Senior Democratic Services Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Democratic Services Officer
Salary: £39,027 – £44,463 per annum
Grade: E
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week

About the Department

Democratic Services are the hub of committee and decision making at the council, working with officers and elected politicians to deliver democracy for Thurrock.

About the Role:

Thurrock Council is entering an exciting time for its Governance services. Following a restructure of the central governance team in 2024 Thurrock Council is looking to recruit a Democratic Services Officer to join its expanded team to provide impeccable support to a range of committees and governance processes, including the Health and Well-being Board.

The successful candidate will have experience or knowledge of Democratic Services or governance in local government, as well as providing evidenced high quality support to committees and governance processes such as petitions and call-ins. Good interpersonal skills are a must and you’ll be expected to be an effective communicator across the organisation, from residents and report authors to senior managers and politicians.

Working in a growing, stimulating and friendly team you will undertake the day to day duties of the Democratic Services team, including administrating our online committee system, publishing agendas and researching issues for time limited projects on behalf of committees. You will be able to work strategically to ensure the team’s work is undertaken effectively and to a good quality. You must be confident in dealing with councillors and officers and possess good ICT, English language and time management skills. Having a relevant Democratic Services qualification is desirable.

An analytical mind, experience of supporting council committees, and a sound understanding of local government and governance is highly desirable. You will be involved in preparing agendas, reports, and minutes, organising meetings and assisting with maintenance of work plans.

DBS Check: None.

Benefits of Working with Us

At Thurrock Council, we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Important Dates

Closing Date (Redeployment Only): 16th October 2025

Closing Date (Internal & External): 2nd November 2025

Interview Date: To Be Confirmed

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the role or interview process, please contact:

Jenny Shade - Principal Democratic Services Officer

jshade@thurrock.gov.uk or 01375 652031

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification, please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential, please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications.

About us

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council