Governance Officer

Civic Recruitment Limited; Basildon; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Basildon Council is seeking a Governance Officer to support democratic and governance processes. You will organise meetings, prepare agendas and papers, and clerk committees while ensuring compliance with the Council's constitutional requirements.

The role involves attending meetings (some evenings), producing minutes, and maintaining training records. A strong grasp of GDPR and confidentiality is essential, with experience in local government environments.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting formal committees, boards, panels, or partnership meetings.
• Experience preparing: Minutes, Reports, Meeting papers.
• Experience working within Local Government, Democratic Services, Governance, Legal Services, or a similar environment.
• Experience meeting strict deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills.
• Experience maintaining confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent written communication and minute-taking skills.
• Experience using report management and committee management systems.
• Experience supporting councillors, committees, or senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to Council Committees, Sub-Committees, Partnerships, and Working Groups.
• Arrange, coordinate, and clerk formal meetings.
• Prepare agendas, reports, and meeting documentation.
• Attend committee and councillor meetings, including some evening meetings.
• Produce accurate minutes and action logs.
• Ensure decisions and actions are recorded and communicated correctly.
• Support Executive and Member decision-making processes.
• Provide constitutional and procedural support where required.
• Coordinate appointments to Outside Bodies.
• Manage member nominations and reporting requirements.
• Organise Member training sessions and maintain training records.
• Complete New Member induction and administrative processes.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR requirements.
• Support governance and democratic services projects.
• Ensure statutory deadlines are met and governance procedures followed.

Skills

Minute taking

Governance support

Administrative skills

GDPR & confidentiality

Stakeholder liaison

Education

Local Government experience

Right to Work in the UK

Tools

Report management systems

Committee management systems

Job description

Basildon, United Kingdom | Posted on 18/09/2026

Job Description

Temp-to-Perm Opportunity with contract with a local Authority

Job Purpose

As a Governance Officer, you will support the Council's democratic, governance, and decision-making processes by providing administrative and committee support to councillors, committees, partnerships, and senior officers. You will ensure meetings are properly organised, compliant with legislative requirements, and accurately documented in accordance with the Council's Constitution.

Key Duties/Accountabilities

• Provide administrative support to Council Committees, Sub-Committees, Partnerships, and Working Groups.
• Arrange, coordinate, and clerk formal meetings.
• Prepare agendas, reports, and meeting documentation.
• Attend committee and councillor meetings, including some evening meetings.
• Produce accurate minutes and action logs.
• Ensure decisions and actions are recorded and communicated correctly.
• Support Executive and Member decision-making processes.
• Provide constitutional and procedural support where required.
• Coordinate appointments to Outside Bodies.
• Manage member nominations and reporting requirements.
• Organise Member training sessions and maintain training records.
• Complete New Member induction and administrative processes.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR requirements.
• Support governance and democratic services projects.
• Ensure statutory deadlines are met and governance procedures followed.

Essential Experience Required

Experience supporting formal committees, boards, panels, or partnership meetings.

Experience preparing:

• Minutes
• Reports
• Meeting papers

Experience working within Local Government, Democratic Services, Governance, Legal Services, or a similar environment.

Experience meeting strict deadlines and managing competing priorities.

Strong administrative and organisational skills.

Experience maintaining confidential and sensitive information.

Excellent written communication and minute-taking skills.

Experience using report management and committee management systems.

Experience supporting councillors, committees, or senior stakeholders.

Essential Qualifications Required

• Relevant Governance, Democratic Services, Committee Administration, or Local Government experience.
• Right to Work in the UK.

Additional Information to Note

• Hours: 36.25 hours per week.
• This is a temp-to-perm contract, with no fixed contract length, as the Council's intention is that the successful interim worker will ideally transition into a permanent position.