Job information pack

Applying for a role at the council

We are an ambitious organisation that is people-focused and aims for excellence. Our vision is: working for a better future. 

We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to ensure employees and job applicants are treated fairly. 

Create an account and register
Join our community where you can search and apply for jobs, and also keep up to date with any applications you make.

To apply for a job at Lincolnshire County Council, first register your details on our online system. This will set up an account for you to apply for current vacancies and so that you can track the progress of your application. Having an account will also allow you to create job alerts that will notify you of any vacancies that you may be interested in.

Completing your application

When applying for a role with us we may ask you to apply by either, submitting a CV and cover letter or an application form. The method of applying will be clearly stated on the job advert.

Your application is a key part of the recruitment process; it gives you the opportunity to provide us with key information about your:

  • skills
  • qualifications
  • experience

This will inform our decisions on how to shortlist applications for interview.

Cover letter and personal statement tips

When you find a job you'd like to apply for, take some time to prepare, as this will make the task much easier. Study the job description and person specification so that you can refer back to the specific skills and qualities that are required for the role when writing your cover letter or personal statement.

Remember this is the first impression that you create with the hiring manager. Draft your examples and refine them carefully until you’re sure that you have chosen the right examples. Ensure you match the requirements of the person specification your examples as well as possible. 

Use the STAR method help you structure your examples:

Situation: Set the scene. Describe it in as few words as possible to make the position clear.
Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.
Action: Explain what you personally did to address the situation that demonstrates your ability and competence. Make sure you focus on 'I' and not 'we' or 'the team'. It is you that is applying for the job. 
Result: Share the outcomes that your actions achieved. Describe how you know the action has been a success. 

You should also consider:

  • the use of power verbs such as transformed, delivered, achieved and inspired
  • choose descriptive words like effective, consistent, determined and adaptable

Submitting your application

Once completing your application online, you will be asked to provide the following information.

Right to work in the UK 

You will be asked whether you have the right to work in the UK. 

As part of your application process you will be asked to provide identification documents which we use to demonstrate that you have the right to work in the UK at interview. This is a government requirement to ensure that people are not working illegally. If you require more information on can be found on the government website. 

Disability confident 

We are a Disability Confident employer. As an employer we support and treat candidates fairly at every stage of their employment.

We are committed to interviewing all applicants who meet the minimum criteria of the role applied for. If you have a disability, please tick this box on the application form. Please advise us of adjustments needed to ensure the interview is accessible for you. 

A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities is a disability.

Care leavers 

We will offer an interview to all care leaver applicants who meet the minimum criteria of the role applied for up to and including the age of 30. If you are a care leaver and are applying for a job please tick the box on the application form. 

A care leaver is a young person aged between 16 and 25 who has left the care of Lincolnshire Local Authority. A care leaver has been cared for by children services for:
- at least 13 weeks between the ages of 14-16. 
- or, has spent 13 weeks after their 16th birthday under the care of the local authority. 
- been the subject of a Special Guardianship Order and was in care before this

Conflicts of Interest 

You will be asked if you have any outside business interests that may conflict with those of the council’s business. This may be an issue if: 

  • your private interests conflict with the council’s business 
  • you would be able to use your position or knowledge for personal gain 
  • your private interests, if known publicly, would undermine the trust, confidence and integrity in the council

Politically restricted posts 

If a post is advertised as politically restricted and you were the successful candidate the Council would be unable to offer you the position if you: 

  • stand as a Councillor, MP or MEP
  • hold office in a political party
  • canvass at elections
  • publicly support a political party

Further information on the politically restricted posts policy.

Monitoring information 

We will ask you to provide us with your ethnicity and other personal information. This is for recruitment monitoring purposes.

We are committed to achieving fairness and equality in employment. We ensure that discrimination does not take place at any stage of employment. This includes within the recruitment procedure. By completing this monitoring form you will ensure that these procedures are open and available to everyone. We store this data confidentially.

Criminal convictions 

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position you are applying for and the circumstances and background of your offences. 

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, you only have to declare unspent convictions. However, if the post for which you are applying is one which is an exception under this Act, you must give full details of everything on your criminal record. If this is the case it will be clearly indicated in the advert. For further information please look at the criminal records policy.

Successful applicants

References

We will request References after a conditional offer has been made.
External candidates must supply full contact details for a minimum of two references. One referee must be your last employer. If you haven't been employed, a referee must be a senior member of staff from your last place of study. A referee must not be a relative or partner. If you are not able to do this, you can supply a character reference from a professional person. You will need to state the length of time you have known the referee. We will only contact references once a conditional offer has been made.

We recommend that you contact your references to check that they are willing to act as a referee for you.

Medical Clearance

All successful candidates are required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire. 
If deemed necessary, our occupational health provider will request a medical examination before an appointment.

Disclosure & Barring Service checks

Posts involving work with vulnerable groups, including children, will require a Disclosure & Barring Service check and subscription to the DBS online service. We will assess the suitability of all prospective employees during the recruitment process. 

Further information view our criminal records policy.

Conditions of service

The majority of roles at the council are subject to the:

  • National Joint Council for Local Government Services National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service (referred to as the Green Book)
  • the local Collective Agreement on the Pay & Grading Review
  • Lincolnshire County Council’s Local Scheme of conditions of service for Local Government Employees and any other arrangements which have been negotiated locally

There are also roles which are paid on other arrangements including those for:

  • Teachers
  • Uniformed Fire Fighters
  • Soulbury (Educational Psychologists, Educational Professionals) and other locally agreed arrangements

Terms and conditions differ for relief staff and will be detailed in the advert text of the vacancy.

Travelling to Work

We are committed to minimising pollution and promoting sustainable travel. We encourage employees to use eco-friendly commute options instead of driving alone.

The job description will confirm if the post holder will be required to travel to undertake the duties of the post. Mileage is payable by the Local Scheme. We have a scheme for contract hire and a contracted provider of daily rental vehicles. Further details are available on request.

We accommodate disability-related driving limitations and will support you with alternative work arrangements.

Pension

Depending on the job, you may pay into the:

  • Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Teachers’ Pension Scheme
  • Firefighters’ Pension Scheme
  • NHS pension scheme

We enrol eligible employees automatically into the relevant pension scheme. Successful candidates can chose to opt of the pension scheme or to purchase a personal pension. Further details will be supplied on appointment.

Leave 

The entitlement to annual leave varies in accordance with the level of the grade of the post and is pro rata for part time employees.

Probation

All new employees are subject to a six-month probationary period before their appointment. 
Appointment to your new role can take place earlier, following discussions with the manager.

Diversity and inclusion

About our policies

All policies include guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to help us provide a healthy and productive workplace. We support our staff to develop and thrive with a focus on personal health and wellbeing. We also aim to:

  • reflect the desired culture of our organisation
  • enable our workforce to understand our approach, style and ways of working
  • promote a culture of smarter working using streamlined and less bureaucratic processes

Find out more information on our employment policies.

Disability Confident Scheme

As a Disability Confident employer, we recognise the rights of disabled employees to be considered fully and fairly in all aspects of employment. 

We have committed to the following actions

  • recruit disabled people
  • provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process
  • offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job
  • ensure we make reasonable adjustments for disabled job applicants
  • promote a culture of being Disability Confident
  • support employees to manage their disabilities or health conditions
  • ensure there are no barriers to the development and progression of disabled staff
  • ensure managers are aware of how they can support staff who are sick or absent from work
  • value and listen to feedback from disabled staff

Mindful employer

We have signed up to the Mindful Employer Charter, a charter for employers who are positive about mental health issues amongst their employees.

As an organisation we are committed to providing:

  • informative
  • nonjudgmental 
  • proactive support 

To support our existing and new starters who may experience mental health issues.

We will not discriminate against you for disclosing a mental health problem in your recruitment or occupational health check. Disclosing a mental health problem will allow us to evaluate and offer the right level of support.

As an employer, we aim to:

  • show a positive and enabling attitude, to employees and job applicants with mental health issues
  • staff involved have interview training in recruitment and selection on mental health issues and The Equality Act 2010
  • avoid assumptions about mental health and workplace vulnerability to stress and absenteeism.
  • provide non-judgemental and proactive support to individual staff who experience mental health issues.
  • ensure all line managers have information and training about managing mental health in the workplace.

By signing up to the Mindful Employer Charter, as an employer we recognise that:

  •  People who have mental health issues may have experienced discrimination in recruitment and selection procedures. This may discourage them from seeking employment.
  • Whilst some people are open about mental health issues, others fear that stigma will jeopardise their chances of getting a job.

With proper support, most individuals can maintain employment and achieve successful careers.