Job info	Job info details
Job title	Web and Digital Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Policy, Performance and Community Engagement
Business unit	Web and Digital Team
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Creative Design Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Creative Design Manager
Salary grade	H
JE ref	CORP018

1. Key purpose of job

• To lead and take responsibility for the creation, review and improvement of content on all websites.
• Use evidence to identify and fulfil user needs across all digital channels. 
• Use the corporate content and design guidelines to achieve the best possible digital user experience. 
• Provide guidance on and enforce accessibility standards, corporate content and design guidelines to achieve the best possible digital user experience. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• User focused, customer friendly and accessible websites and digital content. 
• Web content meets corporate and Government Digital Service (GDS) standards. 
• Content is formatted to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (AA as a minimum).
• Use analytics to ensure all content is created and is working effectively.
• Contribute to content strategies and policies which cover corporate and service specific objectives for digital services using specialist knowledge and experience.
• All improvement projects with a digital presence will meet legislative and corporate standards through the provision of specialist advice and knowledge.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To lead, plan, co-ordinate and prioritise work for our websites and digital channels.
• Regularly deal with competing priorities and work to tight deadlines referring to Team Manager only when issues are complex or contentious. Problems need to be resolved quickly and workload priorities will need to be changed at short notice.
• Overall responsibility for making the content of the authorities digital presence understandable and accessible to all in line with legislative and corporate standards.
• Work creatively to convey complex information provided by services accurately and clearly using plain English and in a way that users understand.
• Use search engine optimisation (SEO), user experience (UX) best practices, content design principles and website architecture standards to provide excellent digital content.
• Be the subject matter expert for the authority on user needs, content design, content standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
• Use an iterative and flexible approach to respond quickly to service needs and legislative changes.
• Assist the Team Manager to ensure continuous improvement of our digital services.
• Undertake or advise on the conversion/optimisation of content in line with accessibility standards and best practice including documents and images.
• Monitor customer feedback via feedback forms and email and take appropriate action.
• To prioritise areas for improvement based on corporate or service objectives identified by transformation projects or legislative changes (e.g., accessibility).
• Responsible for providing direction to our web developers for improvements and developments to our websites in terms of structure, design.
• Conduct benchmarking with other local authorities where appropriate and identify best practice opportunities for content delivery.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• The role has no formal line management but will advise and oversee the work of internal colleagues to ensure it meets the required standards.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External:

• Partner agencies.
• Software suppliers.
• External agencies and departments.
• Members of the public - user feedback via email or online forms. 
• Devon Audit Partnership to provide assistance and advice when auditing corporate systems.
• Other local authorities. 

Internal:

• Managers and officers at all levels within the organisation.
• Project Teams.
• Senior Management.
• IT Services colleagues to request developments, maximise system availability, technical advice and resolve problems.
• Occasional contact from members. 

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Web and Digital Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Policy, Performance and Community Engagement
Business unit	Web and Digital Team

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Managing conflicting priorities and changes at short notice. 
• Conveying complex and/or technical information accurately and concisely using clear language. 
• Attention to detail demonstrating exceptional editing and proofreading skills. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Excellent negotiation skills with the ability to challenge, persuade and influence to achieve outstanding digital services. 
• Providing leadership and constructive support to colleagues working on departmental projects. 
• Managing relationships with senior project stakeholders and colleagues at all levels. 
• Working on own initiative with effective time management skills. 
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to deal with competing priorities and work to tight deadlines without supervision. 
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of UX principles to optimise digital experiences for users.
• Extensive working knowledge of content design and GDS design principles. 
• Extensive knowledge of WCAG standards and best practice. 
• Knowledge of web content management systems, preferably Umbraco.
• Working knowledge of website analytics and its use in understanding user behaviour. 
• Thorough knowledge of and the application of SEO principles. 

Desirable knowledge

• Working knowledge of HTML and CSS. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of maintaining large, complex websites.
• Experience of working in a customer focused environment.
• Extensive experience of writing and editing digital content.
• Experience of using content management systems to publish content, e.g., Umbraco. 
• Experience of working in an environment with urgent and conflicting priorities. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of problem resolution with software suppliers.
• Experience of preparation of images and graphics.
• Developing and maintaining online forms.
• Knowledge of Agile project management methodologies.
• Understanding of business process analysis and re-engineering techniques to help with service redesign. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Evidence of continual professional development.
• Degree level or similar in a digital or communications related subject or equivalent experience.
• Certified qualification in content design or equivalent demonstrable knowledge. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Google Analytics. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to accommodate home-working. 
• Demonstrates commitment to GDPR.