Job Profile for Governance and Members Officer

Job Details

Job title: Governance and Members Officer

Salary/Grade: 3

Service: Governance

Reports to: Governance and Members Manager

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job purpose

To provide an effective and efficient governance service to Members, Officers and the public and to provide effective delivery of Member and Committee support ensuring customer needs are met.

Principal Accountabilities

1. To maintain systems of good governance which ensure that the Council’s responsibilities and decision-making processes are effective and decisions are made in a lawful, clear and transparent manner, in accordance with the Council’s constitution.
2. To provide high quality support to Members and the democratic process, ensuring that the public and other external parties can engage effectively in the decision-making process.
3. To contribute to the overall committee administration and governance function, including servicing of Council, Cabinet, other Committees including Overview and Scrutiny, Licensing and Planning, Sub-Committees, Working Groups and Panels, in order to meet Member, officer and customer need and assist the smooth-running of such committees.
   
   To include:
   • The preparation and coordination of agendas and reports which are appropriately formatted and presented to high standards, implementing quality control processes to ensure this.
   • To ensure that legal requirements for notification and publication are met.
   • To make determinations on whether information should be treated as exempt as appropriate.
   • The preparation of minutes which appropriately record decisions.
   • The management and archiving of agendas, reports and minutes in accordance with legal and best practice requirements.
   • To provide advice to Committee Chairmen, Members, officers and the general public on the Council’s Constitution and governance in relation to meetings, in line with legislative requirements.
      
4. To be politically sensitive and work within the political context to ensure effective delivery of the service. To remain politically neutral and provide support to all political groups irrespective of personal views.
5. To provide advice and support to Members on the Code of Conduct including declarations of interests.
6. As part of the Governance Team deliver an effective and reliable service to Members.
   
   To include:
   • Support to Members to include signposting members to services of the Council.
   • Handling enquiries from Members; either providing a direct response or passing questions on.
   • Supporting Member induction and development.
      
7. To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance and to take responsibility for managing attendance of staff.
8. To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
9. To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
10. Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business continuity and during civil emergencies.
11. Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or their representative.
12. Such variations as may be required from time to time, including undertaking duties to support the wider Governance Service without changing the general character of the duties shown above or the level of responsibility entailed.
13. To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.

Corporate Accountabilities

• To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance. 
• To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
• To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
• Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business
  continuity and during civil emergencies.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience and Qualifications

• Committee administration skills.
• Minute taking.
• Awareness of Local Government decision making process (desirable).

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload, while also supporting team objectives.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Good IT and administration skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, to be able to create and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, clients and Elected Members.
• Ability to prioritise, work to tight deadlines and maintain good organisational skills while working under pressure.

Competencies

We test this at interview stage

Communicating Effectively 

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation

• present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding
• listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions
• present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon
• seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with
• choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach
• communicate with colleagues and customers in a manner which is clear, fluent, accurate and concise

Performing efficiently and effectively 

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results.  Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems

• ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council
• plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements, and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders
• see tasks and objectives through to completion
• approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm
• strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability

Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively 

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.

• take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage
• use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness
• seek out ways to improve the use of resources

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services

• provide a helpful and friendly service to customers both internally and externally
• take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues
• make efforts to fully understand the customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “we know best”
• ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer
• seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide

Working well together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition

• co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals
• demonstrate consideration, and respect for other’s feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions
• maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council
• seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved
• demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others

Other conditions

• This post doesn't require a DBS check 
• This post is politically restricted
• This post doesn't entitle you to a lease car
• This post does entitle you to a casual car allowance

Job profile updated
January 2026

Values and behaviours

Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.

Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.

Our vision

We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results

Our core values