Project and Change Officer

• Based at County Hall, Taunton. Flexible / Hybrid working by agreement
• 30 days’ annual leave
• This pivotal role will work as part of our new Transformation Management Office to co-ordinate our change projects and transformation initiatives, manage change, oversee governance and help maintain direction towards our overall transformation and financial sustainability goals.
• Our aim is to become a leader in the field of Transformation and drive Somerset Council towards operational excellence, efficiency and a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Somerset Council is on a mission to redefine how local government works – driven by data, powered by digital, and designed around people.

We are seeking a confident and dynamic project and change practitioner to help plan, coordinate and assure the delivery of our transformation portfolio, promoting the highest standards of accountability, transparency and continuous improvement across the Council.

Working within our Transformation Management Office as part of our assurance, Performance and Risk team your day-to-day work will involve:

• Maintaining an overview of projects and programmes, including how these align to our organisational strategy and outcomes and contribute towards financial sustainability.
• Coordinating the collation of project and programme performance data and insight, ensuring this is used to inform strategic programme planning, prioritisation and decision making.
• Developing, implementing and improving project tools and templates and streamlined processes that support a proportionate approach to assurance.
• Supporting interventions to proactively address programme issues or to mitigate risks.
• Facilitating and supporting stakeholder engagement, management and communications.
• Supporting the establishment and management of appropriate governance arrangements.

This is an important role that will help us ensure we are working as effectively as possible to progress the delivery of high-quality, innovative services to the people and communities of Somerset, while also delivering efficiency savings for the organisation. You will work closely with teams across the council and have the opportunity to shape, evolve and improve our assurance approaches.

Why Work at Somerset Council?

At Somerset Council, we are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of our residents. We offer a supportive and inclusive work environment where you can thrive and grow. Our team is dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, and we value the contributions of every employee. Join us and be part of a forward-thinking organisation that is dedicated to excellence and making a real impact.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you have:

• Experience in managing and delivering projects and coordinating change activities to deliver improved outcomes.
• Experience in analysing and evaluating key project documentation, such as business cases and project plans.
• Knowledge and understanding of project and change management methodologies and tools and how to apply these proportionately in different environments or scenarios.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and management, with the ability to foster strong working relationships.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.
• A passion for learning and continuous improvement to help the organisation challenge itself to rethink the way we’ve always done things.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring that we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

The salary for this role is £31,586 - £35,235 per annum for 37 hours per week.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Sarah Hawkins, Head of Assurance, Performance & Risk, sarah.hawkins@somerset.gov.uk, 07828258506 or Andrew Mardon, Project & Change Manager, Andrew.Mardon@somerset.gov.uk

Interviews will take place in early June.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.