Registration Officer

**Further Information**

The Council

Northumberland County Council operates a huge range of services across one of the largest counties in the UK. Local Government's ongoing challenges and the diversity of our residents means we have to work smarter. That's why we want bold, creative and agile thinkers who can help us move forward and innovate.

For further information about working for Northumberland County Council, please click here:
The Service

The Registration Service is responsible for the delivery of all civil registration functions across Northumberland, ensuring the relevant statutory functions and obligations are provided in accordance with legislation. This includes the registration of births, deaths, stillbirths, marriage, and civil partnerships; as well as taking notices of marriage and civil partnerships, ceremony provision, citizenship and nationality and other associated registration duties.

With approximately 2,000 ceremonies delivered annually across 70 Approved Premises in the county, weddings and civil partnerships are a significant part of our business. In addition, the service will register over 3,000 births and 3,000 deaths annually, as well as produce over 20,000 copy certificates.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join the Northumberland Registration Service who can provide a first-class, customer focused service to the residents of Northumberland and be part of a team which consists of 20 permanent members of staff, plus 32 casual members of staff.

The post will be based at County Hall, Morpeth.

Throughout 2020, the service has embraced new and agile ways of working and officers may be required to work from any Northumberland County Council base, from Approved Premises across the county, as well as working from home when appropriate.

This is an exciting time for the service with work currently in progress at a national level to transform Registration Services. In addition, recent changes made locally have seen part of the service move into new offices at County Hall, Morpeth and be co-located with the Coroner Service and new court facilities.

The role

Key responsibilities include registering births, deaths, still births, marriages and civil partnerships and undertaking duties relating to legal civil preliminaries for marriage and civil partnership. You would also be required to conduct and register civil ceremonies, ensuring these duties are undertaken lawfully. A '5 days over 6 days' working pattern applies to this post and a minimum of 20 days per annum will be worked on a Saturday. In addition, there will be a requirement to work on Sundays and Bank Holidays on a rota basis. The post holder may be required to attend work at short notice on occasions. Applicants must be able to meet the transport requirement of the post. Individuals will need to be flexible and adapt to new ways of working, which has been essential during the pandemic.

We are offering:

- A starting salary of £24,496pa-£26,845pa (pro-rata for part-time employees)
- 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years service (pro-rata for part-time employees)
- Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
- A wide range of staff benefits including a competitive annual leave provision
- Flexible working arrangements
- Opportunity to study for the National Accredited Programme for Registration Officers (NVQ level)

Essential requirements:

- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent experience, including numeracy and literacy.
- Experience of public speaking, including to large groups.
- At least 3 years' experience of working with the public in a front facing role.
- Able to deal sensitively with the public at challenging times in their lives.
- Detail conscious with the ability to gather and report on statistical data.
- The ability to work at pace, but with accuracy.
- The ability to manage competing demands.
- The ability to work to a statutory framework, whilst being able to problem solve with logic and consistency.
- Awareness of social media, communications and marketing.
- Ability to empathise and achieve rapport with informants and couples.
- The ability to communicate effectively with key stakeholders such as HM Coroner, Coroner's Officers, Bereavement Services, medical professionals, and key personnel from Approved Premises.
- The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
- Commitment to customer care and quality service delivery.
- Add to the positive culture of the Council.