Senior Democratic Services Officer

Senior Democratic Services Officer – Midlands based Council – Hybrid Working – Initial 3 Month Contract – £35 per hour Umbrella Venn Group's specialist legal team are currently recruiting for a Senior Democratic Services Officer to join a Local Authority in the Midlands on an interim basis. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Democratic Services professional to lead the Democratic Services team, oversee the Council's Scrutiny function and provide governance support within a busy Local Authority. The Role: Duration: Initial 3 months with likely extension Working Pattern: Full Time, 37 hours per week, hybrid working with 1 day per week on site in the Midlands Rate: £35 per hour Umbrella Start: ASAP Role Responsibilities: • Managing the day-to-day operation of the Democratic Services team, supervising two Democratic Services Officers • Leading the Council's Overview and Scrutiny function and supporting the delivery of an effective scrutiny service • Supporting committee, scrutiny, working group and task and finish meetings, including preparing agendas, reports and minutes • Working with elected Members to develop and deliver the Annual Scrutiny Work Programme • Undertaking research and preparing reports, recommendations and briefing papers for Scrutiny Committees • Providing governance advice and support to Members and senior officers on democratic processes and constitutional matters • Liaising with internal departments and external organisations to support effective decision-making • Maintaining statutory registers and Democratic Services records • Supporting the administration of the Members' Training Programme and civic events • Driving continuous improvement across Democratic Services and deputising for the Democratic and Support Services Manager where required Candidate Requirements: • Previous experience working within Democratic Services in a Local Authority • Experience supporting committee and scrutiny functions • Previous supervisory or management experience within Democratic Services • Strong knowledge of local government governance, constitutional procedures and committee administration • Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities • Ability to build effective working relationships with elected Members and senior officers • Availability to attend occasional evening committee meetings For further information, or to apply for this position, please contact Louise Francis or Ebby Vallance on , or via email at . Job Reference: J96477 Venn Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all candidates. Due to the high volume of applications, it is impossible to provide feedback for every candidate. If one of the team has not contacted you within 48 hours, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Senior Democratic Services Officer – Midlands based Council – Hybrid Working – Initial 3 Month Contract – £35 per hour Umbrella