Elections Assistant

You will assist with the planning, coordination and conduct of all elections and referenda held in the area.  In addition, you will carry out all processes required to maintain and publish the updated Electoral Register.

Annual leave will be restricted during certain times of the year such as before and during election and canvass periods. You will be required to work additional hours during busy periods, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme. 
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme via Tusker.
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Commsave- Free membership to Commsave Credit Union who provide a variety of savings accounts, loans, a monthly lottery draw and more!
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

What will you be doing?

You will assist in the organisation and delivery of local and national elections and referenda, ensuring every process is conducted smoothly and in compliance with the law.

You will be involved in the maintenance of the electoral register ensuring that the Council holds an accurate and complete electoral register that upholds the integrity of our democratic processes, this includes day to day processes and annual canvass.

About you

Experience of working in electoral services and administration in local government would be desirable. You should be interested in democracy and the electoral processes which underpins it.

You should have excellent communication skills both written and verbal to be able to effectively convey electoral requirements for both elections and registration. As the role often involves interaction with members of the public, prospective candidates and elected representatives and the ability to converse at ease and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential to the post.

You will need to be confident in using IT and various software packages and be willing to embrace new ways of working. You will often be under pressure and working to strict deadlines. In addition to using the Microsoft Office suite of applications, you will be trained in the use of specialist software.

Good organisational skills are essential, as is a commitment to on-going personal development and training.

You need to be politically sensitive, tactful and diplomatic, and above all, you will need the drive and commitment to contribute to this service and its development.

The post holder must be flexible and prepared to work additional hours, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays leading up to elections and during peak canvass periods.

Please ensure you provide details on how you meet the essential criteria in your personal statement. 

About us

 

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU  

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

 

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.