Governance and Scrutiny Officer

at  West Oxfordshire District Council

SPECIAL CONDITIONS…

• Ability to travel
• BPSS Check
• This post designated as politically restricted in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Politically restricted post holders are restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or for a person who is, or seeks to be, a candidate for election to a local authority, the House of Commons, or the European Parliament.
  For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

ABOUT THE ROLE…

We are dedicated to ensuring transparency, accountability, and high standards of governance across our operations. We are seeking an experienced and knowledgeable Governance and Scrutiny Officer to join our team and play a pivotal role in enhancing our governance frameworks and scrutiny processes.
As the Governance and Scrutiny Officer, you will provide technical expertise, advice, and direction to both internal and external customers, helping them solve complex problems and manage risks. You will lead and manage sensitive, high-stakes projects and reviews, including community governance assessments, and will play a crucial role in supporting the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its task and finish groups.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Expert Guidance: Apply your expert knowledge to manage complex casework and projects, such as community governance reviews, ensuring that all work is handled with sensitivity and high-level expertise.
• Scrutiny Support: Lead the implementation of specialist technical support to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its task and finish groups. This includes managing scrutiny review projects, producing briefing notes, scoping documents, and evidence-based reports with recommendations to the Council’s Executive or other bodies.
• Promotion of Scrutiny and Governance: Advocate for effective scrutiny and good governance practices across the Council. You will manage committee work plans, engage with Council departments, and provide officer and member training and support in scrutiny and governance.
• Improvement Projects: Assist the Democratic Services Business Manager with implementing improvement projects and delivering service plans to enhance departmental efficiency and effectiveness.