Senior Democratic Services & Governance Officer - Council and Regulatory

Salary range: Grade 14 £54,927- £57,150 p.a. plus fantastic benefits
Contract: Permanent 
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Croydon

Senior Democratic Services & Governance Officer – Council & Regulatory

We are looking to appoint a Senior Democratic Services and Governance Officer (DSGO) – focused on supporting Council and Regulatory Committees to join our high-performing Democratic Services and Scrutiny Team at the London Borough of Croydon.

This important senior role sits within a small and dynamic team responsible for delivering an efficient, high-quality Democratic Services function. You will take a lead role in supporting the Council’s Regulatory Committees and Full Council meetings, ensuring they operate smoothly, effectively, and in compliance with statutory and procedural requirements, while supporting the wider strategic objectives of the organisation. 

As a senior officer, you will also provide leadership within the team, including line management responsibilities, and play a key role in maintaining strong relationships with Councillors, senior officers and external stakeholders. 

We are looking for someone with:

• A strong understanding of democratic processes and the legal framework within local government.
• Proven experience of servicing and managing complex committee meetings in a political or public sector environment.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• The confidence and experience to advise senior Councillors, including Committee Chairs, on procedural and regulatory matters.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate at all levels.
• Experience of supervising or managing staff, supporting development and performance.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading on the delivery and management of Regulatory Committees and Full Council meetings, ensuring they are properly constituted, well-run and compliant with legislation and Council procedures.
• Managing committee work programmes, scheduling meetings, and ensuring all statutory deadlines are met. 
• Preparing, reviewing and overseeing the publication of agendas, reports and minutes to a high standard and in line with legal requirements.
• Attending meetings as a  Democratic Services representative and providing authoritative procedural advice to Chairs, Councillors, Executive Mayor and Cabinet Members and Senior Officers.
• Monitoring and recording formal decisions to ensure they are lawful, transparent and correctly implemented.
• Leading and developing a small team, including line management of two officers and trainee, ensuring high performance and continuous improvement. 
• Building strong working relationships with Councillors, senior leadership and external partners, providing guidance on governance and decision-making processes.
• Contributing to service development, including improvements to democratic processes, governance frameworks and efficiency initiatives.
• Facilitating the webcasting of meetings and supporting wider democratic engagement and transparency.

There is also a shared responsibility across the team to support each other and contribute to the wider success of the Democratic Services function.

This role requires flexibility, including attendance at evening meetings, and is politically restricted.

If you share our values and have the leadership, expertise and drive to help shape and deliver high-quality democratic governance, we would love to hear from you.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact [email protected]. 

Apply early

This vacancy may close without notice if a sufficient number of applications are received. Early application is therefore encouraged.

Please note: This is a re-advertisement, recent applicants need not re-apply.