Scrutiny and Committee Officer

**Salary**

£32,598 - £33,911

**Reference number**

BUC09835

**Contract type**

Fixed Term / Secondment

**Working hours**

Full Time

**Level of DBS check required**

No

**Date posted**

23 Aug 2023, 11 p.m.

**Application deadline**

10 Sep 2023

**Overview**:
We have a fantastic Scrutiny and Committee Officer position which we are currently recruiting for. This will support the facilitation and delivery of the Council’s Scrutiny and Select Committee processes, and is within the Scrutiny Team.

This exciting opportunity has arisen within the Democratic Services & Elections Service, which forms part of the Deputy Chief Executive Directorate within Buckinghamshire Council.

**If you have previous experience working within democratic services this would be desirable, but if you have experience working with elected members and taking minutes at meetings and can demonstrate that you are a highly organised individual with a strong eye for detail, then we would like to hear from you**

**About us**:
The Democratic Services & Elections Service comprises four teams - Scrutiny, Member Development & Support, Committee & Governance Services, and Electoral Services. With the highest number of Councillors in the country to support, we pride ourselves on providing a professional, committed, effective and organised service.

This is a great opportunity to work at the heart of the Council, where you will gain experience of working with elected members and valuable insight into decision making and governance.

**About the role**:
The Scrutiny & Committee Officer will work closely with the Senior Scrutiny Officers to provide professional support to the Council’s scrutiny process, enabling Select Committee members to influence and improve outcomes for Buckinghamshire residents. This role will involve preparing agendas and minutes using ModGov software, undertaking research into different scrutiny topics and responsibility for various administrative tasks to ensure the smooth delivery of member meetings. You will also contribute to improvement projects within the team and assist with promoting the work of scrutiny.

The Scrutiny team will continue to refine and improve our processes, explore best practice ideas and provide training for members and officers on the role of Scrutiny, so this is a really exciting time to join our team. Support and assistance to the other teams across Democratic Services will also be key.

Any-Desk:
As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements*.

**About you**:
You will have excellent written and oral communication skills, alongside well-developed IT skills and be happy to work using your own initiative. You will need to be flexible to respond to the needs of the wider democratic services team and be able to prioritise your work, delivering to strict deadlines. You must also manage confidential information sensitively.

**Other information**:
Please see the attached job summary for further information on this role and person specifications.

The post is a politically restricted one under the terms of the Local Government Act 1989.

Advert closing date: 10th September 2023

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

- Unspent convictions and/or unspent conditional cautions only

For further information on how long it takes for convictions and conditional cautions to be spent, please refer to Nacro’s guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

**Our values and culture**:
We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are - Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:
a fair and inclusive culture
- the chance to really make a difference to those around you
- health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
- a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
- ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
- opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other r