Overview and Scrutiny Support Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Overview and Scrutiny Support Officer
Salary: £39,027 – £44,463 per annum
Grade: E
Contract Type: Fixed Term 12 months
Working Hours: 37 hours per week

About the Department

The Overview and Scrutiny Team is a small but dedicated team within the Democratic and Governance Service team, who support the Overview and Scrutiny committees through strategic and research support to ensure the function runs effectively and that both Members and officers are supported with their roles.

About the Role

As an Overview and Scrutiny Support Officeryou will be responsible for supporting the Overview and Scrutiny by:

• Attending committee meetings to advise and guide the committee in their work.
• Organise and attend briefings and other informal meetings to support the Chair and senior council officers to manage committee business and strategic approach.
• Write summary reports and briefing notes on issues for elected Members and officers.
• Work as part of the wider Democratic Services team to deliver key goals.
• Support the Overview and Scrutiny officers in the effective management of the Overview and Scrutiny function.

Thurrock Council is entering an exciting time for its governance and scrutiny services. Following a restructure of the central governance team in 2024, Thurrock Council is looking to recruit an Overview and Scrutiny Support Officer to support the Overview and Scrutiny function at the Council. Overview and Scrutiny is undergoing significant change at Thurrock and the successful candidates will be expected to work diligently and accurately at the forefront of this service, developing Overview and Scrutiny committees and its members to become efficient and effective.

The successful candidate will have an understanding of overview and scrutiny in local government and will be an effective communicator able to work with residents and report authors, as well as senior managers and elected Members.

Working in a dynamic, stimulating and friendly environment, we are looking for motivated and organised candidates who can use their previous experience to manage projects to completion both accurately and to deadline. You must be confident in dealing with Members and Officers and possess good ICT, English language and communication skills.

An analytical mind, experience of supporting council committees, and a sound understanding of local government and governance are highly desirable. You will be involved in preparing agendas, reports, and minutes, organising meetings and assisting with maintenance of work plans. Full support and training in all aspects of the role will be provided to the successful candidate.

Your work time will be a mixture of working from home and attendance at the Civic Offices in Grays. You will be expected to attend regular evening committee meetings.

For an informal discussion about this position please contact: Claire Dixon, Overview and Scrutiny Officer on Claire.Dixon@thurrock.gov.uk or Matthew Boulter, Head of Democratic and Scrutiny Services on mboulter@thurrock.gov.uk

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Good communication and able to work across the Council.
• Impeccable organisation and attention to detail.
• An analytical mind who is able to think strategically.
• Local government experience, preferably in governance and/or committee work.

Essential Qualifications: None but ADSO Qualification desirable.
DBS Check: None

Benefits of Working with Us

At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Important Dates

Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 2nd April 2026

Closing Date (Internal & External): 19th April 2026

Interview Date: To Be Confirmed

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact:

Claire Dixon, Overview and Scrutiny Officer on Claire.Dixon@thurrock.gov.uk or

Matthew Boulter, Head of Democratic and Scrutiny Services on mboulter@thurrock.gov.uk

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

About us

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council