibilities will be to: 

• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of digital, data and cyber security policy affecting local government and lead a team to ensure new and existing projects/policy initiatives are cohesive and meet the needs of councils. 
• Prepare reports, policy papers/positions, and briefings on sensitive and complex cyber, digital and data issues. 
• Work with the Research and Information Team to lead to commissioning and delivery of research to inform and influence national and local cyber security, digital and data programmes. 
• Coordinate the capturing and sharing of good practice across individual councils, groups of councils and networks to facilitate improvement in local government 
• Provide briefings to LGA senior managers on sensitive, complex and strategic issues related to the data, digital and cyber security policy landscape. Manage all information relating to standards in a coherent and accessible way. 
• Develop and participate in national, regional, and international events, conferences and seminars that promote and support local government sector-led improvement. 
• Represent and promote local government with central government members, officers and ministers and other interested parties.
• Identify and investigate opportunities and solutions for challenges faced by councils in cyber, digital and technology. 
  
  

The requirements

• Experience of co-ordinating and shaping activity across complex areas of work
• Good negotiating skills 
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to interpret evidence and identify trends 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders effectively 
• A team player, willing to work flexibly to meet changing priorities 

You must have the right to work in the UK, the LGA are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship visas. Evidence for the right to work in the UK will be requested at the interview stage. 

Closing Date:         5pm, Monday 18 July 2022
Interview Date:     Friday 29 July 2022

As a Disability Confident Leader, the LGA values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community​​​​​​​