Electoral Services Assistant

Key Tasks Operational Responsibilities:

• Update and maintain properties and electors on the Electoral Register database accurately and promptly.
• Utilise knowledge of electoral registration law to process individual electoral registration applications in accordance with strict deadlines considering statutory information required to constitute a complete application and entitlement to register (age, nationality, leave to remain).
• Ability to undertake local data matching, request evidence and handle sensitive information including National Insurance numbers, passport information and driving licence details to progress applications that could not be verified by the Department of Work and Pensions through the statutory exceptions process.
• Accurate scanning and processing of various electoral forms, particularly Household Enquiry Forms and Invitation to Register forms, Change of Name forms, Query forms, Evidence Requests, Postal Vote applications, Proxy Vote applications and Postal Proxy forms.
• Undertake regular data mining against the Council Tax database to locate potential electors and encourage them to register to enhance the accuracy and completeness of the Register of Electors.
• Use understanding of Electoral software systems to accurately and efficiently input, maintain and retrieve data records.
• Utilise knowledge of electoral software system to produce the Register of Electors and monthly updates, altering the data as required and distributing them to a variety of recipients in the format requested.
• Assist in conducting the Annual Canvass of all households in accordance with statutory regulations.
• Undertake year-round doorstep canvassing of individuals who have not responded to invitations to register.
• Assisting with the recruitment of staff during Elections and the Annual Canvass, including collating payment details and ensuring compliance with entitlement to work under the Asylum and Immigration Act.
• Assisting with the booking of venues to hold Elections and subsequent payments.
• To undertake any other duties as may be allocated by the Assistant Director for Democracy, Elections and Information Governance.
• To liaise with members of the public, Councillors and officers of the council.
• Communicate effectively with the public, political agents, Councillors and MPs especially during the Election and Canvass period, which may include face to face, telephone, e-mail or letter.
• To respond to correspondence and enquiries relating to various aspects of the Service.
• To assist in the delivery of a high-quality electoral registration service.
• Promote the Authority's here to help ethos relating to core values and codes of behaviour.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

This form summarises the purpose of the job and lists its key tasks. It may be varied from time to time at the discretion of the Authority, in consultation with the postholder.

• Personal effectiveness
• Proactive
• Managing relationships
• Communication
• Customer focus
• Commercial focus

Key Criteria Qualifications and Experience:

• Good standard of English and Maths
• Experience of Microsoft software applications
• High level of IT literacy and communication skills
• Ability to plan and organise workload to meet Service area’s priorities
• Excellent customer services skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• Ability to work accurately and efficiently
• Knowledge of the District of East Hertfordshire