Advanced Democratic Services Officer

About Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire County Council is one of the largest County Councils in the Country. It has great ambitions for the future; for its citizens, economy, visitors and its staff.

As the Council moves forward it wants to attract new colleagues with their own ambitions and great ideas about how to adapt, innovate, and harness the use of technology and modern flexible approaches to work which have been at the forefront during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Role

A highly experienced Democratic Services Officer, you will be a key player within the Council’s governance arrangements to ensure that we work effectively to consistently high standards within constitutional and legal frameworks.

We are looking for someone with the following knowledge, experience and aptitudes:

• Significant experience of local government constitutional law and practice, governance rules and procedures, including different decision-making structures for local authorities (preferably including the Committee system of governance)
• Political awareness and problem-solving skills with an ability to identify potential issues early, sensitively manage relationships at the political interface and work well with both senior elected members and chief officers
• Experience of local government election processes
• An understanding of Education Admission Appeals and Exclusion Reviews (ideally with some experience of clerking and supporting such hearings)
• An understanding and experience of scrutiny officer roles, such as for Police and Crime Panels
• A proven track record in the provision of training and development for Councillors and officers
• Experience of seeking and developing successful working relationships with external customers
• An appreciation of the importance of the civic roles within Councils
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and leadership qualities
• A committed team player with a flexible, helpful and proactive approach
• Evidence of staff development, support and oversight
• Understanding of ethical standards and experience of working closely with Monitoring Officer/Deputy Monitoring Officer
• Evidence of the ability to adapt and innovate at pace
• High levels of IT literacy including proficiency with MS Word, Email, Committee Management Systems, Education appeals systems and experience of arranging , clerking and broadcasting meetings virtually via an online platform.

The Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Friendly, welcoming team atmosphere
• Flexible working arrangements from both home and office
• Daytime committee meetings
• Local government Pension Scheme

If you are interested in this role and would like an informal discussion please contact our Democratic Services Team Manager, Keith Ford on 0115 977 2590.