Job title: Electoral Services Officer - Maternity Leave Cover
Salary: C1 (£28,598 - £31,022)
Hours: 37
Contract: Temporary (maternity leave cover – 12 months)
Location: Leeds Civic Hall and some flexibility around homeworking.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join our Electoral Services Team. The team is responsible for the registration of electors and conduct of local and national elections. We are ‘can do’ in nature and enjoy the challenge of our statutory responsibilities, which we undertake on behalf of the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer, Ed Whiting OBE.
As an Electoral Service Officer, you will play a key role in delivering open and transparent elections, including the recruitment of casual staff to work in polling stations and counting of the votes, and preparing stationery and equipment for polling day. You will also assist with other duties relating to electoral registration such as processing applications to register to vote and to vote by post.
Working to statutory deadlines, the successful candidates must be able to understand and follow relevant rules, guidance and legislation and work accurately with attention to fine detail.
You will work alongside an experienced team and receive training to assist with personal development and to broaden your electoral knowledge. Your outstanding IT skills and knowledge will assist you in developing a detailed understanding of specialist electoral services management systems, which you will use extensively.
You will be working in a demanding environment during busy periods, managing enquiries from citizens, elected members and other stakeholders. You must therefore be confident and capable in communicating both verbally and in writing, and use tact, diplomacy and political neutrality.
It is a condition of these posts that you will be required to work extended and unsociable hours including evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays during busy periods.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
- a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
- a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
- a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Susanna Benton on 0113 3784771 or susanna.benton@leeds.gov.uk
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose: Provide administrative support to the Electoral Services Management Team in relation to the duties outlined below.
Responsibilities:
- Deal with customer enquiries including those from members of the public, Council Members, Members of Parliament, senior officers in other services, other Councils and government offices.
- Undertake general administrative duties including data inputting, general correspondence, scanning documents, dealing with incoming and outgoing post, answering queries at a reception or by telephone or email, contributing to briefing notes and taking minutes.
- Assist in the provision of a professional administrative support service to the Head of Electoral Services and Principal Electoral Services Officer.
- Assist with the determination and processing of applications to register to vote in accordance with regulations. including fetching applications from the IERDS server, determining whether an elector is eligible, ensuring the application is not a duplicate and requesting supplementary evidence where appropriate.
- Assist with the processing of all other registration applications such as applications to vote by absent vote and special category elector applications.
- Assist with the recruitment, appointment, management and payment of Electoral Registration Visiting Officers during the annual canvass period.
- Assist as necessary with the production and distribution of electoral registers including monthly updates, revised registers and marked copies of the register.
- Assist with the preparation and maintenance of various data regarding absent voters, overseas electors and service voters and highlight any irregularities and potential electoral fraud.
- Assist and contribute to election and electoral registration campaigns.
- Assist with preparation and delivery of elections and registration as required.
- Assist with the processing of absent voting applications and maintenance of the absent voters list.
- Assist with the validation of applications for a Voter Authority Certificate (Voter ID).
- Visit households throughout the city to obtain information required by the Electoral Registration Officer in accordance with regulations.
- Process sensitive and secure data, such as National Insurance Numbers and Personal Identification documents in accordance with the requirements of GDPR.
- Produce statutory documents to electors who have made a registration application or whose entry on the register requires a review.
- Undertake the recruitment, appointment and payment of election staff, including arranging and participating in the training of staff.
- Undertake the booking and payment of premises to be used for polling day, postal vote opening and the verification and counting of the votes including putting in place any special arrangements for such premises e.g. security, portable toilets, fencing, ramping etc.
- Undertake the preparation of ballot boxes and all associated polling station stationery, postal vote opening stationery and verification/count stationery and the sortation of post-election documents including the packeting of documents such as used ballot papers in accordance with regulations.
- Liaise and assist election candidates and election agents with their candidature, provide information and advice and receive and prepare and process statutory documents.
- Production of Temporary Voter Authority Certificates to serve as voter ID documents for electors voting in a polling station.
- Inspect and determine the validity of documents to prove the identity of an elector.
- Take photographs of electors at in person appointments and assist them in the completion of applications relating to electoral registration.
- Ensure the prompt payment of invoices to suppliers of goods and services and maintain records of payments.
- Ensure employment policies and procedures relating to managing staff are undertaken including Improving attendance, Improving performance and grievance and disciplinary procedures.
- Provide advice and guidance to council staff and those people covering elections on complex issues.
- Work with Council officers, MPs, Members of the Council, Parish/Town Councils, external Solicitors, and other professionals, members of the public, Central Government Departments, other public bodies, agencies and external organisations.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications
Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) Certificate or Foundation Course is desirable
Essential requirements: Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
- Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people including sensitive and complex information
- Able to prioritise own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines
- Able to produce and present routine reports and data
- Able to accurately enter/retrieve data information from information systems
- Able to display a responsible and co-operative attitude to working towards the achievement of the service’s aims and objectives
- Knowledge of general office procedures and practice
- Knowledge of relevant financial regulations to carry out financial transactions
- Experience of dealing with more complex queries from a wide range of people
- Experience of working in partnership with others to deliver work to set deadlines
- Experience of providing customer focussed services
- Experience of supervising staff
- Experience of participating in teams and using own initiative
- Experience of the use of the Microsoft package
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
