Democratic Services Officer - 37 hours

Torbay Council; Torquay; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job description

Application Deadline: 11 May 2025

Department: Corporate Services

Location: Torbay Council

Compensation: £30,559 - £33,366 / year

Description

There has never been a better time to join our team at Torbay Council. We have a real momentum building and have a shared sense of purpose and ambition. Torbay is a fantastic place to live, work and visit, offering unrivalled quality of life for individuals and families.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Governance Support Team for a Democratic Services Officer working at the heart of the Council’s democratic process. We are a small team dedicated to supporting our Councillors and officers with the Council’s decision-making processes and ensuring they are open and accessible to the people of Torbay. The primary role of this post is to provide support to our Working Parties and Committee meetings.

You will be passionate about good governance, with first-class organisational skills, and love working in a fast-paced environment with lots of variety. You will be dynamic and flexible in your approach, have excellent communication skills, preferably with experience in managing Boards, Partnership bodies and regulatory meetings. You will be an expert at diary management and capable of foreseeing and dealing with deadlines. Ideally, you will have experience of Modern.gov/Issue Manager, and remote meeting technology (such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom).

If you are the successful candidate, you will be joining a highly effective and capable team in Torbay, a stunning part of South Devon.

We’re offering hybrid home/office based working options along with a host of other local government benefits. There will be some unsociable hours to attend evening meetings (starting at 5.30 pm for which flexi time is accrued), usually at Torquay Town Hall.

If you are interested, then please get your application in by 11th May 2025.

If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/council/jobs/job-descriptions/democratic-services-officer/

For an informal chat please contact Teresa Buckley on 01803207013 or [e-mail].

Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 19th May 2025.

Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.

Skills

Essential:

1. A high level of writing skills sufficient to produce minutes and correspondence that are accurate, understandable, with information conveyed accurately, clearly and simply and appropriate to its audience.
2. Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, courteously, confidently and professionally with members, officers at all levels in the organisation, partners, external organisations and members of the public.
3. Ability to display sensitivity, tact and diplomacy in all situations with high levels of political sensitivity.
4. Ability to work with challenging, conflicting and tight deadlines and to determine appropriate priorities with a flexible approach and ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities to complete tasks within deadlines without supervision.
5. Ability to work accurately in a busy working environment and maintain high levels of accuracy.

This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Knowledge

Essential:

1. An excellent understanding of the functions and structures of local government.
2. Sound knowledge of corporate governance, constitutional and ethical issues and processes sufficient to be able to give advice at a high level including at meetings.
3. High level of practical knowledge of local government procedures.
4. Ability to understand and contribute towards the development of systems and procedures associated with decision-making structures.
5. Able to interpret, implement and explain statutory guidance and codes of practice.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

1. Experience of servicing quasi judicial panels and full range of different types of meetings e.g. regulatory committees, executives, formal, informal, quasi judicial bodies and partnerships (taking minutes, compiling agendas, correspondence, organising meetings, preparing work plan/streams and liaising with councillors).
2. Track record of building constructive and productive relationships with elected members or at an equivalent senior level.
3. Proven experience of local government or equivalent.
4. A relevant degree or equivalent experience.
5. Working towards or hold the Association of Democratic Services Officers Certificate in Democratic Services Practice.