About the team we are recruiting to

The Governance Services Team plays a key role in supporting the Council’s governance and decision-making processes. The team helps to make sure that formal decision-making is open and transparent and provides clear accountability for the use of resources in order to deliver the Council’s priorities. The team works with councillors, officers, partner organisations, communities and local people to ensure that decision-makers have all the information they need and that meetings run smoothly and in line with local government legislation and the council’s constitution. These include meetings of full Council, which sets the authority’s budget and policy framework, Planning Committee which makes decisions on applications from large scale developments to smaller projects and the Audit and Scrutiny committees which review the Council’s work and holds decision-makers to account. The Team also runs the School Appeals service for the Council and some academy schools.  This involves working with parents, panel members, schools and the Council’s Admissions Team to ensure that admission appeals and exclusion reviews are undertaken in a professional and inclusive manner and within the relevant legislative framework.

What is the job role?

We are looking for someone to join the Governance Team to provide high quality legal and administrative support for school appeals hearings and council meetings. You will be working in a Team of 11 people.

Key areas of work will include:

1. Undertake a range of administrative tasks to support the work of the team, complying with various legislation and legal timescales, to include arranging meetings, preparing documents for meetings and hearings, and data inputting.
2. Assist with answering telephone calls within the service and, when unable to provide a response to queries, take accurate telephone messages and ensure that they are passed on to the relevant person within the service in a timely manner
3. Undertake word processing of documents e.g. letters, memos and completion of standard forms and templates, and ensuring they are completed within specified legal timescales
4. Maintain computerised and manual filing systems
5. Input information on to databases to ensure that information is kept up to date
6. Attend training courses and develop knowledge and skills
7. Meet visitors and provide hospitality as necessary, including providing assistance at meetings and school appeal hearings when members of the public are expected to attend
8. To fulfil the requirements to achieve Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship Standard.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone who:

• Has an interest in local democracy and how the Council makes its decision
• Is an enthusiastic team player with the ability to work under pressure in a challenging, but interesting environment
• Is passionate about learning about the service and role to enable them to fulfil their potential.
• Is able to use their initiative to identify problems and propose solutions.
• Has excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively communicate with a range of people e.g. team members, parents, schools, elected Members
• Is highly organised, able to manage their time effectively.
• Has excellent IT skills

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Pre-interview and assessment date: 22nd April 2021

Interview date(s): 29th April 2021

About Coventry

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be!
There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and is the UK City of Culture 2021 ! We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons. You can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city as we build towards this momentous year. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.
We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.
As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.
Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too! For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks 

For full details on the application process please read the attached document labelled Coventry CC Application process.

Coventry City Council