SSM Lead

Public Practice; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

The Greater London Authority is recruiting a SSM Lead to run the UK's first SuDS through Streetworks Market in London. Based in London, you will lead a seven-person team coordinating buyers and suppliers to deliver SuDS projects in a complex regulatory environment.

Role requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and programme management skills, with a track record of delivering on time and within budget in a political setting. Hybrid work with office days in Union Street SE1.

Qualifications

• Leadership and external engagement experience with multi-stakeholder groups.
• Degree or equivalent in civil engineering or a related field.
• Strong programme and project management skills, delivering on time and to budget.
• Experience operating in a complex political environment with clear reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead a seven-person multi-disciplinary team with resources and tools.
• Set strategic direction across workstreams: engagement, design, market economics, governance, data.
• Secure cross-organisational setup with Thames Water and regulators.
• Develop relationships with local authorities, utilities, contractors, and regulators.
• Oversee budget, staffing, and external consultant work.
• Analyse data to develop business cases and produce reports and case studies.
• Represent the GLA at industry events and brief senior management.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

External engagement

Relationship building

Programme management

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Civil engineering degree

Job description

Job

SSM Lead

sought by Greater London Authority

• Location
• London
• Contract
• Full-time
• Salary
• £81,138
• Duration
• Permanent
• Application Close
• 25 Oct 2026

About the role

The Greater London Authority is establishing the UK's first environmental services market for sustainable drainage systems: the SuDS through Streetworks Market (SSM). Delivered in partnership with Thames Water, the SSM takes a market-led approach that leverages London's high volume of planned streetworks to deliver SuDS at scale, reducing surface flooding risk and supporting Flood Ready London and the London Surface Water Strategy. The ambition is to run two initial market rounds, deliver at least 100 projects and ultimately convert 7,000 hectares of impermeable land to SuDS.

The SSM Lead will lead a new seven-person team within the Mayor's Infrastructure Coordination Service to implement the market, convening buyers (lead local flood authorities, boroughs and Transport for London) and suppliers (utilities and contractors), and engaging senior stakeholders including Flood Ready London, Ofwat and the Environment Agency. This is a permanent Grade 12 role at £81,138.

• Leading a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring members have the support, resources and tools to carry out their work.
• Providing strategic direction across the SSM's workstreams - stakeholder engagement and comms, SuDS design and streetworks, environmental market economics, governance, monitoring and evaluation, and data.
• Securing a strong cross-organisational set-up with Thames Water, with clear lines of accountability.
• Developing relationships with lead local flood authorities, utilities, contractors and regulators, and working with market participants to resolve complex situations.
• Overseeing the SSM's budget, including staffing and the external consultant work programme.
• Analysing technical, commercial and delivery data to develop business cases for future governance and delivery models, and producing reports, case studies and best-practice guidance.
• Representing the GLA at industry events and preparing briefings for senior management, programme boards and the Mayor's Office.

About you

The Greater London Authority is looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• A successful track record of leadership, team management and external engagement and relationship building.
• A degree or equivalent in a relevant field, such as civil engineering.
• Technical expertise relating to the water and streetworks sectors and surface water flooding, with substantial experience in environmental markets, construction, streetworks, utilities, development, capital delivery or similar.
• Experience of operating successfully in a complex political environment, preparing clear and concise reports, presentations and briefings on complex, technical or sensitive issues for a range of audiences.
• Strong programme and project management skills, with evidence of successful delivery to time and budget.

The GLA welcomes applications from candidates seeking part-time work, as this role is open to job share. The role is hybrid, based at Union Street SE1, with up to three days a week in the office. The role does not meet the criteria for visa sponsorship for external candidates.