Democratic Services Officer

Job Title: Democratic Services Officer
Hours: 37
Salary: HC7 £ 32,062 to £36,363 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Location: Flexible working, home and office based. The main office is located at Plough Lane, Hereford
Closing date: 24 July 2026
Interview date: 11 August 2026

Herefordshire Council is seeking to appoint a Democratic Services Officer to make a positive contribution, to drive innovative and modern strategies and deliver increased improvement and efficiency in the authority’s decision making process.

The post holders will have pivotal roles in the development and implementation of the Council's governance arrangements working with elected and co‑opted members of the Council. You will assist with the planning, management and co‑ordination of the overall business of the Council's main committees. The Council is moving toward a hybrid Cabinet with Leader system of governance together with providing a scrutiny function and a range of other statutory bodies or regulatory Committees.

We also provide a range of other services and functions to the Council and various bodies including School Admissions Appeals Panels.

For this post you will need a clear understanding and knowledge of local government and how democracy works. Also an understanding of administrative law and procedures relating to local authority meetings would be advantageous. You will need to be proficient in the use of ICT, including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, MS Teams and Zoom virtual meeting platforms. You will need to be a flexible team player with excellent organisational and communication skills, political awareness, a confident and positive disposition and the ability to work with people at all levels.

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Salary range of £32,062 to £36,363 per annum
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including the potential for job‑sharing, part‑time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Herefordshire is big hearted, welcoming and friendly. We have strong and independent communities and idyllic countryside, situated in the South West Midlands and bordering Wales. Historically Herefordshire has been the gateway to the Marches. We embrace partnership working and are a member of the Marches Forward Partnership, a cross‑border collaboration that secures funding to invest in the region. The council priorities over the next four years are set out in the Council Plan, with four main areas:
People, Place, Growth and Transformation.

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: e

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.