Electoral Services Manager

Publica; Witney; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity for an Electoral Services Manager at a leading organization in Witney. The successful candidate will lead a dedicated team to manage and deliver elections, ensuring compliance with regulations while engaging with the community to enhance voter participation. With responsibilities including budget management and support for the Returning Officer, this role is crucial for the electoral process's success.

Benefits

Agile working arrangements

27 days paid annual leave plus bank holidays

Health cash plan

Employer pension contribution of 5%

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car lease scheme

Generous sickness cover

Life assurance of four times annual salary

Qualifications

• More than five years' experience in local government electoral services.
• Ability to develop strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Proven capability to manage and lead a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and delivery of elections.
• Ensure compliance with electoral legislation.
• Develop and implement tactical delivery plans for elections.

Skills

Community engagement

Negotiation

Leadership

Problem Solving

Education

AEA Certificate and/or Diploma in Electoral Administration

Degree-level qualification

Tools

Electoral software

Excel spreadsheets

Job description

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Up to £52,000 per annum , 37 hours per week
Permanent contract Witney

Do you have experience in running elections?

We have an exciting opportunity for an Electoral Services Manager who will provide an efficient, effective and comprehensive elections and electoral registration service. Leading a small team you will ensure elections are planned and delivered to high standards.

The post holder must be able to develop excellent relationships across the Council and with external partners, have proven ability to work with elected members, and senior officers, and be proactive in community engagement to increase levels of voter registration and participation in elections.

You will be a trusted expert in providing guidance and support within the area of elections and electoral registration, including supporting the Council’s Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer. A key area of this role is to develop and implement tactical delivery plans in relation to all elections types, polls and referenda as well as in relation to the annual canvass of electors, the publication of the Register of Electors, the rolling registration process and management of absent voters and to co-ordinate the introduction and successful delivery of the Elections Act 2022. You will lead the creation and delivery of initiatives which encourage the engagement of local people in the democratic process and increase voter participation especially targeting hard to reach groups.

There will be budget responsibility for the elections and you will work with the finance team to ensure that reporting to Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is correct for each election. There is also a requirement to act as the Deputy Returning Officer or equivalent at elections.

In this role you will have opportunities to share knowledge and good practice with the Electoral Services Managers at the other Publica authorities.

You will need

• AEA Certificate and/or Diploma in Electoral Administration, or similar degree-level qualification.
• More than five years’ experience within local government in an electoral services environment, combined with a good working/practical knowledge of relevant legislative provisions.
• A sound working knowledge of word, excel spreadsheets and electoral software (Xpress preferred but not essential).
• The ability to work independently and within the Elections Team under pressure and within tight deadlines
• The Ability to remain calm and confident when dealing with challenging stakeholders and environments and resolve issues and complaints by negotiation.

Special conditions

• Ability to travel
• Ability to work longer hours and overtime during Election periods
• This post designated as politically restricted in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Politically restricted post holders are restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or for a person who is, or seeks to be, a candidate for election to a local authority, the House of Commons, or the European Parliament

You will be employed by Publica Group Ltd which was created by four partner Councils (West Oxfordshire District Council, Cotswold District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Forest of Dean District Council) to deliver more efficient and improved services.

What can we do for you…

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays and an extra two volunteering days off a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Pension scheme with a good employer contribution of 5% of your earnings
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with huge tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Access to digital financial advice (covering your pension scheme, mortgages and other finances)
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements
• Additional income protection, covering 50% of your salary for potentially a further five years if you are unable to work due to sickness or injury
• Life assurance, currently four times your annual salary
• These are just a handful of the benefits that you can enjoy when you join us!

To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page and submit your CV and supporting statement. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It’s important that we’re a good fit for each other, so let us know what’s important to you and why you want to work for Publica Group Ltd..

Your application will not be considered if you have not provided a supporting statement, in addition to your CV.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email.

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references; proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable adults, young people and children. Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies