Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager

• Contract Type: Permanent &a;ndash; (a secondment/job share may be considered)
• Working Hours: 37 hours per week
• Location: Observatory House
• Salary: £51,551 to £56,805 per annum plus £1039 Local Weighting Allowance and £10,000 Market Supplement (3 years)

The closing date for applications is 30th May 2024.

Interviews will be held week commencing 3rd June 2024.

What you’ll be doing:

We are looking for an experienced Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager. Secondments or job shares welcomed &a;ndash; please call to discuss.

Slough Borough Council (SBC) is at a turning point in its history, working under government direction to recover from a financial and governance crisis. When the Government issued directions for the council's improvement two years ago, &a;lsquo;democratic governance' and &a;lsquo;scrutiny' were among the key areas for investment and improvement. While the council is still on its overall improvement journey, the council is now one year into a new administration and officers' hard work and progress on things like scrutiny, good governance and member development have been recognised by commissioners. An experienced and enthusiastic person is needed to pick up the baton and keep up the momentum of change. Every day is different, and commissioners are monitoring progress, which makes this job high-profile, rewarding and potentially career-enhancing.

You will be joining and leading a friendly and diverse Democratic Services and Scrutiny Team which, like the council, welcomes change-makers and problem-solvers. The role encompasses committee services (including licensing and planning, as SBC is a unitary authority), mayor's office, cabinet office, statutory appeals, scrutiny function and member services.

The postholder will act as the Council's statutory Scrutiny Officer and will have:

• A good knowledge of local government and the decision-making process;
• A strong track record and ideally significant experience as the key point of contact for democratic services in a local authority, able to provide technical advice to officers and members;
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with senior officers and members from all walks of life, and able to write clear and concise reports on complex issues;
• Proven management skills and the ability to provide clear leadership and directions to the team;
• A strong sense of &a;lsquo;what good looks like' in democratic services and an enthusiasm for helping the council to get there.

There is significant scope for flexible and remote working, with the main exception being that committee meetings are held in the evenings in Slough and you must be able to attend and support these meetings. An additional allowance is paid for each evening meeting attended.

You will be self-motivated, flexible, have excellent attention to detail, be able to work under pressure and have a high level of political awareness.

This role could really suit an experienced team manager looking for a new challenge or a career boost, and this could potentially be in the form of a fixed-term secondment if that suits your circumstances better than joining Slough permanently.

Our Council:

Our vision is to make a difference to our communities and our environment and we would love you to join us in our mission! All of our employees, whatever their job, contribute greatly to delivering services to local people - either directly, or by supporting colleagues. We celebrate diversity and are continuously striving for our residents to enjoy fulfilling prosperous and healthy lives.

What we offer:

We offer a supportive place to grow and develop your career with a real opportunity for your input to be valued and heard. Ambition and innovation will be required now more than ever and you will join a friendly and collaborative environment where you are encouraged to thrive.

Alongside a competitive salary, we provide:

• 26 days annual leave (not including Bank holidays), rising to 30 days between 2 - 5 years' service and 33 days after 5 years' service.
• The Local Government Pension Scheme

We offer a wider range of great benefits including:

• Flexible and hybrid working options to promote work-life balance; currently employees are expected in the office a minimum of two days a week.
• Our commitment to equality and diversity through a range of employee networks
• Wellbeing initiatives
• Tax - free childcare and childcare services
• Season loan ticket - to help with the cost of your rail / bus journey to &a;amp; from work.

Interested?

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Alexander Polak on 07985686996. You will need to complete an online application form below to be considered for the position.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If appointed, all posts will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Slough Borough Council is an inclusive employer and we encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. We select staff on merit and we foster a workforce where people are valued, and represents the local communities that we serve. Slough Borough Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.

We want our application process to be open and accessible. If you wish to make your application in an alternative format, please email [email protected] quoting the job reference &a;ndash; our Accessibility Statement has more information.

How to Apply:

Join our team at Slough Borough Council and help accelerate our journey of transformation and growth!

Please submit an application by clicking the "Quick Apply" details below.