Senior Democratic Services Officer

Senior Democratic Services Officer

At Bath & North East Somerset Council we have one overriding purpose to improve people’s lives. We are looking for a confident, enthusiastic and highly motivated person to join our small friendly team as a Senior Democratic Services Officer. You should be capable of dealing with the demanding responsibilities of the Council’s democratic processes and championing good governance. The successful candidate will have a thorough knowledge of how local government works and a good knowledge of the software systems that support democratic processes from having worked in the sector.

You will be innovative, positive and able to provide constitutional advice on the council’s decision‑making processes, ensuring high standards of service and governance are upheld.

You will have strong all‑round communication and interpersonal skills, political awareness, tact and diplomacy, attention to detail, an ability to think logically, plan ahead and work with the minimum of supervision. Reliability and calmness under pressure are pre‑requisites, given that the role often involves working to tight deadlines.

• Agenda preparation and minute taking.
• Organising meetings.
• Giving procedural advice and notification of decisions and recommendations to interested parties.
• Managing a busy and varied workload.

The Democratic Services office is in the Guildhall, Bath where most meetings take place. When not attending meetings the successful candidate will have flexibility to work from a Council office or from home. Most meetings take place in the Guildhall, Bath. Some evening work will be required, for which time off in‑lieu will be granted. The Council also operates a flexible hours policy.

Interview date: 25/03/2026.

No agencies, please.

Please note, BANES Council operates a policy of prior consideration for roles for any individual on the Council’s at‑risk register (redeployee). This means if a redeployee expresses an interest in this role and meets the essential criteria, they will be considered ahead of external applicants.

Please note that this advert may close earlier than the stated closing date due to high demand. We advise all interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

We are a Disability Confident Employer.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us. The Council is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applications for a job‑share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced/Basic DBS Check.

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of this commitment, anyone working in a post with children or vulnerable groups will be expected to undertake an Enhanced DBS check with or without barred list checks.