THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF SERENA’S VISION
Growth, Planning and Housing in Westminster City Council is a world of extraordinary stories. Where innovative and open-minded people bring everything to the cause. Even expertise from surprising places.
Take Serena. She is an absolute force of nature at the heart of our Church Street regeneration. And she puts the residents first in everything. Serena’s vision is clear. Regeneration isn’t just about bricks and concrete. It’s about communities. It’s about the environment. It’s about the lives of people and how they feel about where they call home. Serena is their advocate, making sure residents’ voices aren’t just heard, but drive the changes we’re making. The future is safe in her hands.
Please view the extraordinary story of Serena’s Vision here.
As our Markets Development Officer, you can make your own powerful contribution to the lives of Westminster residents, by driving the economic development of our six unique street markets. Markets support the micro-economy and 15-minute neighbourhoods, serving the bespoke needs of each community and celebrating local identity. They are also a great springboard for small businesses.
Westminster’s markets include the oldest street market in London (Berwick Street, Soho) and the second largest (Church Street). Between them they comprise around 480 pitches and receive well over two million visitors a year.
Through a range of improvement projects and other initiatives, you’ll help to support and develop this sector, ensuring the long-term prosperity and relevance of our markets. These might include night markets, pop-up markets, youth markets, events centred around important cultural celebrations and the greening of markets. You’ll manage everything from budgeting to space management, operational planning to data collection, so it’s a hugely varied role.
The postholders work will focus predominately in the North Paddington Area of Maida Hill, to implement community engagement events and activities at Maida Hill Market on the newly created public realm space. Activating the square will involve working collaboratively with local community stakeholder groups and internal WCC departments to manage and run events.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information
Skilled in areas such as event management and partnership working, you’ll have a good understanding of the workings of local authorities. You’ll also have a strong entrepreneurial streak and the ability to identify business opportunities for residents and start-ups You’ll be used to face-to-face customer support and public engagement and will understand how to get people collaborating. Thriving on a busy, high-pressure environment, you’ll enjoy juggling diverse projects and priorities.
You’ll also be an effective problem-solver and trouble-shooter.
Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in Westminster.
Westminster City Council’s strategy is to work towards a Fairer Westminster. A Fairer Westminster is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city’s future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diverse communities, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds will feel welcome and safe.
At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is the Westminster Way. To find out more about how we do this visit https://www.westminster.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health-strategy-policies-and-reports/equality-duties
As a forward thinking Council we appreciate that people work in different ways, therefore our staff benefit from working a range of flexible working patterns as well as Agile working.
The Council is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have declared a disability in your application , we guarantee an interview if you meet the essential criteria of the job. If you are invited for interview, you will be asked if you need any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, and we will make these wherever possible.
Interview date: Week commencing 27 May 2024
Contact details for Informal discussion: Catherine Brice, Programme Director via email, CBRICE@WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK
Interested in working for us? Hear below from our staff on why we think Westminster is a great place to be a social worker.
Westminster is dynamic, multicultural and unique - much like you, our potential employees.
This is an opportunity to work within a family services that has been Ofsted rated as OUTSTANDING since 2016 and with stable inspiring leadership also rated by Ofsted as OUTSTANDING. Caseloads are manageable and you will have the opportunity to genuinely make a difference to families. We are committed to creating opportunities for our staff to thrive.
We believe that everyone has talent. We will coach and mentor our people, taking the time to nurture our own. Staff have several opportunities for career progression within the organisation through secondment and permanent appointments to managerial, clinical and other specialist roles.
We have a culture where our people embrace feedback and are constantly learning. We are continuously striving to set high standards and finding innovative ways to provide a better service to our residents. Our offer to you includes:
Systemic Social Work Practice for Children and Families (Year 1 and 2)
Signs of Safety
Rich training offer through the West London Alliance (various core and additional training)
Supportive, inspiring and reliable leadership
Manageable caseloads and a strong Early Help offer to provide a wide range of resources
Support from our highly skilled clinical team
Competitive remuneration packages
Genuine remote and flexible working options – we know how important this is to you
Smarter Working with new modern technology
Wellbeing service, leisure, and discount benefits (Council scheme)
Travel season ticket loan, cycle scheme, Local Authority pension
Visit our website for more information and detail about working in family services in Westminster.
To arrange an informal discussion with one of our managers, please contact Myriam Ridgway, Senior Business Support at mridgway@westminster.gov.uk