JOB DESCRIPTION POST: SERVICE: SECTION: Performance Management Officer Audit and Governance Performance, Programme and Risk BAND: Band 5 REPORTS TO: RESPONSIBLE FOR: Performance, Programme and Risk Manager None All Council posts are subject to National Joint Council {NJC} conditions of service. The Council is committed to ensuring that its policies and procedures are consistent with Essex Safeguarding Children Board and Essex Safeguarding Vulnerable Adult Board guidance. This will help to minimise the risks to vulnerable groups, including children, and to ensure that the Council safeguards the health and well-being of its Service Users. Please note that the Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. MAIN PURPOSE This post reports direct to the Performance, Programme and Risk Manager and is responsible for the development, administration and maintenance of the Council s performance management system, Covalent, and providing support for the Council s Performance Management Framework and its development. GENERAL INFORMATION The service has the responsibility for developing and supporting delivery of the performance management framework for the Council including providing support to establish and update performance metrics across all Council Services that track performance against the Council s priorities and objectives. The service also produces various management reports and provides assurance on performance management. The duties involve considerable contact with other Council departments up to and including Commissioning Directors, Members, representatives of external organisations and with other external bodies requiring professional expertise and advice. The post holder will at times experience time pressures and will be required to obtain cooperation from service managers in this regard. DUTIES 1. Embed/integrate performance management principles within the Council including; strategic and service planning, operational service delivery, project and programme management and partnerships. 2. Develop, review and maintain the corporate performance management framework and publish details on the Performance Management Intranet Homepage. Add, analyse and interpret performance and benchmarking information onto Council systems, and
actively drive improvements and support promotion and embedding of a performance management culture throughout all levels of the Council. 3. Develop and maintain the Council s Performance Management ICT System (Covalent), working with officers and suppliers to ensure that these continue to meet the needs of the Council and its partners and enhance the current performance management framework on Covalent. 4. Maintain familiarity with developments in performance management practice and develop and share best practice, and support the development of Service based performance champions. Actively promote good working relationships with staff in other departments to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of the Council s performance management framework. 5. Ensure all relevant information including service plans, strategies, performance indicators and actions are set up correctly on Covalent. Liaise with Service Managers to ensure such plans, strategies and indicators are reviewed and updated in a quality, timely manner. 6. Oversee the collation & recording of performance information and provide assurance that these are recorded appropriately within the Corporate System. Analyse performance information. 7. Produce regular performance reports for Corporate Management Team, Departmental Management Teams, Overview and Scrutiny committees and other audiences, as required and attend these meetings to provide advice and produce notes of agreed outcomes and actions. 8. Liaise with other Services such as Internal Audit, Human Resources, Financial Services and Customer Services to develop and ensure their contribution to the regular performance reports. 9. Develop, advise on the purchase, and administrate ICT facilities for the purpose or recording and reporting of Performance. 10. Develop integration of other council IT systems with Covalent as required. 11. Provide support to service managers regarding reports, queries and general updates to Covalent. 12. Develop and maintain the Covalent framework, with appropriate user feedback and software supplier liaison, to ensure that it meets corporate and user expectations around Governance and Performance Management, reporting and assurance. 13. Provide a Covalent Administrator and Helpdesk role for users. 14. Deliver performance management training to Officers through workshops, on a one to one basis and through the Council s e-learning system. 15. Prepare and deliver presentations at workshops, seminars and other meetings, to further an understanding of the basics of performance measures and management. 16. Work closely with key partners of the Council to ensure partnership and project performance is identified and managed appropriately.
17. Provide support to Service and project teams with advice, guidance and information on effective performance management via one to one support or other appropriate means of communications. 18. Assist the Risk Management Officer in the review, reporting and assurance of the Council s Governance Arrangements and compliance with the Local Code of Corporate Governance through the Council s performance management system. 19. Maintain an understanding of the Council s Risk Management framework and arrangements and project/programme Management framework in order to assist the team in the delivery of these services and support the wider team in undertaking other duties as appropriate to ensure the team fulfils its role. 20. Represent the Council at relevant external meetings including the Essex Policy and Performance Network, presenting and sharing Council performance benchmarking, where appropriate. 21. Carry out any other duties appropriate to the post: These other duties must be equivalent to or below the salary and status of the role and, where appropriate, under the Equality Act 2010, due consideration must be given to any employees with a protected characteristic. 22. Undertake all the duties within the framework of Equal Opportunities. 23. You must cooperate in all matters relating to Health and Safety and implement all procedures for your job role. The identification of Health and Safety related risks within the working environment must be highlighted to your management.
PERSON SPECIFICATION Position Title: Performance Management Date Prepared: June 2014 Officer Department: Audit & Governance Band: Band 5 AF= Application Form I= Interview T= Test Person Specification Essential Desirable Assessment 1 EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE 1.1. Three years experience in performance management or related areas such as risk or project management 1.2. Proven track record in team working /T 1.3. Experience of working in a climate of legislative and organisational change 1.4. Ability to identify and summarise complex information within tight timescales /T 1.5. Knowledge of Project Management methodologies and techniques 1.6. Experience of database management or system administration 2 PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOURS The postholder is expected to: I/T 2.1. act with integrity and honesty in relationships with Council and external parties; 2.2. offer appropriate, impartial advice and guidance in the best interests of the Council and external parties; 2.3. respect the confidentiality of client information; 2.4. claim expertise only in areas where skills and knowledge are demonstrably adequate; 2.5. be accurate in reporting and realistic in forecasting; 2.6. act with due skill, care and diligence. 3 SPECIAL ABILITIES/COMPETENCES 3.1 Motivated, self starter who can analyse data identifying appropriate courses of action. 3.2 Forward thinking, conscientious and responsive to management and customer demands. /T
3.3 Ability to communicate effectively, internally across the organisation, and externally, including ability to carry out presentations to varying audiences. /T 3.4 Aptitude for speedy, methodical & accurate work. 3.5 Aptitude for dealing professionally and courteously with Council officers, Partners and elected Members. 3.6 Aptitude for working under pressure to agreed timescales. 3.7 Proven organisational skills. /T 3.8 Good interpersonal skills with ability to obtain co-operation from persons of various disciplines at all levels of the organisation and an ability to influence a range of audiences. /T 4 EDUCATION AND TRAINING 4.1 Good level of education including Maths and English, GCSE s A-C or equivalent 4.2 ICT systems administration / applications management 4.3 Formal performance / project management qualification