Job Title: Democratic Services Officer
Location: Colchester
Salary: £32,961 to £38,496 per annum + exceptional benefits
Job Type: Full Time, Permanent (37 hours per week)
The role:
We are looking for a committed, and confident individual who would be interested in an opportunity to work at the heart of the Council.
The Democratic Services Team is responsible for managing the Council’s decision-making processes, and you will undertake all the associated tasks relating to the management of formal meetings, including preparing and publishing agendas, and drafting reports and minutes You will work closely with Councillors and senior officers, providing professional advice on democratic, governance and constitutional issues.
The role will require strong administrative skills. You will be highly organised, and able to demonstrate excellent customer service and communications skills, with an ability to develop successful working relationships with senior decision makers. An aptitude for IT and digital technology would also be an asset. Whilst you might have experience of working in a committee administration or governance role in a local authority or similar organisation, we will provide support and training to develop your skills.
The post holder will be expected to work as the lead democratic officer on a range of Committees including meetings of the Planning Committee and Local Plan Committee. You will also have the opportunity to work on wider democratic initiatives.
The Council’s formal decision-making meetings take place in the evening (typically with a 6.00pm start) so you will need to be able to work flexibly. This is a politically restricted post.
About you:
Essential
- Ability to summarise complex discussions and determine and record decisions accurately
- Experience of organising meetings and events
- Familiar with advising on administrative and governance procedures
- Proficient at writing reports and summarising reports/documents
- Respect for confidentiality requirements
- High level of attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to deal confidently with people at all levels
- Good written, oral and communication skills
- Good organisational and time management skills
- Work as part of a team
- Ability to learn and adapt to circumstances
- Ability to prioritise
- Experience of working to deadlines
- Experience in using Microsoft Office 365 applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Sharepoint)
- Understanding of the principles of data protection legislation and putting these into practice
- Work flexibly as appropriate
- Attend evening meetings/external meetings as required
Desirable
- Have a good level of understanding of local government
- Detailed knowledge of Local Government administrative arrangements
- Interest in current affairs
- Experience of using a Committee document management system
- Be aware of the political dimension of local government
- Have presented reports/information to Committees/Boards
- Experience of using remote meeting technology
Please click the APPLY button and you will be directed to the Council’s careers page to complete your application.
Candidates with the relevant job titles and experience of; Government Administration, Governance Officer, Lead Democratic Officer, Senior Democratic Services Officer, Committee and Member Services Officer, Democratic Services, may also be considered for this role.
