Why Southwark?

At Southwark, you will be part of a council that is ambitious about inclusive growth, committed to tackling inequality, and serious about shaping a local economy that works for all residents and businesses. The Local Economy Team sits at the heart of this ambition—working at the intersection of strategy, delivery, and partnership to drive real change across our high streets, enterprise support programmes, and investment initiatives.

What You'll Be Doing

Southwark is committed to deliver ‘a green, thriving and inclusive economy’ that benefits everyone. That means supporting our local high streets to thrive; helping local businesses to start, grow and thrive while reducing their emissions; supporting our residents into good jobs and opportunities that will earn them a fair wage and narrow inequalities; and offering a first-class local skills offer to help people of all ages to progress in their careers of choice.

This role is located within a fast-paced team with a range of important council commitments to deliver. We are seeking to recruit an experienced, highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with a team approach and an ability to deliver to deadlines while managing competing priorities.

Reporting to a Principal Strategy Officer, you will lead and manage economic development projects across a diverse range of areas including research and policy development, governance, business planning, community engagement, commissioning, and performance and review.

You will also engage with a wide range of people and services. While working within a team you will also have contact with senior officers and with elected members of the Council as well as building and maintaining relationships with relevant internal and external stakeholders.

What We're Looking For

The successful candidate will be experienced in leading and managing complex projects. We are looking for someone who:

• Employs an assertive yet personable approach to achieving your goals.
• Is a skilled communicator, with the ability to build credible relationships across the Council and with a range of external stakeholders to successfully deliver strategic priorities.
• Is thorough, well organised, comfortable chairing meetings, has good report writing and excellent presentation skills, and can present in a wide variety of formats to stakeholders.
• Responds calmly and professionally where there may be competing priorities.
• Has enthusiasm, drive and a commitment to your own learning and development.

Additional Information

For an informal conversation about this role, please contact Matthew Little, Principal Strategy Officer (.uk).

Recruitment Timetable:

Closing Date: 12 July 2026 at 23:59 *

*We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role, in which case we will move the key dates for the process. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews: week commencing 03 August 2026

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

Attachments

• Please Click Here For the Job Description and Person Specification