Democratic Officer

Darlington; North East; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

32 days Annual Leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexi-time

Flexible working

Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave

Training and development

Wellbeing offer

Cycle to Work Scheme

Employee discounts

Job summary

Darlington Borough Council is seeking an enthusiastic administrator to join the Democratic Team. You will provide high level administrative support to the Council's decision-making process, preparing and managing agendas, supporting meetings, and drafting Minutes.

You will offer procedural advice to Councillors and Senior Officers and collaborate with external colleagues. You will contribute to Overview and Scrutiny activities, undertake associated research, prepare reports and help coordinate

Qualifications

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Diplomatic and tactful approach to problem solving

Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage agendas
• Support meetings and prepare Minutes
• Provide procedural advice to Councillors, Senior Officers and external colleagues
• Support Overview and Scrutiny function including research, reports and coordinating work programmes
• Assist Education Admission Appeals and elections/electoral registration processes as required

Job description

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join our Democratic Team, providing high level administrative support to the Council's decision making process.

Working as part of a small team you will undertake a wide range of responsibilities to support the democratic functions of the Council from preparing and managing agendas, supporting meetings, preparing Minutes and providing procedural advice to Councillors, Senior Officers and external colleagues. You will play a significant role in supporting the Council's Overview and Scrutiny function, including undertaking associated research, preparing reports and coordinating work programmes.

You will also play a role in supporting the Education Admission Appeals process and provide support to the elections/electoral registration process as, and when, required.

You will have excellent written and oral communication skill, strong interpersonal skills and be conscious of the issues involved working in a sensitive political environment. You will have a diplomatic and tactful approach towards problem solving and should enjoy working as a team player.

Interviews expected to be held on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026.

The rewards for working at Darlington Borough Council go beyond the salary you will receive; we have numerous additional benefits such as:

• 32 days Annual Leave, plus Bank Holidays, with option to purchase additional Annual Leave (pro-rata for part time working)
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with option to make Additional Voluntary Contributions
• Generous Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave schemes
• Staff equality forums
• Access to a wide range of training, learning and development
• Physiotherapy service
• Confidential counselling service
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Dolphin Centre Fit for Life Discounts
• Local and National retailer discounts
• Vivup employee benefit app and Lifestyle Savings
• Arriva Employee Travel Club

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join our Democratic Team, providing high level administrative support to the Council's decision making process.

Working as part of a small team you will undertake a wide range of responsibilities to support the democratic functions of the Council from preparing and managing agendas, supporting meetings, preparing Minutes and providing procedural advice to Councillors, Senior Officers and external colleagues. You will play a significant role in supporting the Council's Overview and Scrutiny function, including undertaking associated research, preparing reports and coordinating work programmes.

You will also play a role in supporting the Education Admission Appeals process and provide support to the elections/electoral registration process as, and when, required.

You will have excellent written and oral communication skill, strong interpersonal skills and be conscious of the issues involved working in a sensitive political environment. You will have a diplomatic and tactful approach towards problem solving and should enjoy working as a team player.

Interviews expected to be held on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026.

The rewards for working at Darlington Borough Council go beyond the salary you will receive; we have numerous additional benefits such as:

• 32 days Annual Leave, plus Bank Holidays, with option to purchase additional Annual Leave (pro-rata for part time working)
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with option to make Additional Voluntary Contributions
• Flexi-time scheme
• Flexible working
• Generous Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave schemes
• Staff equality forums
• Access to a wide range of training, learning and development
• Physiotherapy service
• Confidential counselling service
• Great wellbeing offer
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Dolphin Centre Fit for Life Discounts
• Local and National retailer discounts
• Vivup employee benefit app and Lifestyle Savings
• Arriva Employee Travel Club

For the full range of benefits we offer, please see our Why work for us internet page, which also includes our Total Reward Booklet and Employee Benefit Video.

https://www.darlington.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/why-work-for-us/

Find out further information about us and what it’s like to work for our great team by visiting the Jobs and Careers home page.

https://www.darlington.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/

For detailed information on this role, please refer to the Role Profile and Person Specification.

General Information for Applicants:

For a further informal discussion and any queries around the role profile and jobs itself please contact Paul Dalton, Democratic & Elections Manager at [e-mail]

If you have any further questions regarding applying for this role or the questions and required fields within the application form, please contact the HR Support team on 01325 403217 or [e-mail].

If you are experiencing problems with the NE Jobs website, such as logging in, saving pages, on account queries please fill out the form within the link below.

https://www.northeastjobs.org.uk/contactus

All applicant email correspondence will come from [e-mail] and may be directed to your Junk folder depending on the settings of your email account. Please check both your email and Junk folder as all applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted.

You must ensure that anything submitted in your application is factually accurate. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Whilst we accept candidates may use AI tools within job applications; submissions must be truthful and relevant to your own experience.

We are an equal opportunities' employer. We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We aim to interview any applicant who declares a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job.