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- Work for a local council, implementing their policies and delivering public services
- Opportunities to work in a range of specialist areas like housing, care, leisure and waste management
- Good opportunities to progress into management and other senior local government roles
As a local government officer, you'll implement council policies and deliver local services.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
Depending on your level of responsibility, your day-to-day duties may include:
- Managing and evaluating projects
- Writing reports and briefing papers
- Dealing with enquiries and giving advice
- Presenting information at meetings
- Supervising administrative work and managing clerical staff
- Keeping records
- Preparing and managing contracts
- Dealing with other agencies
- Managing budgets and funding
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll work in an office.
You'll need
For this role, you'll need customer service and administration skills, patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, to accept criticism, business management knowledge, good initiative, thoroughness and attention to detail, and the ability to work well with others.
There are no set requirements but some local authorities ask for at least 4 GCSEs or equivalent, knowledge of common office software packages, and customer service experience. For some roles you'll need a degree or specific qualifications like town planning, or public policy.
You may need to do a degree or a job-specific qualification in a subject like town planning, urban design or historic building conservation, for example for a conservation officer post.
You could also get into this job through a public service operational delivery officer advanced apprenticeship, or an advanced apprenticeship in business and administration.
You could start as an admin assistant and work your way up to more senior roles through training on the job.
Alternatively, you may be able to join a local authority's National Graduate Development Programme if you've got a first class or upper second class degree (most subjects are accepted). Or, you might be able to get this job through an internship.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress into management. You could also move into other public sector areas like the NHS or the voluntary sector.