Assistant Director - Legal, Democracy and Monitoring Officer

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Basildon Council to recruit for the role of Assistant Director, Legal and Democracy and Monitoring Officer. Job Purpose The role involves providing strategic leadership and management of the Council's Legal and Democratic Services, encompassing Legal, and Committee Services, Electoral Services, and Information Governance. Key responsibilities include ensuring the Council's lawful operation and offering high-quality legal advice on relevant matters to council members and officers. As a member of the Corporate Leadership Team, this role works closely with the Chief Executive and s151 Officer to enhance governance and address any legal, procedural, or constitutional issues. Additionally, it emphasizes driving effective cross-Council collaboration to achieve corporate priorities, exemplifying clear communication and adherence to governance standards. This role also requires visible office leadership at least two days a week, support for senior council members across various groups and committees and serving as the Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) to manage information risks effectively. As the Council's Monitoring Officer, you will be responsible for matters relating to conduct, be responsible for the Councils Constitution and ensure we fulfil all our statutory obligations.

You will have a strong background and experience of local authority decision-making and committee processes along with experience of elections You will be an effective communicator who is confident, analytical and solution focussed with the ability to build and maintain trust and relationships with both members and Senior Officers.

Why choose Basildon Council? The UK Government created Basildon as one of the first generation of post-war New Towns in 1949. The ambition was that, "Basildon will become a city which people from all over the world will want to visit." Fast forward to today and Basildon is the largest economy in Essex and an established centre of excellence for engineering and manufacturing. Basildon boasts some of the most advanced technical facilities in the UK and is home to a number of innovative companies, large and small as well as a population of more than 180,000. Basildon have three corporate plan ambitions, the strategic themes for their work and are defined as follows: People - We want Basildon to be home to healthy and active local communities able to support themselves and each other. Place - We want Basildon to offer a high quality of life for all residents through attractive, liveable, accessible and safe neighbourhoods and towns along with the provision of enduring facilities, green spaces and town centres that meet the needs of the community. Prosperity - We want Basildon to have a thriving, dynamic and diverse economy where all our communities benefit from increased opportunity and our workforce has the right skills for our local economy and beyond. Note: ECC are advertising this role on behalf of Basildon Council. Basildon Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults, and expects all employees, contractors and volunteers to share its commitment to prevent abuse, harm or exploitation. The Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. If you are successful you will need to undergo a Pre-employment Vetting Procedure.

• Hybrid working
• Fully flexible working options
• Local government pension
• Funded training opportunities
• Employee discount programme
• Top specification ICT equipment