The Role: Strategy & Planning Graduate
Location: Based at our Stratford Office, 29-35 West Ham Lane, London, E15 4PH.
Persona: Agile, Office based 20-40%
Fixed term contract – 2 years FTC
Starting salary - £29,000 per annum
Closing date for completed applications: Sunday 18th February 2024
Interviews will be held on w/c 26th February 2024
**You must be available to start in this role before the end of March 2024
Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the advertisement and interview earlier than stated
L&Q Graduate opportunities have been designed to help you get the career you’ve always wanted. This opportunity will help you to get your foot on the career ladder with an organisation that supports you from beginning to end, and beyond.
We have an exciting opportunity for you to be part of our Strategy and Planning Team at the heart of L&Q business that is responsible for overseeing the delivery of our five-year strategy, Future Shape.
This strategy marked a new chapter in our history. It sets out our approach to put our residents at the heart of L&Q, consolidate our financial strength, and lay the foundations for us to tackle some of the biggest issues our sector has ever faced.
As a member of the Strategy and Planning Team, over the course of the two-year placement you will get to see:
· how our current strategy is being delivered and how we develop and delivery operating model changes to ensure as an organisation we remain operationally excellent.
· how we consider what we want to achieve in the future. Helping us to develop our next corporate strategy covering 2026-31.
· how strategy is translated into business plans, working with colleagues from across over 20 different teams across the organisation.
· how risks associated with their delivery are managed, and how the controls we put in place such as our policies, are developed, implemented and their effectiveness assured.
· how we respond to climate change and net zero targets and embed this into our future strategy, business plans and key performance indicators.
· how we oversee change initiatives, ensuring that robust project management is in place to ensure their successful delivery.
And throughout your graduate role, you will be supported by managers and mentors and receive regular feedback and coaching.
Strong analysis and problem-solving skills are essential to this role, as are excellent communication and organisational skills. We are looking for someone with resilience, drive, enthusiasm, and a passion to help people. And importantly, you need to be someone who wants to work for an organisation that can make a difference to people’s lives and want to work within a highly motivated and performing team.
Essential skills and experience include:
· Active listening skills
· Flexible and adaptable
· Exceptionally strong planning and organisational skills
· An ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.
· Strong communication skills
· High level IT skills
Person Requirements:
- Passionate about working in housing.
- Show resilience and tenacity.
- Strong leadership and communication skills,
- Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills
Qualification Requirements:
- Educated to degree level 2:1 or higher.
- 5 GCSE’s - grades A to C (or equivalent) including maths and English language.
What you can expect:
· Great company benefits.
· Great breadth and variety of experiences through a structured programme within your chosen discipline
· You’ll gain a nationally recognised qualification.
· You’ll have access to outstanding training offered internally.
· You’ll be supported all the way throughout the programme by an experienced line manager and mentor.
If you meet the above criteria and are interested in developing your skills whilst working, then apply without delay!
We are a multi-site organisation, so some roles may require occasional travel between offices, but expenses will be covered.
At the foundation of everything that we do are our corporate values and associated behaviours. Our organisational behavioural framework outlines the core expectations of all employees, which should be demonstrated at all times when representing L&Q. More information about L&Q’s values can be found on our website and a copy of our behavioural framework can be provided on request.
Our commitments:
At L&Q, people are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. This is why we are committed to developing our people. It's only by investing in a well-trained and motivated workforce that we can continue to prosper and sustain business success.
In addition to our support and training, the successful candidate will have access to our full suite of benefits including 26 days holiday rising to 31 days with length of service, excellent Pension scheme, an employee assistance programme and non-contributory life assurance.
We are committed to supporting your work-life balance and recognise the changing demands and circumstances in life. Please let us know during the recruitment process if you’re interested in part time working or job sharing. In addition, should your circumstances change once you have joined L&Q, you can also request flexible working arrangements, e.g. a change to working hours - if it’s feasible then we’ll make it happen.
For the fifth year in a row, we have been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women in the super large category.
We are recognised externally for our commitment to inclusion. We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident (Committed) employer and have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to end mental health discrimination in the workplace.
We expect all of our employees to support our environmental policy and social responsibility work. We are an employer committed to environmental and social responsibility.
L&Q is a regulated charitable housing association and one of the UK’s most successful independent social businesses. The L&Q Group houses around 250,000 people in more than 100,000 homes, primarily across London and the South East.
As a charitable organisation, our role goes beyond providing homes and housing services. We are a long-term partner in the neighbourhoods where we work. We hope to build aspiration, opportunity and confidence in our communities through our £250 million L&Q Foundation and our skills academy.
Our vision is that everyone has a quality home they can afford, and we combine our social purpose with commercial drive to create homes and neighbourhoods everyone can be proud of.