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Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are recruiting a Business Partnership Officer to support strategic partnership working with the business communities across Richmond and Wandsworth boroughs.  

This new, two-year fixed term post will support a wider corporate approach to partnership that supports ambitions for both boroughs. Examples include both councils’ net zero plans, promoting fairness and opportunity in the local economy, attracting investment and helping local places to thrive. Both boroughs have strong creative and visitor economies which offer huge potential, with a particular opportunity for Wandsworth as London Borough of Culture and Richmond’s Twinning Affirmation, both in 2025. 

The post will be located in the Economic Development team and will benefit from strong existing links with businesses across both boroughs.  The challenge will be to harness the councils’ current relationships with business and focus them on borough priorities in a more strategic and systematic way.  The post will complement work to develop stronger and effective partnerships with public and community and voluntary sector organisations in both Richmond and Wandsworth. 

The successful candidate will:

• Develop a structured approach to partnership working with business and help identify areas where business engagement can help support borough and council priorities
• Work with other officers to situate the Business Partnership work within a wider corporate approach 
• Enable more effective sharing of information and insight resulting from business engagement across the organisation, allowing this to support wider strategic goals

You will need to demonstrate a good track record of working with business combined with effective stakeholder management.  You will also have a strong understanding of the needs of businesses of different types and sizes and how the business community can contribute to wider social, community and environmental – as well as economic – needs. Ideally, you will combine this with an understanding of working with the public sector and in a political environment.  

You will also be a confident communicator who is comfortable working with multiple stakeholders and with individuals at different levels of seniority.   You will have a sound project management approach in your work, be able to use your initiative and translate ideas into tangible actions.  You will enjoy meeting with partners and the wider community and enabling this through organising events, forums and other communication channels.

You will need to be flexible in how you work, have good analytical skills and be a strong report writer.  

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline:

Closing date: 22 April 2024

Shortlisting Date: 26 April 2024

Interview Date: 29 April – 10 May 2024

Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Useful Information:

All internal applicants for this secondment must seek permission from their current line manager before applying. Failure to do so may result in the secondment not being authorised.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. 

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils