Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officer

There are 2 Vacancies on offer. One is a fixed term for 18 months to fill a vacancy created by a secondment opportunity and the other is a permanent position. Please specify during the application when prompted which position you are applying for.

At Kirklees we are innovative and creative in the way we work with our citizens. The landmark work of the Kirklees Democracy Commission reflects our ambition. This is a 37 hour permanent role in the Governance and Democratic Engagement Team which is responsible for the breadth of activities that support our 69 councillors individually and collectively. The team co-ordinates and, in particular, supports the council’s governance and decision making structures.

We are looking to appoint an experienced Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officer to be responsible for the provision of professional advice and support to ensure that the council’s governance activities are engaging, transparent and comply with legislative and audit requirements. You will be required to work closely with elected councillors, directors and senior officers of the Council to ensure a planned and legally compliant approach. This will involve you in a wide range of governance activities, including agenda planning, all aspects of meeting support and decision recording.

You will work with the Democracy Manager and other Principal Governance and Democratic Engagement Officers to plan work programmes and lead on service and cross Council projects as appropriate. You will be part of developmental project work to try new approaches to democratic engagement and embedding change into the processes of the Governance and Democratic Engagement Team.

For further information about this job, and the person we are looking for, please read the attached job profile. For any queries, please contact the recruiting managers Helen Kilroy or Samantha Lawton on 01484 221000.

Closing date          22 November 2020, 11:55 PM

To apply for this job as a secondment you must be a substantive employee of the Council with over 6 months continuous service and have successfully completed your probation period.

Applications for secondments will only be accepted if approved by your manager, you will be asked to confirm on your application form that you have the relevant permission.

If you are refused permission to apply for a secondment please contact HR Recruitment to register the refusal.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.