Job Description
Democratic Services Manager
Rutland County Council
£44,075 - £47,151
East Midlands
Permanent
Overview of the Democratic Services Manager
Sellick Partnership is delighted to be working with Rutland County Council to recruit their Democratic Services Manager. This role will lead the Democratic Services team and ensure the effective operation of the Council's democratic governance arrangements. The postholder will deliver high-quality decision-making support, provide professional advice to elected members and officers, and ensure that all governance processes comply with statutory requirements and best practice.
Key responsibilities of the Democratic Services Manager
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* Lead the coordination and delivery of all formal Council, Cabinet, Committee and Panel meetings, ensuring agendas, reports and minutes are produced and published in accordance with statutory deadlines.
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* Maintain and develop the Council's Constitution and governance framework, ensuring documents are legally compliant, up to date, and accessible.
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* Interpret complex legislation, statutory guidance and constitutional rules, providing expert advice to officers and members, and identifying compliant solutions to governance issues.
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* Manage, develop and performance‑review the Democratic Services team, providing clear direction and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
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* Represent the service at internal and external meetings, working groups, and regional networks.
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* Line management: Democratic Services Officer, Scrutiny Officer and Civic Officer.
General duties of the Democratic Services Manager
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* Present to a wide range of audiences, including Panels, Working Groups and Committees, on complex matters. This will involve interpreting legislative requirements, providing practical guidance on how these will operate in practice, and responding to questions and challenges during presentations.
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* Provide professional support, training, and induction to elected members, ensuring they are fully equipped to fulfil their roles.
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* Manage statutory functions such as petition handling, Independent Remuneration Panel administration, and community governance reviews.
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* Oversee the provision of procedural and administrative support to all democratic bodies, advisory groups, and other governance forums.
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* Promote high standards of governance and ethical behaviour across the Council.
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* Champion best practice in democratic services and governance to achieve strong outcomes for the Council.
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* Budget responsibility: Assigned service budget of £0.
Qualifications/experience of the Democratic Services Manager:
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* Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
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* Evidence of continuing professional development in governance, public administration, or related field.
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* Significant experience in democratic services or local authority governance.
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* Strong understanding of legislation affecting local government decision‑making.
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* Ability to interpret legislation and provide clear procedural advice.
Benefits of the Democratic Services Manager role
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* Minimum 27 days annual leave (pro rata), plus paid bank holidays. An extra 5 days after 5 years continuous local government service.
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* Career breaks and extended periods of leave to support you.
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* Free Parking
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* Payment of professional body membership fees if this is a requirement of your role.
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* Easy access to learning, coaching and mentoring, and secondment opportunities.
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* Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
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* Flexible working policies to enable you to balance work and home commitments.
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* Competitive salary in line with nationally agreed pay scales and a defined benefits pension scheme.
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* 24/7 advice, support and counselling for you and your immediate family via our employee assistance programme.
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* Cycle to work scheme through the salary sacrifice offering a great deal.
How to apply for the Democratic Services Manager
If you feel you have the right experience and would like to apply, please submit your application now. For a confidential discussion about the role or working at Rutland County Council contact Sara Robinson at Sellick Partnership. Closing date: 11:59pm on Monday 30 March 2026.
Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.