Governance Officer

Governance Officer

Application Deadline: 15 February 2026

Department: Governance & Legal

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Sheffield Head Office

Reporting To: Emily Hickey

Compensation: £35,929 - £38,737 / year

Description

• Hours: 37 per week (full time)
• Contract: Permanent
• Salary: £35,929 - £38,737
• Location: Sheffield (This is a hybrid role with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office)

The Governance Team is a highly driven, enabling function within SYMCA. We support the organisation to achieve its ambition and strategic goals by embedding strong governance practices and principles. This role plays a vital part in the organisation's mission to create a stronger, greener, fairer South Yorkshire, providing proactive support to ensure transparent, effective, and robust decision making across the organisation.

Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter to detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role (please see role profile attached). Please note, all applications should be made directly via our careers portal.

Interviews will be held Monday 23rd February.

Please note South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority does not hold a sponsorship licence and cannot provide Skilled Worker sponsorship for any roles advertised.

About the role

This role supports strong corporate governance across SYMCA by enabling effective decision making, upholding the Nolan Principles, and strengthening policy, risk and audit processes that help the organisation achieve its strategic ambitions. Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting a strong corporate governance and transparent decision making by helping the organisation uphold the Nolan Principles and apply good governance frameworks effectively.
• Enabling strategic and operational risk management, supporting colleagues to identify, assess and monitor risks using the corporate risk management system.
• Coordinating and maintaining corporate policies and procedures, ensuring documentation is reviewed, approved and published in line with governance requirements.
• Providing high quality assurance support by collating information from risk registers, dashboards and assurance maps to inform senior leaders and non executive boards.
• Facilitating continuous improvement through internal audit, supporting implementation of audit recommendations and strengthening organisational controls.
• Promoting a positive governance culture by helping embed good practice, delivering training, and supporting colleagues to understand governance responsibilities.

About you

• A proactive, innovative and solution focused approach, able to work independently while supporting colleagues at all levels.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex information and provide clear, concise advice.
• Excellent attention to detail, ensuring accuracy across governance documentation, policies and audit actions.
• High levels of integrity and professionalism, demonstrating confidentiality, trust and sound judgement in all work.
• Confident communication and relationship building skills, able to engage effectively with colleagues, managers and external partners.
• Organised and adaptable, able to manage multiple priorities and deliver high quality work to deadlines.
• Commitment to good governance principles, including transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Strong IT capability, particularly with Microsoft applications and systems used for governance, risk and audit tracking.
• A collaborative team player, contributing positively to a highly driven enabling team focused on supporting SYMCA's strategic goals.

Benefits

All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.

In addition to the above, some of benefits include:

Holiday Entitlement - From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro rata for part time colleagues.

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme - The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in addition to your normal annual leave.

Hybrid working - Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts.

Flexible Hours Scheme - Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi Scheme which allows office based employees' flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time off in the form of Flexi Leave or banked Annual Leave.

Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle to Work schemes.

Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on the job training and qualifications.

Professional Membership Fees - Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management.

Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority

Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio economic background, religion and/or belief.

All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements.

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the process, please contact or include within your application form detailing the adjustment and how it will assist in managing any barriers.