Elections Manager
Service: Administration and Legal Services
Grade scale: Grade 5 level 1
Reports to: Legal Services Manager
Purpose of the job
To lead the development and management of the Election team to meet all statutory and national performance targets.
To lead the development and management the archives and records management team to meet all statutory and national performance targets.
Key tasks and responsibilities
To lead in the preparation and delivery of Elections and Referenda.
To lead the preparation of the council’s responses to National Guidance and Legislative Changes.
To promote democracy and address accessibility.
To manage the monitoring and delivery of income against budgetary targets.
To manage the preparation of the council’s responses to Boundary Review Consultations.
To manage the review of Polling Places/Districts.
Prepare and carry out training for all staff engaged to work at Electoral events.
To act as Depute Returning Officer, at the discretion of the Returning Officer, or deputise for the Returning Officer on occasion.
To lead in the delivery of the council’s duties as regards archives and records management, including the preparation and approval of the council’s and Licensing Board’s records management plans.
Person specification
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Criteria |
Essential |
Desirable |
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Education, qualification and training |
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Hold qualification/membership of the Association Electoral Administrators |
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Skills, knowledge and experience |
Experience in leading a team Experience of electoral events and the skills to successfully plan and deliver elections Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, with the ability to create clear documents, manage data, and communicate effectively. Extensive knowledge of the law, guidance and practice relating to Electoral events Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks Demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present ideas clearly |
Experience of archives, records management and information governance and the associated regulatory framework |
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Personal qualities |
Highly motivated with a positive and proactive approach to work Ability to prioritise workload, deliver results against agreed timescales and achieve deadlines Inclusive and supportive team player Ability to work under own initiative but also as part of a team |
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Other |
To demonstrate behaviours consistent with honesty and openness: treating people consistently, fairly and with respect To work in a flexible, adaptable manner and to always act with discretion and tact |
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Safer recruitment checks
As part of our approach to good practice and safer recruitment we carry out a number of pre-employment checks
- Asylum and Immigration right to work in the UK.
- Reference check: external candidates require 2 references, one of which must be from present or most recent employer; Internal candidates require 1 reference from current line manager.
- Candidate Disclosure Scotland check, where applicable.
Behaviour framework
The council’s behaviour framework is a set of core behaviours that defines how employees approach work to enable the delivery of key tasks for the role. The expected behaviours for this role are:
Efficient
- Drives service improvement and innovation by communicating vision and a sense of purpose across area of responsibility.
- Achieves efficiency savings taking account of council objectives and workforce planning requirements whilst improving outcomes for the communities of South Lanarkshire Council.
- Develop services which have a positive impact on the physical environment of South Lanarkshire Council ensuring sustainability of resources.
- Adopt a non-bureaucratic approach to service delivery and encourage others to seek simple solutions to achieve objectives.
- Adopt a project management approach when reviewing services and delivering change.
Flexible
- Plans for the variability of service demand and resource availability ensuring the system has the resilience and capacity to cope with uncertainty.
- Leads creative approaches in designing services and developing new ways of working which achieve efficiency and improvement.
- Views and presents change as an opportunity to modernise and ‘future proof’ services.
- Drives change by persuading and influencing others.
- Understands the impact on change on others and becomes a focal point of support and guidance in times of uncertainty.
- Takes responsibility for change and coaches other to do the same.
- Communicates facts to dispel rumours.
Performing
- Focus on strategic long-term outcomes, anticipate changes in working practices and effectively manage transitions.
- Works to achieve and vision of customer focus, improvement and excellence within the council, as well as with partners and other stakeholders.
- Gives teams defined structures and clear direction, enabling a strong sense of ownership and personal responsibility for the delivery of outcomes and objectives.
- Health, safety and wellbeing are at the heart of approach and ensure that these principles are understood in the application of your strategic responsibilities.
Working with others
- Spends time building relationships with partners.
- Facilitates elected member involvement and consults with representative groups when formulating strategies.
- Inspires a ‘one team’ culture.
- Builds networks, locally regionally and nationally to help provide support and expertise by shaping and driving forward agendas and addressing concerns.
- Role models inclusive leadership; respecting colleagues, partners and customers and treating people according to their needs.
- Engages with communities, internal and external partners ensuring the full range of views are taken into account.
- Understands the importance of communication, evaluates its effectiveness and takes steps to improve; leading and encouraging open communication at all levels in the organisation.
- Understand respectful challenge and makes own case whilst recognising the concerns of others.
Leading
- Visible and accessible to employees within your service/area of responsibility.
- Role model for inspirational leadership.
- Builds commitment and engagement to improve team cohesion and outputs.
- Demonstrates sensitivity and good judgement in decision making and relationships.
- Is able to take difficult decisions in complex and challenging situations for the best interests of the service and the council.
- Evaluates resources, options and consequences in decision making.
- Communicates positive messages about the organisation, acting in its best interests and being an ambassador for South Lanarkshire Council.
- Understands the power and authority that comes with the senior manager role and adapts behaviour to ensure interactions with others are positive and empowering.
- Coaches and mentors’ others and has continuous learning and development as a key priority for the service.