Improvement Officer Democratic Services / Swyddog Gwella Gwasanaethau Democrataidd

Job Description

Improvement Officer (Democratic Services)Closing Date: Tuesday 31st August 2021 (12:00pm)Politically Restricted: YesWelsh Language essential: No. The ability to speak and write fluently is desirable for this role.About the RoleWe are recruiting two excitingroles to our expanding improvement team within the Welsh Local Government Association. The team is delivering and coordinating a new programme of sector-led support to local government.This is a key role within the improvement team, providing a key interfacebetween the WLGA and elected members across the 22 local authorities as well as fire and rescue and national park authorities. You will work with Heads of Democratic Services and other authority colleagues in developing, coordinating and commissioning a programmeof member and leadership development and support, ensuring that newly elected members at the 2022 local elections have access to a comprehensive programme of induction and support and that members continue to receive development and support throughout theirterms of office.You will be adaptive, innovative and responsive and sensitive to the challenges and political environment in which local authorities operate.You will be expected to be flexible and play a wider role in the Improvement Team, supporting peerchallenge and new panel performance assessments. You will need to be confident and politically aware, being able to guide and work with senior members and officers as part of peer teams and panel assessment teams within authorities.The WLGA Improvement Teamincludes the Head of Improvement Programme, four Improvement Officers and a Senior Programme Support Officer. The Team works closely with the Chief Digital Officer for local government, Data Cymru and the Local Government Association.The WLGA improvement teamis funded through a Welsh Government grant for 2021-22. The Welsh Government has given indicative commitment to a three year programme of improvement grant funding to the WLGA from 2021-24, however, the grant is awarded on annual basis subject to submissionand approval of an annual business plan. This post is therefore advertised on a fixed term basis, however, it may be extended or made permanent should Welsh Government commit to longer-term grant funding or should core improvement funding be provided to theWLGA through an RSG top-slice agreed via member authorities.WLGA Improvement ProgrammeThe Welsh Government has agreed to provide the WLGA with an annual grant of £800,000 to support sector-led improvement. The Welsh Government has a clear expectation thatthe 2021-22 grant will be used to support councils in the implementation of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. In addition, the Welsh Government provides WLGA with separately managed annual grants of £200,000 to support councils decarbonisationactivities and £500,000 to support digital leadership and transformation through the Chief Digital Officer and Delivery Unit.The WLGAs approach to sector-led improvement has been endorsed by leaders and chief executives. Sector-led support is predicated onthe concept of mutual aid, with political and professional colleagues within the sector providing capacity, support and constructive challenge to address improvement challenges or to support innovation and transformation. The benefits of peer challenge andsupport are twofold: an authority benefits from receiving expert and experienced peer perspectives in tackling a specific issue or undertaking an assessment/challenge process; and the participating peers are experience other organisations approaches, culturesand solutions and brings back new organisational, personal or professional insights and learning.The Welsh Government has a clear expectation that the 2021-22 grant will be used to support councils in the implementation of the Local Government and Elections(Wales) Act 2021. The improvement programme during 2021-22 will focus on corporate governance and capability, though there are ongoing discussions with Welsh Government departments about service specific support, for example in education and social services.Theimprovement grant provides directly delivered support through the WLGA and Data Cymru and commissioned support through external deliverers or partners around four core themes, a universal offer available to all councils - focused on building strong corporatecapacity and capability with councils under four interdependent priorities:COVID19 Pandemic Recovery;Local Democracy and Member Development;Corporate Governance and Performance; andCorporate Capability. The WLGA also provides proactive and reactive supportfor those councils who need more intensive and dedicated support to help them improve aspects of their business. The WLGAs improvement activities will be delivered through services provided by Data Cymru and an expanded improvement team of 6 members of staff,reporting to the Head of Policy (Improvement and Governance), including two existing Policy and Improvement Officer roles and four new posts of: Head of the Improvement Programme; two Improvement Officers; and a Peer and Senior Programme Support Officer.SwyddogGwella (Gwasanaethau Democrataidd)Dyddiad Cau: Dydd Mawrth 31 Awst 2021 (12:00pm)Swydd dan gyfyngiadau gwleidyddol: YdiCymraeg yn hanfodol: Nac ydi. Maer gallu i ysgrifennu a siarad Cymraeg yn rhugl yn ddymunol.Ynglyn r SwyddRydym yn recriwtio i ddwy swyddyn ein tm gwelliant o fewn Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru. Maer tm yn cyflawni a chydlynu rhaglen newydd o gefnogaeth dan arweiniad y sector i lywodraeth leol.Mae hon yn rl allweddol o fewn y tm gwelliant, syn creu cyswllt allweddol rhwng CLlLC araelodau etholedig yn y 22 o awdurdodau lleol yn ogystal r awdurdodau tn ac achub ac awdurdodaur parciau cenedlaethol. Byddwch yn gweithio gyda Phenaethiaid Gwasanaethau Democrataidd a chydweithwyr eraill yn yr awdurdodau lleol i ddatblygu, cydlynu a chomisiynurhaglen datblygu a chefnogi aelodau ac arweinyddiaeth, gan sicrhau bod aelodau newydd eu hethol yn etholiadau lleol 2022 yn gallu cael gafael ar raglen gynhwysfawr o gyflwyniadau a chymorth a bod yr aelodaun parhau i ddatblygu a derbyn cefnogaeth trwy gydoleu cyfnodau fel aelodau.Byddwch yn gallu addasu, yn arloesol ac ymatebol a sensitif ir heriau ar amgylchedd wleidyddol mae awdurdodau lleol yn gweithredu ynddo.Bydd disgwyl i chi fod yn hyblyg a chwarae rl ehangach yn y Tm Gwella, gan gefnogi herio gangymheiriaid ac asesiadau perfformiad panel newydd. Bydd angen i chi fod yn hyderus ac yn wleidyddol ymwybodol, gan allu tywys a gweithio gydag uwch aelodau a swyddogion fel rhan o dimau cymheiriaid a thimau asesiadau panel awdurdodau lleol.Mae Tm Gwella CLlLCyn cynnwys Pennaeth y Rhaglen Wella, pedwar Swyddog Gwella ac Uwch Swyddog Cynorthwyor Rhaglen. Maer tm yn gweithion agos gydar Prif Swyddog Digidol ar gyfer llywodraeth leol, Data Cymru ar Gymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol.Mae tm gwella CLlLC yn cael ei