Hours: 20 hours a week (37.5 FTE)
Duration: 6 months fixed term contract to cover staff absence.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the office team and workload, ensuring accurate personnel records are kept and notifying IPSA of contractual changes as necessary;
• Manage development reviews for team members;
• Management of caseworkers caseload and escalation of cases to external body;
• Ensuring all cases are logged appropriately and monitor progress and ensure all identified actions are taken;
• Overall management of the Member’s diary commitments, delegating tasks to others;
• Liaise with groups/personnel at Westminster, within the constituency and the general public on the Member’s behalf;
• Attending surgeries and other meetings as appropriate, including travel around the constituency and to regional events as required.
• Deal with complex queries and complaints on the MPs' behalf, including drafting and signing letters;
• Assisting with arrangements for parliamentary and constituency events;
• Responding to enquiries by telephone and e mail, passing on queries to other team members/MP as appropriate;
• Providing administrative support in relation to MP's expenses scheme;
• Retain records and information confidentially and in line with the Data Protection Act;
• Handling administrative arrangements for meetings with members of the public/MP surgeries Analyse patterns of enquiries and produce reports;
• Liaise with external suppliers when required regarding office supplies and utilities;
• Ensure enquiries are dealt with sensitively and confidently.

Essential skills:

• Excellent IT skills;
• Management experience, including budgetary responsibility;
• Experience dealing with a broad range of people in an empathetic manner;
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines;
• Ability to work well with the rest of the office team and volunteers;
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral);
• Political awareness and a commitment to the values of the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party
• Manage workload and work hours independently;
• Good problem-solving skills;
• Ability to handle complex cases;
• Awareness of the functions of an MP in relation to their constituency and parliament;
• Driving licence, access to vehicle and ability to travel.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of Stoke-on-Trent
• Knowledge of Labour Party and Co-operative Party functions.