Reference: 90192
Date Added: 11 September 2023
Closing Date: 20 September 2023
Job Title: Constituency Support Officer (part time)
Working For: Thangam Debbonaire MP (Bristol West)
Location: Bristol
Salary: £21,529 - £32,022 full time equivalent. This is a part-time role for 20-30 hours per week; salary will be defined pro-rata.
Length of Contract: 6 months, with possibility of extension
Job Details
Thangam Debbonaire MP is recruiting a part-time Constituency Support Officer to join her constituency team in central Bristol.
The Constituency Support Officer will work with other Bristol-based team members to provide an excellent service to constituents. This will include drafting responses to correspondence on policy issues, ensuring that Thangam and the team are briefed on important information, and helping take follow up action as needed. It will also include working with Senior Caseworkers to provide support to constituents in need of help, by advocating on their behalf with local and national institutions and government agencies.
Research will often be needed to inform responses and actions—we are looking for someone who can research fast-moving local or national issues and succinctly brief Thangam and the team.
The ideal candidate will be an excellent writer, able to adapt style and tone: from draft emails to constituents on personal or policy issues, to formal letters to government ministers, to social media posts. Research and organisational skills will be important, as will political awareness, sound judgement, and a commitment to an excellent standard of customer service. The candidate should be willing to learn and work flexibly within a small team.
The position will be based in the Bristol office with occasional travel to Westminster. Some home working may be possible by arrangement. This position will involve attending occasional constituency surgeries and events on weekends, with time off in lieu.
Key responsibilities:
- Deal with large numbers of standard queries, as well as assisting on more complex cases from members of the public by email, social media, phone, or face to face. Ongoing communication may be required.
- Draft responses to constituents.
- Gather relevant information to assist with resolving cases.
- Ensure that each case is dealt with promptly, sensitively, confidentially, and accurately in accordance with the MP.
- Log all cases; monitor progress and ensure all identified actions are taken.
- Ensure records are kept and information managed confidentially in line with the data protection legislation.
- Analyse patterns of enquiries and produce reports.
- Assist surgeries and other meetings and follow up as appropriate.
Upon appointment you will be required to comply with the Baseline Personnel Security Standard, undertaken by the Members’ Staff Verification Office (MSVO). See Members’ Staff Verification Office (MSVO) page for further info. MPs generally pay staff in accordance with IPSA guidelines.
Closing Date: 20 September 2023
Interview/Start Dates
Please submit applications by 9am on the closing date.
Interviews will be held in Bristol on 25 September, 2023.
Start date late October 2023, subject to security clearance and any notice period.
Application Details
To apply, please send a CV and covering letter, explaining your interest in the role and why you think you would be suitable, to helen.martin@parliament.uk.
This is a part-time, temporary role, with the possibility of extension and additional hours in 2024. If you would like to discuss this or have questions about the role, please contact Helen Martin on helen.martin@parliament.uk.
All applications will be acknowledged but only those invited to interview will receive further notification.
Website: http://www.debbonaire.co.uk/