Senior Policy Officer

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

About the role

We are seeking two Senior Policy Officers to act as key policy leads for the council, facilitating communication between the Strategy, Performance, and Sustainability service and the wider council. In these roles, you will collaborate with senior officers to develop and implement corporate policies and projects that support the council's strategic agenda, including high-profile initiatives such as devolution.

At Dorset Council, we believe that our success is driven by our workforce. When you join us, you are not just becoming part of an organisation; you are contributing to the future of our community. Here's what you can expect:

• be a vital part of an ambitious team focused on improving services for residents. Your contributions will help shape the strategic direction of the council and influence positive change in the community.
• we are committed to your growth. You will have access to training, mentorship, and opportunities to enhance your skills, ensuring you stay ahead in your career.
• join a diverse team of professionals who are passionate about their work. You will collaborate with experts across various disciplines, fostering a culture of innovation and teamwork.
• in our newly developed strategy service, you will have the opportunity to drive performance and policy initiatives that have a real impact on our operations and the services we provide.
• we understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. We offer flexible working arrangements to support your personal and professional needs.
• contribute to a long-term vision for Dorset that aims to establish the area as a leader both regionally and nationally. Your role will be crucial in achieving this.

Join us at Dorset Council, where your work will matter, your growth will be supported, and together we can make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Key Responsibilities:

• lead the development and implementation of corporate policies and systems aligned with the council's strategic priorities
• support good governance in partnership arrangements and assist in coordinating reviews and inspections related to policy development
• attend management meetings to provide business intelligence and performance reporting advice
• build strategic relationships with partner organizations to enhance policy development and service delivery
• identify opportunities for policy enhancement through horizon scanning and ensure compliance with relevant legislation
• degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field, with evidence of continuing professional development.
• significant experience in policy and strategy development, working with senior management teams
• proven track record in implementing change to improve operational effectiveness
• strong ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• excellent analytical skills with the capability to understand complex data quickly.
• proficient in MS Office, particularly Excel, with a high level of numeracy.

Further Information

For further information about the available roles please contact Rachel Anderson-Holson [email protected]

Dorset Council is ambitious. We want to provide the very best services to the residents of Dorset, while also ensuring that Dorset is positioned both regionally and nationally as a leader of place. We have been on a journey since becoming a unitary authority in 2019, and we are now seeking to continue this development through the creation of a stronger strategic core that can help drive the continued improvement, performance, strategy and place leadership that is increasingly important in the ever-changing world of local government.

As part of this commitment, we are developing a new strategy service that will be at the heart of our organisation, driving performance, risk management, accountability and strategic intent throughout the organisation. This service will derive insight from data, helping to improve decision-making and support the transformation work required to ensure that Dorset Council adapts to the changing world around it and continues to deliver the best possible services to the residents of Dorset.

We are looking for a range of roles, including corporate performance, technical analyst, senior policy officers and a head of strategy. These roles will fit within a wider service that has recently been refocused to drive greater strategic capacity and will be a pivotal service in delivering the priorities of the council.

This post requires you to have access to sensitive information. It will be subject to a Basic Criminal Records Check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders .

About Us

We're passionate about making Dorset a great place to live, work and visit. Working for us should be no exception.

At Dorset Council we:

• provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents
• have ambitious aspirations
• are excited about our future
• care about Dorset and all the people who live here
• know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success

You will:

• have access to a range of employee benefits
• be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression

We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. We have a commitment to equality and welcome applications from everyone.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role.

We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.

We also look for applicants who share our commitment to our behaviours . We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.

If appointed, the personal information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn .

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.

We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant.

Find out more about how to apply .