Strategic Projects and Business Coordinator

Islington Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leave allowance

Flexible working

Learning & development

London Living Wage

Pension scheme

Cycle to work

Local discounts

Job summary

Islington Council is seeking a Strategic Projects and Business Coordinator to support Changing Futures Together, delivering high‑quality coordination across multi‑agency partners and governance structures.

You’ll lead on reporting, data, financial processes and meetings, ensuring timely decisions and clear information, while fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience in project or business support, ideally in a complex or multi‑agency environment.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and work at pace.
• Experience supporting or servicing governance structures, meetings or boards.
• Confidence working with data, reporting and management information.
• Strong written communication skills, including producing clear and accurate business documents.
• Experience managing financial processes and administrative systems with attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• A proactive, solution‑focused approach and ability to improve systems and processes.
• Strong digital skills across Microsoft 365 and collaboration tools.
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and understanding how services impact different communities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating programme reporting, data and management information, including inputs to national returns and partnership reporting requirements.
• Supporting delivery of Families First Partnership Programme and Best Start Family Hubs, helping track progress, manage interdependencies and maintain oversight across workstreams.
• Acting as a key connector across multi‑agency partners (including council services, health and wider partners), supporting strong communication and collaborative working.
• Supporting governance and decision‑making, ensuring boards and groups are well‑run, well‑informed and able to make timely decisions.
• Managing financial processes and administration, including payments, tracking spend and maintaining clear, auditable records.
• Coordinating meetings, panels and events end‑to‑end, ensuring they are efficiently organised and deliver clear outcomes.
• Maintaining high‑quality documentation and file management systems, supporting transparency, compliance and knowledge sharing.
• Supporting responses to queries, complaints and information requests, working with senior managers to meet deadlines.
• Identifying and implementing improvements to processes and systems to strengthen programme delivery and ways of working.

Skills

Organisational skills

Data handling

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Microsoft 365

Governance support

Problem solving

Education

NVQ Level 2 in business administration

Tools

Microsoft 365 suite

Collaboration tools

Job description

Focused on making an impact.

About The Role

Are you highly organised, detail-focused and motivated by making a real difference for children, young people and families?

We’re looking for a Strategic Projects and Business Coordinator to support delivery across Changing Futures Together—Islington’s major transformation programme improving how services work together to support families, reduce inequality and deliver better outcomes.

Within this, two of our flagship programmes are:

• Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP) – transforming how services identify need earlier, work relationally with families and deliver joined‑up, multi‑agency support
• Best Start Family Hubs – bringing together services for babies, children and families into accessible, community‑based hubs, with a strong focus on Start for Life and prevention

You’ll play a key role in supporting these programmes alongside a broader portfolio of strategic projects across the directorate helping to create the enabling conditions for exceptional programme delivery at pace.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll provide high‑quality, flexible coordination and business support across complex, fast‑moving programmes—ensuring that leaders, partners and delivery teams have the information, systems and structure they need to deliver successfully.

This includes:

• Coordinating programme reporting, data and management information, including inputs to national returns and partnership reporting requirements
• Supporting delivery of Families First Partnership Programme and Best Start Family Hubs, helping track progress, manage interdependencies and maintain oversight across workstreams
• Acting as a key connector across multi‑agency partners (including council services, health and wider partners), supporting strong communication and collaborative working
• Supporting governance and decision‑making, ensuring boards and groups are well‑run, well‑informed and able to make timely decisions
• Managing financial processes and administration, including payments, tracking spend and maintaining clear, auditable records
• Coordinating meetings, panels and events end‑to‑end, ensuring they are efficiently organised and deliver clear outcomes
• Maintaining high‑quality documentation and file management systems, supporting transparency, compliance and knowledge sharing
• Supporting responses to queries, complaints and information requests, working with senior managers to meet deadlines
• Identifying and implementing improvements to processes and systems to strengthen programme delivery and ways of working

What we’re looking for

• Experience in project or business support, ideally in a complex or multi‑agency environment
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and work at pace
• Experience supporting or servicing governance structures, meetings or boards
• Confidence working with data, reporting and management information
• Strong written communication skills, including producing clear and accurate business documents
• Experience managing financial processes and administrative systems with attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders
• A proactive, solution‑focused approach and ability to improve systems and processes
• Strong digital skills across Microsoft 365 and collaboration tools
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and understanding how services impact different communities
• NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent experience) in business administration or a related field

About the team

You’ll join the Strategic Programmes and Strategy service within the Children and Young People directorate, at the heart of delivering Changing Futures Together.

This is a large‑scale, partnership‑led transformation programme bringing together services across the council, health and wider system to improve outcomes and reduce demand on statutory services. Within this, Families First Partnership Programme and Best Start Family Hubs are key delivery priorities—driving early help, prevention and more integrated ways of working with families.

The programme operates in a fast‑paced, complex and multi‑agency environment, with a strong focus on collaboration, continuous improvement and tackling inequality. Your role will be central in supporting the conditions that enable delivery to succeed—from strong governance and clear information, to effective coordination and trusted working relationships.

About You

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

Our offer to you

We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Our staff benefits include:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work‑life balance, as well as a 35‑hour working week
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

Workforce Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our workforce strategy places equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel they belong and can safely express their thoughts, ideas, and challenges, without fear of judgement or discrimination.

We maintain a zero‑tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues.

We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone’s identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.

We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.

Pre‑Employment Checks

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre‑employment checks. These may include:

• Proof of address
• Evidence of any name changes (if applicable)
• Right to work in the UK
• Overseas criminal record check (if applicable)
• Satisfactory references
• Occupational Health clearance
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
• DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable)

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The post is subject to a basic DBS check, qualifications check and 3/5 years referencing.

Disability Confident Scheme

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.

For further information or an informal conversation about the post, please contact:

Esther Omotola Ayoola, Strategy and Change Delivery Lead

[email protected]