Team Leader - Democratic Services

Location: The designated office base is Abbey House, Abingdon, Flexible/hybrid.
Contact Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Salary and grade: Grade 7 £45,568 up to £50,764 (pay award pending 1 April 2024)
Closing Date: 08/03/2024
About the role and what we’re looking for
Are you looking for your next career move? If you have a track record in governance and want the responsibility of leading a small team, we want to hear from you. To be a Team Leader with the councils, you will have knowledge of local authority constitutions and decision-making processes, along with experience of supporting and advising various committees.
Main duties and responsibilities
The post holder will be responsible for managing an effective, efficient, open, and transparent decision-making process, which meets the statutory requirements and enables the councils to make informed decisions and develop its community leadership role.
You will need to demonstrate political sensitivity, the ability to interpret and apply legislation, effective prioritisation skills and an ability to manage a team. You will need to have strong verbal and written communication skills, have the ability to explain complex guidance and be confident in providing advice to members and officers in a range of meeting situations. We are also looking for someone with great analytical skills who can help the service develop new and efficient ways of working on Democratic Services for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils.
Key responsibilities/specific duties
• Under the leadership of the Democratic Services Manager, to line manage the Democratic Services Team to deliver an effective and efficient democratic service, allocating work within the team and undertaking in person such support as is required.
• To undertake the day-to-day management of a comprehensive Democratic Services function ensuring the efficient and effective management of all decision-making processes, procedures and policies.
• To attend and advise meetings of both councils’ Council, Cabinet, committees and panels as required in person, some of which will be held in the evening and/or at venues across the district.
• To build and maintain effective working relationships with members, facilitate effective communication and ensure members are briefed and appropriately prepared for key meetings and events.
• To develop the Democratic Services Team to ensure they remain motivated, skills utilised, and succession plan needs met.
• To mentor the trainee and take on responsibility for their day-to-day training.
• To provide accurate, succinct and timely information and advice on constitutional matters, the law and practice of meetings, decision making processes and procedures to members, officers and members of the public.
• To ensure all formal meetings of the councils are administered correctly.
• To manage the induction, training, and development of members
• To complete specific tasks such as producing the annual draft programme of meetings, assist the work of the independent remuneration panel, and calculation of political proportionality, writing relevant reports as required.
• To lead on specific meetings and to ensure team cover is provided as required – to include arranging meetings, preparing agendas, preparing minutes and undertaking any follow up work as required, and to support the team in the delivery of live streaming of meetings.
• To ensure excellent standards and consistency across the team in fulfilling statutory and procedural requirements, and production of quality documentation.
• To manage the Democratic Services cost centres budgets.
• To help formulate and thereafter to deliver the objectives set out in the service and improvement plan.
• To deliver specific projects and assist the Democratic Services manager with major projects including undertaking research and preparing reports to Council, Cabinet, committees and panels.
• To maintain an awareness and understanding of new legislation and/or best practices relevant to Democratic Services, and implement any policies, strategies and procedures as appropriate.
• To lead on the production of reports to Cabinet, Council and committees addressing changes in legislation, policy, practice, and procedures and thereafter to implement any decisions made.
• To investigate and respond to Freedom of Information requests and complaints.
• To champion and drive the use of digital opportunities in support of more efficient, effective, and greener service delivery, developing the effective use of systems and consistently reviewing and implementing service modernisation as appropriate.
• To support the Democratic Services Manager in assisting with specific election tasks as required.
REF-211 739