Jo Goffee, committee administration officer at Norfolk County Council.

Committee administrator in local government

Norfolk County Council is the local authority for Norfolk. It provides a wide range of services for people who live, work, do business in or visit the county. Services include education, social services, highway maintenance, waste disposal, libraries, museums, fire and rescue, economic development and trading standards.

What does the job entail?
Local government officers are the staff who carry out the work of the council on behalf of the councillors. Committee administration is just one of the jobs in local government and can be quite specialised. A committee administrator manages the process of organising meetings, including raising agendas, writing and circulating minutes and ensuring that instructions given in meetings are carried out.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
Excellent listening, interpretive, writing and IT skills are essential as you will need to be able to record debates and decisions accurately. You will need good communication and organisational skills and the confidence to work with people at all levels. Accuracy and an eye for detail are also essential as you will be required to give constitutional and procedural advice to ensure that decisions are made legally. This is often more the case in local government and working for charitable organisations than in the private sector. There are courses available, run by the Society of Local Council Clerks in conjunction with the Local Government Association, which you can often undertake once in the post to enhance your skills and knowledge.

What type of person will fit in?
Anyone who has the skills and qualifications described above and who is comfortable working within a continually changing environment.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
Committee administrators get to know a lot about issues affecting their local area which can be quite interesting. They also get to meet a wide variety of people with a wide variety of views about those issues. Managing difficult situations in a public arena can be challenging, particularly at times when sensitive or contentious issues are being debated.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
Departmental structures within local authorities usually offer limited scope for direct promotion, but skills and experience gained as a committee administrator are equally valuable for jobs in many other public and private sector organisations.

What can I expect to earn?
Between £19,000 and £24,000, although salaries tend to differ between local authorities.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
There are numerous routes into this type of job. Being able to demonstrate
the skills and qualifications described above are the key. Look out for recruitment adverts in the local and national press. Some local and district authorities are also happy to offer short work experience placements for young people. There are some association newsletters which carry details of vacancies at councils, such as the Norfolk Association of Parish and Town Councils newsletter or The Clerk, which would also advertise at parish or
district level.