Democratic & Member Services Officer

DEMOCRATIC & MEMBERS SERVICES OFFICER 

LEGAL & DEMOCRATIC 

Permanent Position - Full Time (37 hours)

Grade - SO1 - £33,366 - £35,235 p.a

Closing Date for accepting applications: 8th December

(Starting salary dependent upon skills and qualifications, progression subject to satisfactory performance). 

 This post is politically restricted. 

Do you want to work at the heart of the Council’s decision-making process supporting a range of committees and Councillors? Do you want to assist in the development and delivery of an annual induction and training programme for Councillors? And do you also want to earn a competitive salary? Then look no further. 

We are a small District Council in South East Essex with good public transport links. This is an exciting time to join the Council as we are looking to rationalise our accommodation for the future with an emphasis on mobile and flexible working with flexible use of space based on good industry practice for staff, Councillors and the community.  

 

About the role 

The successful applicant will take up a role within the Democratic Services team responsible for managing the Council’s decision-making processes and upholding statutory and best practice governance requirements. The department clerks a range of Member level meetings including Council and Policy Committees as well as regulatory and quasi-judicial committees including Planning and Licensing. The department is also responsible for maintaining the Council’s Constitution and forward plan. 

 

About you 
In addition to excellent communication skills the successful applicant will also require the ability to take responsibility for their own workload, manage competing priorities, work under pressure to pre-determined deadlines and contribute flexibly to the broader needs of the team. Close attention to detail and well-developed ICT skills are essential. Since the role requires close working with Councillors political sensitivity and discretion are a must. This is a specialist role; however, previous  

Democratic Services experience is not essential as full training and support will be provided to candidates with the required skills, attitude and abilities. Are you up for the challenge? 

 

 We’re looking for an individual who has experience in: 

• Previous Local Government Committee experience or of servicing Committees elsewhere in the private or voluntary sector 

• High degree of specialist knowledge in local government democratic process 

• Political awareness and experience of effective working with Members and Chief Officers 

• Able to establish and maintain effective relationships with people at all levels 

 The ideal candidate would be: 

• Highly motivated, organised and able to work under pressure to meet multiple, conflicting deadlines 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, to varying levels of complexity. 

• Effective team working. Sharing ownership, team goals and workload, and ability to establish and maintain effective relationships will people of all levels. 

• Prepared to work outside of normal office hours including evenings 

Benefits include generous annual leave, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and an opportunity for some remote working, 

 

For an informal discussion please contact Claire Mayhew on 01277 312741. 

Both Councils are committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.  People with disabilities will be offered an interview where they meet the Essential Criteria on the Person Specification.