Governance Services Officer

The Governance Services Officer role is a crucial role within the Legal and Governance Service which sits within the Chief Executive’s Directorate.

The Governance Services Officer provides essential support across a broad range of governance functions, democratic processes, public accountability responsibilities and statutory obligations.

Working within a political environment, you will work closely with elected Members, senior officers, the Monitoring Officer and colleagues across all service areas to ensure governance arrangements operate lawfully, effectively and transparently.

The role provides an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to progress within a governance environment. We are seeking individuals with:

• Experience in working within democratic services, governance within local government, local government committee management or working directly with Elected Members.
• Strong knowledge of local government legislation and constitutional governance frameworks.
• Excellent IT skills to support hybrid meetings and to use and maintain systems such as Modern.
  
  Gov and Civico. Please note that Hackney is a Google council.
• Excellent communication skills with strong active listening and writing capabilities.

While the job description outlines the core responsibilities attached to the post, candidates should understand that the day-to-day operational demands of Governance Services frequently extend beyond the formal duties listed.

The successful candidate must demonstrate professional judgement, flexibility and be able to adapt quickly to changing priorities and urgent governance matters in a fast paced environment. The candidate must also demonstrate confidence and political sensitivity in dealing with elected members and senior officers. This is a varied role where workloads can increase unexpectedly.

No two days within Governance Services are the same.

You will play a central role in supporting the Council in its transparency, governance and accountability functions, including:

• Demonstrating strong understanding of local government legislation and constitutional governance frameworks for local authority decision making and an ability to interpret and to provide detailed advice to elected members and senior officers
• Communicating directly with members of the public while demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism in an environment where democracy is promoted.
• Accurate recording of minutes and decisions to include excellent writing skills.
• Managing agenda publications for internal and external stakeholders and publishing to the Council’s website.
• Supporting formal committee management processes including in-person attendance, meeting preparation, governance advice and procedural support for evening and late-night meetings.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across the Council.

This is a demanding operational role supporting highly visible areas of Council decision-making and public accountability.

The successful candidate must understand that evening and late night committee attendance forms a regular part of the role. The written job description does not capture every operational responsibility attached to the role
We are looking for someone who understands that governance is not simply administrative support; it is a critical function that protects the integrity, transparency and lawful operation of the Council.

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong and diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values. This is an exciting opportunity to support the new directly elected Mayor and administration in this era.

Over the past twenty years, the Council has built first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure and a reputation for excellence, innovation and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work including our commitment to equity across Hackney, with a strong focus on becoming an actively…