The role

City of London Corporation – Deputy Town Clerk

Generic Role: Strategic Leadership   Level Profile: Tier 1    

Role Purpose, Context and Scope:

A Tier 1 postholder will be directly responsible to Committees for the overall management and strategic direction of an entire department or major functional area of the City of London Corporation. Apart from the specific requirements noted below, this will entail:

• Working with Members in setting and delivering the strategic aims and objectives of the City Corporation
• Recognising and taking full account of the importance of all relevant internal and external factors in any strategic outlook, advice and guidance given
• Creating, fostering, and managing effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders at the highest levels, including Members, senior officers, and external political and operational contacts
• Driving significant cultural change, employee engagement and service improvement throughout the City Corporation with a keen focus on collaboration
• Being fully accountable for the allocated budget and delivery of the business plan and Corporate Plan outcomes for all areas of responsibility
• Exercising the full range of management responsibilities for colleagues

Our Values:

All our strategic leaders are expected to demonstrate and live our values of pride, pace, passion, and professionalism in all that we do. This is underpinned by our actions being relevant, reliable, responsible, and radical.

Indicative Accountabilities:

Indicative Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:

• Plan and lead significant cultural change, and strategically desired service improvements and developments, and the development of services, policies, standards, and performance targets for their areas of responsibility in line with corporate and strategic aims and objectives.
• Make autonomous decisions as the corporate expert in their field to lead activities in that field in accordance with wider organisational goals and objectives and with potentially significant impact on the City Corporation’s image, interests, or reputation. 
• Be the lead representative for their area(s) of responsibility, presenting and leading on sensitive or contentious matters within and outside the specialist field on issues of major significance to the City Corporation.
• Be accountable for the quality, accuracy, and political sensitivity of a large volume of reports, policies, publications or other complex or sensitive work covering their entire area of responsibility and matters of the most significant corporate importance.

• Have the depth and breadth of professional knowledge and experience to enable them to act as the City Corporation’s authoritative spokesperson in their relevant field/s.
• Possess a thorough understanding of the policies and functions of the City Corporation and of external stakeholders and client partners which are key to delivering the strategic outcomes required in their area of responsibility. 
• Possess a deep political awareness and exercise a high degree of political and professional judgement, which they can act upon quickly and authoritatively to resolve highly contentious and politically complex professional issues in accordance with corporate and strategic priorities.   
• Provide the highest levels of awareness and responsiveness in managing conflicting demands on high-level political, operational, and strategic issues.

Job Title and Service Area:

Deputy Town Clerk

Role Purpose:

The Deputy Town Clerk will be accountable for ensuring the overall strategic direction of the organisation is actively pursued, with the aim that the corporate department, along with all institutions and service areas are pulling together with common purpose in the delivery of the City Corporation’s strategic goals. They will oversee the co-ordination of political and policy advice to be provided to the City Corporation’s leaders and Members, and the programme management and private offices of the Lord Mayor and Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee, including speechwriting in coordination with the Director of Communications and External Affairs. They will oversee the City of London Police Authority, Health and Safety, Strategic Security and Resilience, the London Metropolitan Archives, Town Clerk’s Business Support and providing governance and Member and democratic services, ensuring cohesion across these areas.

Main Responsibilities (in addition to indicative accountabilities on generic profile):

1. Working with Town Clerk (Chief Executive) & Senior Officers across the organisation, within Service Areas and Institutions, to ensure the overall strategic objectives of the organisation are actively supported and pursued across all areas of the City Corporation.
2. To promote and support the Mayoralty and Shrievalty and Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee and the standing of those offices in the discharge of their functions and in the promotion of the City of London Corporation’s polices, programmes and strategic aims.
3. To co-ordinate and ensure the provision of high-level policy advice within the City Corporation to inform strategic and political decisions which align with the Corporate and service plans. To deputise for the Town Clerk and Chief Executive as the City Corporation’s principal advisor on matters of policy and to ensure that officers reporting to them work together as one team in supporting the Lord Mayor (and the Sheriffs) and Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee.
4. To have oversight of Committees and Member services functions associated with the governance of the City Corporation, ensuring there is strong cohesion between these activities and that they align with political priorities and corporate strategies; and to seek continuous improvements in our services. To act as arbiter where differences in approach may arise and decide upon the most appropriate course of action. To support such activities and intervene where required to achieve consensus across Service Areas and Institutions. In addition to have oversight, on behalf of the Chief Executive, of the City of London Police Authority.
5. To oversee the strategic direction and function of Health and Safety management across the City of London Corporation, to secure compliance with legislation and align with the City Corporation’s Strategic Plans.
6. To provide strategic leadership for the areas of Strategic Security & Resilience, the London Metropolitan Archives, and the provision of Business Support to the Town Clerk & Chief Executive.
7. To undertake external speaking engagements and attend a significant number of social functions hosted or supported by the City Corporation.
8. To perform such other duties as may from time to time be directed by the Court of Aldermen or the Court of Common Council.

They will be expected to divide their time between Guildhall and Mansion House as appropriate to the discharge of their duties.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills, and Experience (in addition to those on generic profile):

1. Possess an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the legal and political environment in which local authorities operate and services are provided.
2. Possess a thorough understanding of the public and private undertakings of the City of London Corporation and the internal and external environment in which it operates and the key issues which may affect it, now or in the future.
3. Substantial experience at the highest level of the overall management and development of key services and functions across a large and complex organisation in accordance with organisational strategies and objectives.
4. Substantial experience of successfully managing and driving matters of the highest political importance and sensitivity in the delivery of key services and organisational priorities and objectives.
5. An experienced, energetic, and inspirational leader who has been a successful instigator and champion of change in a complex organisation and is able to gain the commitment of others to the City Corporation’s vision and strategic objectives.
6. A strong track record of successfully leading on corporate business-planning and performance improvement in areas across a large and complex organisation with the ability to provide vision and strategic direction.
7. Highly astute with extraordinarily strong political acumen and awareness gained working at the highest levels in complex organisations either within the public or private sector with diverse stakeholders and political challenges.
8. Significant experience of representing a large and complex organisation at the highest level on matters of strategic significance, with the ability to successfully influence a wide range of key internal and external stakeholders at the highest levels in the achievement of strategic organisational objectives.
9. A strong ability to drive and shape the establishment and maintenance of positive relationships and fruitful partnerships between elected Members, senior managers, and key players in the City of London, London local government, national government, and other public and private agencies at the highest level on matters of ultimate corporate and political significance.
10. Very clear and demonstrable experience of providing visible and inspirational high-level leadership to develop long-term corporate strategies, with proven ability to develop a motivated, engaged, and high performing workforce and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
11. Very strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to present authoritatively and with persuasion to internal and external stakeholders at the highest level and across the widest range of fields whilst considering political sensitivities and wider issues, in the development, pursuance and management of strategic and organisational objectives of the utmost importance in a complex organisation.
12. A strong champion of corporate performance management and the crucial role of a high calibre, committed, motivated and diverse workforce for the delivery of excellence.
13. A corporately focused, decisive problem-solver able to understand the key issues in the very wide environment in which the post operates and to achieve or drive decisions that attain desired strategic and political impacts across the widest range of corporate matters.
14. A firm commitment to effective and appropriate consultation and communication both internally and externally, supported by an inspirational and charismatic personality and excellent communication skills, and the ability to use these to drive change and achieve desired outcomes across the widest range of fields in the City of London Corporation.

Working Arrangement

City Corporation relies on having a workforce that reflects society, so we encourage applications   from candidates from all backgrounds, and especially those from underrepresented groups. From 1^st September 2024, our employees will be expected to spend at least 60% of their time in their work setting or office and while this is a full-time role, we welcome applications for flexible working patterns and job shares. 

Role Reports to:  Town Clerk & Chief Executive