Fixed term from December 2025 until July 2026 ( Exact dates to be confirmed)

​Location: Westminster, home-based, In-office but open to home based

About us

The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. We work on behalf of our member councils to strengthen local government, so communities thrive and to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government

We are a politically led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to champion and be the voice of local government, ensuring it has the resources, powers and support to deliver the best possible outcomes. We build strong partnerships and networks to provide support, helping local authorities improve through a peer-based, sector-led approach.

We inspire and promote innovation in local government. We celebrate and accelerate the development and adaptation of new ideas that help local government continue to lead the way in public service excellence.

We influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to councils to help them deliver local solutions to national problems.

The LGA’s Values are: Collaboration, Inclusion, Ambition, and Respect.  We value diversity and encourage applications from all sections of the community to this high-profile role.

About the role

The LGA Sector Support offer works with councils through a number of programmes including our Sustainability and Transformation programmes.

Councils across the country have declared a climate emergency and are very busy implementing their climate action plans. Councils are also leading transformation and change programmes to drive continuous improvement across a range of service areas. An Adviser is required to work on the Sustainability Improvement and Transformation Programmes within the LGA’s Productivity Team. Alongside and in addition to this work, they may also be required to work on other programmes in the wider Productivity Team.

 The LGA’s Productivity Programme consists of a wide portfolio of projects designed to help local authorities individually and collectively to make best use of resources and build capability and capacity during a period of changing public services. You can find out more about the LGA Sector Support offer.

About you

You will have knowledge and experience of working in, or for local government and the ability to engage effectively with councils, central government, wider partners and suppliers at different levels. The ability to communicate with key stakeholders, including at a senior level, is crucial.

The role is to join our team working on the Sustainability and Transformation Programmes. Both Programmes help to build capability and capacity amongst councils to reach their local climate and transformation goals.

Core responsibilities will be to create and deliver programmes of support for councils to enable them to improve services. The person will also capture and mainstream existing good practice to enable other councils to apply this to their work. This involves regular communication with councils and other partners, and organising events to showcase council good practice.

A good understanding of local government and the context councils operate in is essential. An understanding and interest in both the green agenda and transformation within councils, the growing opportunities, as well as the risks are also important.

The person we offer this role to will be a self-starter who can quickly come to grips with this expanding programme of work. They will bring initiative and ideas to the table as the work progresses and councils’ support needs evolve. In addition, experience in and the ability to build and sustain network groups will be a key part of the role.

The successful applicant will be a team player with experience of applying project management approaches. An ability to be organised, meet deadlines and to problem solve at pace are also important.

Please note that the Job Description is generic, with details of the specific role outlined above.

You must have the right to work in the UK, the LGA are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship visas. Evidence for the right to work in the UK will be requested at the interview stage. 

To apply

If you would like to be considered for the role, please complete the online form and include a supporting statement detailing how you meet the criteria for the role before the closing date.

We are specifically assessing candidates against the following criteria

1.    Proven ability to design and deliver improvement programmes for councils

2.    Experience of building and maintaining network groups

3.    Ability to organise events to showcase good practice

4.    Adept at communicating with senior stakeholders

5.    Interest and knowledge of local government and the sustainability and transformation agendas

6.    A self-starter with a can-do attitude, who takes initiative whilst managing many projects in a fast-paced environment

Adviser - Productivity - Job Description

Closing Date: 5pm, 18 July 2025 

Interview Date:  interviews will be held on Thursday 31 July AM and Friday 1 August AM. These will likely involve Grace Abel and another panel member who has experience in leading programmes.

In recognition of the summer period and to support future organisational design, we are adopting a new approach to recruitment. All LGA roles will be advertised internally for one week prior to being advertised externally and internally, providing colleagues with the opportunity to engage with roles ahead of wider publication. Should you require additional time to submit an application due to annual leave or other commitments, please contact the recruitment inbox so that appropriate arrangements can be considered.

Anyone interested in applying can approach Grace for an informal chat or email grace.abel@local.gov.uk

We use anonymous recruitment, which is the practice of hiding candidates’ identities. This process involves removing any identifying information from candidates’ applications which includes names.

At the LGA we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our recruitment decisions are based on fair, open competition, with appointment on merit.  

The LGA are proud to be awarded a “Disability Confident Leader”.  Please contact us via Recruitment@local.gov.uk if you require a reasonable adjustment, which is a change to the format or conditions of the recruitment process to accommodate any disability-related needs you may have.

Our benefits

• LGA annual leave entitlement is 29 days, rising to 31 days after three years’ service and to 33 days after five years’ service, plus all UK public holidays (pro rata for fixed term and part time contracts).*

• Flexible & agile working – office-based staff are required to work in the LGA’s London office two days per week as a minimum, subject to business need and this may vary significantly between different roles and from week to week.

• Future development – face-to-face and virtual courses are scheduled in line with developmental goals

• The LGA offers 24/7 access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme managed by Health Assured. This service is also available for Dependants.

• Family friendly policies

For more of LGA’s benefits and working with us, please view our webpage https://www.local.gov.uk/benefits-and-working-lga

Our values & behaviours

Our Values and Behaviours are there to give us an understanding of who we are as an organisation and who we want to be. They are a framework to help us understand:

• how we work with each other

• how we work with our members and stakeholders

• our expectations for ourselves and each other

Our values are:

Collaboration – We value collaboration, to pursue shared goals by encouraging and utilising diverse perspectives and working with internal and external colleagues across the organisation.

Inclusion – We value inclusion, where everyone feels valued, understood, and supported to contribute meaningfully.

Ambition – We value ambition, reflecting our desire to achieve best possible outcomes for local government, communities, and individuals.

Respect – We value respect, to ensure fairness, recognition, and shared accountability.