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<h2>Job introduction</h2>The role:Liverpool City Council is an ambitious and transformative Council, committed to ensuring our services are delivered to the highest possible standards for all our residents, and we pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive organisation, forward thinking and looking to the future. &nbsp;&nbsp;We are searching for our new Head of Democratic Services here at Liverpool City Council to join us on our journey!We value the importance of our democratic services and the positive impacts these have for our residents and our partners.&nbsp;Democracy is vital to ensure our constituents given the opportunity to have their say and participate in local government decision making and politics.&nbsp;Our Head of Democratic Services sits on our leadership team and provides strategic leadership of all matters related to democratic services.&nbsp;Managing a small, dynamic, innovative, and capable team, this is an opportunity to work with passionate and dynamic senior officers, Members, and our residents.We understand the importance of an effective work-life balance and therefore offer an exceptional agile working approach, managed effectively around business needs to be present in the office as required, alongside staff benefits, the Local Government Pension Scheme, and a generous annual leave entitlement.A role like this does not come to the market very often, especially in a forward thinking and transformative Council like Liverpool.&nbsp;We’re delighted that you’re interested in this role and welcome a conversation ahead of an application if you have any questions.As Head of Democratic Services, the successful candidate will lead the City Council’s Democratic Services and provide direct support to the Leader and Cabinet, Members, and senior officers of the Council to deliver a high quality and effective service.An in-depth knowledge of local authority best practice and law – including decision making and governance – is required. Professional development and training in democratic services is desirable, but not essential.&nbsp;Below is a testimonial from our previous Head of Democratic Services:“As someone stepping up into my first Head of Service role, I was provided with the support, professional development, and autonomy to get the most out of the role.&nbsp;Importantly, this included open engagement and ongoing support from every political group, who all genuinely want to see the Council operate to the best of its ability.”The full testimonial is attached to this advert.&nbsp;Our offer to you:<ul>
<li>At least 31 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 35 after 5 years’ service (pro rata, if part time) – option to purchase further days</li>
<li>Agile working (role dependent) – a “Flexibility First” approach to agile working, where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception</li>
<li>Part of the Local Government Pension Scheme&nbsp;– option to join the AVC Scheme</li>
<li>Progression&nbsp;– opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning</li>
<li>Health and wellbeing&nbsp;– offer including Employee Assistance Programme</li>
<li>Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes&nbsp;</li>
<li>Drive Time&nbsp;– a salary sacrifice car lease scheme</li>
<li>Family friendly policies with enhanced leave &nbsp;</li>
<li>Discounted gym memberships&nbsp;</li>
<li>Employee Volunteering Scheme&nbsp;</li>
<li>Medicash&nbsp;</li>
</ul>A bit about us:Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic, and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place.&nbsp;We've got ambitious targets to meet and we need people who are driven, dynamic, and ready to deliver the very best for our communities.&nbsp;Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do.&nbsp;Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services.We are proud of our world-famous, thriving city with its rich culture, as well as affordable housing, good schools, beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone!Next steps:Closing date: midnight on Sunday 20 July 2025 Shortlisting: to take place the W/C 4 August 2025 Interviews: first stage face-to-face interviews will be on 11 and 12 September 2025 and the final stage will be held on 29 September 2025.NO AGENCIES PLEASE!&nbsp;If we require support, we will come to you.&nbsp;Please do not contact hiring managers or stakeholders directly; all recruitment activity will be managed by our central Recruitment Team.We reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. If interested, please complete an application as early as possible.Please note: this vacancy is classified as a politically restricted position.If you would like any further information or an informal discussion, please contact Claire Harris via <a href="mailto:claire.harris@liverpool.gov.uk" target="_blank">claire.harris@liverpool.gov.uk</a>.&nbsp;Watch our recruitment video and see what life is like working at Liverpool City Council!Liverpool City Council is committed to fostering a workforce representative of the communities we serve.&nbsp;As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe in appointing candidates based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities.&nbsp;To support this commitment, we guarantee an interview to candidates from under-represented groups who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role.If you require any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010, such as an application form in a different format or additional time to complete your application, please contact us at <a href="mailto:recruitment@liverpool.gov.uk" target="_blank">recruitment@liverpool.gov.uk</a>.Although we advertise on Jobs Go Public, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system.&nbsp;Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including spam/junk folder, after the closing dates for notifications. Please ensure you complete your full profile, work, and education history in Tribepad.

Liverpool City Council

Liverpool City Council needs you!

Head of Democratic Services

About the BoroughThis special place in South West London between the capital and the country has been a Royal borough longer than anywhere else - it is where the first kings of England were crowned.Today it is a vibrant and diverse borough, with a long history and strong cultural and community heritage. Kingston's riverside location, fantastic retail offer, historic market place and church, parks and gardens all make Kingston town centre the vibrant space it is, and each of our district town centres (Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington) have something unique to offer.Situated in Zone 6, Kingston is among the best-connected town centres in London – with direct train links from Kingston and Surbiton stations to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and Tramlink.Kingston’s people are innovative and entrepreneurial, and have a strong sense of community pride. The borough has been home to great industry and creativity for many years, reflected in assets such as the Rose Theatre, the International Youth Arts Festival and Kingston University, which boasts more new graduate business start-ups than any other.We have seen tremendous generosity and compassion within our communities, particularly in response to COVID-19, which is a demonstration of Kingston’s key strength. The council offers a strong level of support to vulnerable groups and those who need additional support, which has also increased significantly as a result of the pandemic. Like most places, the average age of our population is rising as more people are living longer, so we are working closely with residents to help them maintain their independence and further improve the cost effectiveness of our service to meet the ongoing rise in demand.Kingston is home to people from diverse and interesting cultures and backgrounds, which helps to create the rich sense of community shared across the borough. In particular, Kingston has a large Sri Lankan Tamil community and is home to more people from Korea than any other part of the UK.About the Service and TeamYou will be working as the sole support officer to the Opposition Group. To find out more about the Council's Political Groups please visit our website. &nbsp;Important InformationTo ensure impartiality and maintain public trust, all applicants must demonstrate political neutrality both in their professional conduct and pub perception. As part of our commitment to these principles, publicly accessible social media profiles may be reviewed during the application process to assess alignment with this requirement.&nbsp;About the Role and Our Ideal CandidateAbout the RoleWe are seeking a highly motivated individual who will be responsible for the provision of administrative support to the Kingston Independent Residents Group.&nbsp;&nbsp;Duties include research on matters specific to the roles of Councillors, assisting with diary management, providing meeting support and assistance with routine correspondence relating to the Councillors roles on the Council (this does not extend to support with ward based casework or party political activity).The role is located in the office of the Kingston Independent Residents Group, an opposition group of the Council and forms part of the Corporate and Communities Directorate. The Postholder reports to the Corporate Head of the Democratic Services and Elections.&nbsp; Whilst the primary function of the role is to assist the group the postholder will, in common with all staff, be obliged to serve the interests of the Council as a whole.Our Ideal Candidate&nbsp;&nbsp;To be responsible for the provision of administrative support to elected opposition Councillors in order to ensure that they can effectively perform their roles.&nbsp;Duties include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Supporting the Group with their diaries, arranging meetings, admin tasks and act as a point of contact to facilitate communications with other elected Members, Executive Directors and Officers at all levels of the Council and external stakeholders.</li><li>Undertake research and produce briefing notes and presentation of data and information from a variety of internal and external sources for Councillors, relevant to their role as opposition members.</li><li>Provide support to internal meetings involving Councillors including, where necessary, the preparation and distribution of agendas and briefing notes, taking of minutes and following up outstanding actions.</li><li>Monitor incoming post, e-mails and phone calls related directly to the work of the Councillors, chase up outstanding action and draft routine correspondence&nbsp;</li><li>Liaise with the relevant internal departments on behalf of the Group in respect of the provision of ICT support, training and development activities and general office and administrative requirements.&nbsp;</li></ul>Our Offer to YouAs an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We’re constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.In addition we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff supported by our IT infrastructure, Google Chromebooks and Google Apps, which have acted as a key enabler for collaborative and streamlined working. We operate hybrid working, a flexible working model which allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week. It enables staff to achieve a work life balance whilst still meeting the needs of the organisation.Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include:<ul><li>Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)</li><li>Three volunteering days per year in Kingston</li><li>Flexible and agile working arrangements</li><li>Comprehensive learning and development programme</li><li>Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres</li><li>Interest free season ticket loans</li><li>Local Government Pension Scheme</li><li>Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme</li><li>Zip car scheme</li><li>Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses</li><li>Confidential wellbeing and counselling support</li><li>Subsidised gym membership</li></ul>Application ProcessPlease apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Please ensure you refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application. The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.&nbsp;We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) so all personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc is completely anonymised during the shortlisting process. Our hiring managers review applications based on the knowledge, skills and experience demonstrated in your application, and how well these match the job profile. Our HR Shared Service with Sutton Council was recently recognised nationally for having the ‘Best Inclusion and Diversity Programme’ at the PPMA Excellence in People Management Awards 2023, something that we’re incredibly proud of.Hiring managers are encouraged to ensure that their interview panel is diverse, and representative of a range of protected characteristics, to help remove unconscious bias and ensure candidates are treated fairly during the selection process. Some characteristics may not be obvious, but our panels are diverse wherever possible. We have a number of measures in place to inform and support our approach, including mandatory EDI and unconscious bias training for all staff, safer recruitment training for diverse panel members, engaging with our staff networks and encouraging allyship. We are fully committed to removing barriers and enhancing the diversity of our workforce.Additional InformationWe are proud to be a diverse and welcoming Borough. Our aim is to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve, and staff feel a sense of belonging. We celebrate and respect differences and appreciate the value of having a diverse workforce. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to thinking differently about disability and taking action to improve how we recruit, retain and develop disabled people. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for a role.We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.We are an accredited London Living Wage Employer and this means that everyone working at the Royal Borough of Kingston, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers receive the London Living Wage. The real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living.The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know" target="_blank">GOV.UK website</a>&nbsp;for right to work guidance.#LI-SR1





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Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames

Opposition Group Support Officer

12 Democratic Services Jobs