Committee Services Officer
In Sutton, there is much for us to be proud of both as a council and as a borough. This includes high levels of resident satisfaction, the quality of our services, our success in addressing our financial challenges to date, the way that we involve and engage with residents on key issues facing the borough, and the enthusiastic and motivated staff that we employ.
Looking ahead, there are plans for the delivery of new homes and new schools and the London Cancer Hub is being developed, while the Council is also seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment.
All of this demonstrates a good track record and an authority that is ambitious and set to deliver more improvements for the borough. We've set out our vision for the future of Sutton in our corporate plan - Ambitious for Sutton. This strategic plan will shape the outcomes we achieve, the services we provide, and the impact we have on residents, to make Sutton a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Situated in Zone 5, Sutton is less than 30 minutes by train from central London, and south and south west London are easily accessible by public transport. There are 10 train stations which serve key neighbourhoods within the borough providing direct connections to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Blackfriars and St Pancras International. Sutton also has direct rail connections with Epsom, Dorking, Guildford and Horsham, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and West Croydon for the London Overground. There's also an extensive road network which provides close and easy access to the M25 and M23.
About the Role
Have you ever considered a career in local government? Do you want to work in a fast-paced environment advising politicians and officers? We have a great opportunity for a highly motivated individual to join our award-winning team as a Committee Services Officer and benefit from the vast professional expertise and variety of work we have to offer.
Capable of delivering a high quality service, you will possess excellent organisation, prioritisation and interpersonal skills in order to administer a wide range of council committee meetings where no two days are the same. This will involve interpreting the council's constitution and relevant legislation, attending meetings with senior officers and elected members, delivering and contributing to interesting projects, as well as offering governance advice and facilitating resident participation in council business.
About Us
You'll be part of our wider service in the Resources directorate but our work covers virtually every team from across the council, as well as external partners. You'll also support the Committee Services Manager in advising our council-owned companies.
Our friendly, four-person team (three Committee Services Officers; one Committee Services Manager) will provide comprehensive training in the work we undertake. In a role requiring critical thinking and sound judgement, you'll be able to develop your problem-solving skills as well as your knowledge of decision-making in local government: both the legal background and through building strong working relationships.
You will be able to work flexibly, choosing either to work mostly from home or attending the office. Either way, you will benefit from regular meetings with your team and one-to-ones with your line manager. Working collaboratively, you'll help us to remain a high-performing service.
There is much for Sutton to be proud of both as a council and as a borough. This includes high levels of resident satisfaction, the involvement and engagement of residents in key issues facing the borough, and enthusiastic and motivated staff. This is an exciting time to join our organisation. There are plans for the delivery of new homes, schools, hospitals, and the London Cancer Hub, one of London's most significant planned developments. Sutton Council is a driving force within the South London Partnership, focused on strategic growth, regeneration, and investment.
About You
Essential
- Organised
- Able to manage competing priorities
- Able to complete a mix of home working and office working
- Able to work some weekday evenings
We will support the successful candidate to undertake internal and external training to develop an advanced knowledge and understanding of the constitutional and legislative framework of local authority decision-making, including supporting applications for the ADSO Certificate in Democratic Services Knowledge. You'll be close to the action as decisions are taken about the future of Sutton and south London.
With our comprehensive learning and development programme and supportive environment, this could be your entry into a successful, enjoyable and rewarding career in local government. Previous experience in the field is not necessary, but a willingness to learn, develop, and approach technology and transformation with confidence is key.
Our Offer To You
As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we're committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We're constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across - however big or small - will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.
In addition, we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff, supported by our IT infrastructure, including Google Chromebooks and Google Apps. Our Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme embraces new ways of working. It provides improved work life balance for our staff as it allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week.
Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include:
- Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)
- Flexi-time (Please note, this applies to roles at grades 1-9 only)
- Three volunteering days per year in Sutton
- Comprehensive learning and development programme
- Local and national discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure activities
- Interest free season ticket loans
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Car parking scheme
- Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme
- Zip car scheme
- Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses
- Confidential wellbeing and counselling support
- Subsidised gym membership
Please apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Please ensure you refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application.
To support our diversity agenda and reduce the risk of bias in our recruitment activities, our short listing process completely anonymises personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc. Our hiring managers review and short list applications based on the information provided as part of your application as to how well you meet the requirements and criteria for the role, as outlined in the job profile.
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Additional Information
We pride ourselves on being a diverse, inclusive and welcoming Borough and we aim to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve - the key highlights from our recent Equalities Workforce Report can be seen here. We are respectful of difference and realise the positive value of diversity in our workforce. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce. As part of our Disability Confident Committed status, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role.
We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums, and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.
The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.
Important Information - Political Restrictions
This post has been deemed as politically restricted / sensitive and therefore applicants will be required to declare any interests that may be deemed political as part of their application.
Job Profile
Committee Services Officer - Role Profile - October 2024.pdf - 55KB Opens in a new window