Democratic Services Manager – Democratic Services

Reference no: Oxfordshire 5224340

Pay rate: Up to £60,975 per annum depending on experience

This is a permanent role

Hybrid role

The Democratic Services Manager will be a trusted advisor, providing advice on matters relating to the Council’s constitution, governance arrangements and meeting procedures.  The role will manage competing demands and the post holder must be able to make sound judgements when dealing with member requests and prioritising activities whilst ensuring compliance with Council procedures and legislative provisions.

To manage and lead a team of support officers and supervise the day-to-day delivery of a modern, high quality and comprehensive service in relation to the Council’s democratic decision-making functions, including the administration of Committees, Panels and other meetings allocated to the postholder.

To be the Council’s lead officer for member support and development, members’ allowances and expenses and school appeals. To support the Director of Law and Governance in ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the Council's democratic decision-making and governance processes including managing the Democratic Services Team and to ensure that the Council’s objectives, corporate projects and partnerships have good governance at their core.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead a team of 10 and represent its interests and those of its members. Monitor and review standards and practices and provide day to day advice and guidance on duties in the context of corporate objectives.
• Provide timely and accurate research and support to the Council’s Monitoring Officer, with due confidentiality as necessary.
• Deliver advice, interventions and solutions on behalf of the Monitoring Officer on best governance practice and compliance issues; to resolve problems at an early stage, with services, senior managers and members.
• Deliver effective governance advice (including training and communications) to the Council, its senior managers and elected members, to secure compliance and embed responsibilities and awareness.
• Assist the Monitoring Officer in the investigation of Members’ Code of Conduct complaints for the Council.
• Be a primary source of advice, on behalf of the Monitoring Officer, to senior managers and members, and to parishes, on ethical governance issues.
• Oversee and advise upon the Council’s processes for the registration of interests and gifts and hospitality.
• Ensure that all statutory and local registers in relation to members are kept up to date and publicised appropriately and on-line.
• Deliver effective advice to staff, managers and members on politically restricted posts, any restrictions on publicity e.g. restricted period at election times, duties to publish information Code of Data Transparency and Schemes of Delegation.
• Lead on projects requiring key governance oversight e.g. boundary reviews, members’ allowances and reviews of decision-making.
• Ensure resources for supporting meetings of the Council, the Cabinet and committees and other aspects of the governance process are fit for purpose and secure compliance with the Council’s Constitution, other requirements of the Council and the relevant legislation, including the Member Code of Conduct/ Employee Conflicts of Interest Policy.

“Role Requirements” – to give yourself the maximum chance of success please try and ensure your CV addresses the following essential criteria:

Qualifications:

• Relevant degree and/or evidence of extensive equivalent experience in a local government setting.
• An Association of Democratic Services Officer (ADSO) qualification (Certificate in Democratic Services Knowledge and Diploma in Local Democracy) or equivalent desirable.

Experience:

• Experience of managing, developing and leading a team.
• Experience of working effectively with colleagues across a wide variety of services and agencies.
• Experience of constitutional process and protocols (including agenda setting and publication, accurate recording of debate and dissemination of information).
• Experience of working closely with elected members and chief officers.
• Experience of using information and communication technology (ICT) effectively to support service objectives.

Knowledge:

• Understanding of the functions of local government, committee procedures, relevant legislation and the roles of Officers and Members.
• A clear understanding of administrative, governance and constitutional processes.

Skills:

• Politically and tactically astute with an understanding of how to influence key stakeholders.
• Ability to interpret and provide advice, at appropriate level and where necessary on matters concerning the Authority’s constitution, governance arrangements and meeting procedures and processes.
• Ability to work in a political environment, recognising sensitive issues and maintaining confidentiality, facing frequently changing demands and dealing with demands from elected Members, officers, members of the community and outside bodies.
• Ability to deal with competing demands of workload, and Member and senior officer requests, planning and prioritising workloads within constantly changing deadlines and ensuring compliance with Council procedures and legislative provisions.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and present (in oral and written form) complex information simply and successfully.

NB: Please feel free to apply to us direct via [email protected] by quoting the job reference and job title exactly. SEE DETAILS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AD.

If you have previously applied to one of our vacancies and have already sent the required supporting documentation to us, please make this clear when you re-apply as this will help speed up your application.

To help speed up the process of uploading your CV to the client we would suggest that you send us your CV in Word format (or equivalent) if possible, rather than as a PDF.

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than entertaining umbrella pay terms, we do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.