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Reference: 76925

Date Added: 31 December 2020
Closing Date: 15 January 2021

Job Title: Senior Parliamentary Assistant

Working For: Huw Merriman MP (Bexhill and Battle)

Location: London

Salary: In line with IPSA payscales

Length of Contract:

Job Details

Huw Merriman, Chairman of the Transport Select Committee and MP for Bexhill and Battle, is looking for a Senior Parliamentary Assistant to manage his Westminster office. You will be responsible for all Select Committee and Westminster research and output. You will also manage a junior member of staff. You will report to, and receive support from, Huw’s Office Manager but will have day to day responsibility for Westminster operations.

Responsibilities include: 

  • Monitoring Parliamentary business using in-house resources and providing daily briefings  and planning a weekly Westminster diary;
  • Working with the Transport Committee officials to provide research and management for his role as Committee Chair;
  • Creating, developing and rolling out campaigns (Transport and other areas of interest) and working with other stakeholders (including media, think tanks, cross-party MPs and their offices);
  • For Huw’s role as Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the BBC, act as lead Parliamentary contact and liaise with BBC staff;
  • Manage Westminster communications and feed in or manage press releases, website, social media, mass mailings and newsletter;
  • Manage junior member of staff.

The successful candidate must have:

  • Parliamentary experience gained from working for an MP or near-identical related experience in Parliamentary liaison role;
  • Excellent organisational skills and ability to work calmly under pressure;
  • Excellent standards of written English and good communication skills;
  • The ability to work well individually and as part of a small team;
  • Strong customer service skills - ability to deal with constituents and stakeholders in a professional, helpful and sympathetic manner;
  • A genuine interest in politics, an understanding of Parliament and its procedures and must be sympathetic with the aims of the party;
  • Strong IT and social media skills;
  • Management or supervisory experience or willingness to undertake appropriate training.

This vacancy has arisen due to our current Parliamentary Assistant finding a new exciting role outside of Parliament. This maintains the office’s commitment to developing careers. The job specification has been enhanced to Senior Parliamentary Assistant to reflect the nature of the work and the management of an additional member of staff to be based in the Westminster office.

Upon appointment you will be required to apply for security clearance, undertaken by the Security Vetting and Pass Office. See Members’ Staff Security Clearance page for further info. MPs generally pay staff in accordance with IPSA guidelines.

Closing Date: 15 January 2021

Interview/Start Dates

Virtual Interviews will be held in the week beginning 18 January. It is anticipated that, following interview, the successful candidate will start in February 2021, subject to security clearance.

Application Details

To apply, please send your CV (no longer than 2 pages) and a one-page covering letter explaining why you would be suitable for this role to Frances McKenna, Office Manager, at francesl.mckenna@parliament.uk

For more information or an informal discussion about this role, please telephone Frances McKenna, on 01424 734910.

Website: http://www.huwmerriman.org.uk

Additional Notes