Durham County Council
Overview and Scrutiny Officer
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Overview and Scrutiny Officer
We're looking for an Overview and Scrutiny Officer to join our team and play a key role in supporting elected members to review, challenge and influence policies, services and decisions that affect communities across County Durham.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This is a varied and rewarding role at the heart of local democracy. You'll work closely with councillors, senior officers, partner organisations and local communities, helping to ensure that scrutiny activity leads to better outcomes for residents.
You'll support the work of Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Police and Crime Panel by managing reviews, coordinating investigations, gathering and analysing evidence, and preparing high-quality reports that inform decision-making and service improvement.
No two days are the same. One day you could be researching national policy developments, the next facilitating engagement with local communities, presenting findings to members, or working with partners to shape future work programmes.
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WHAT IS INVOLVED?
In this role you will:
- Manage and support in-depth scrutiny reviews, working groups and task and finish groups.
- Research and analyse complex information, performance data and budget information.
- Produce clear, evidence-based reports, briefings and recommendations.
- Support elected members to effectively scrutinise policies, services and performance.
- Build positive relationships with council services, partner organisations and community stakeholders.
- Facilitate public engagement to ensure local voices help shape policy development and service improvement.
- Support the work of the Police and Crime Panel and contributing to regional scrutiny activity.
- Promote innovation, best practice and continuous improvement within the Overview and Scrutiny function.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
We're seeking a motivated and politically aware individual who can balance competing priorities while maintaining excellent attention to detail.
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You'll need:
- Strong research, analytical and report-writing skills.
- The ability to interpret complex information and present it clearly to a range of audiences.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience of working collaboratively with senior leaders, elected members or partner organisations.
Please refer to the attached person specification for the full criteria
APPLICATION
This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference by influencing how services are delivered and improved across County Durham. You'll join a supportive team, work on issues that matter to local people, and contribute directly to shaping the future of the county.
If you're passionate about evidence-based decision making, public service improvement and helping communities have a voice, we'd love to hear from you.
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