Reference: 90884
Date Added: 18 November 2023
Closing Date: 11 December 2023
Job Title: Senior Parliamentary Assistant
Working For: Olivia Blake MP (Sheffield Hallam)
Location: London
Salary: £32,671.77 per annum - the role is 0.8 FTE (4 days per week)
Length of Contract: Permanent
Job Details
This is an exciting opportunity to join Olivia Blake’s team in Westminster as her Senior Parliamentary Assistant, supporting her as the MP for Sheffield Hallam. The role is highly varied and includes supporting Olivia’s parliamentary work through briefings, monitoring parliamentary business, speech notes, managing stakeholder relations, liaising with press, and managing social media and external communications.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated, reliable, well-organised, and will identify with the core values of the Labour Party and the wider labour movement. They will have a keen interest in British politics and current affairs, excellent written communication skills, and experience of working in parliament or a similar political, trade union, or campaigning context.
Key responsibilities
- Maintain and utilise knowledge of relevant legislation, including impact on the local constituency.
- Research and monitor local, regional, and national issues and media coverage, briefing Olivia on relevant issues.
- Respond to routine correspondence and enquiries from constituents, the media, lobbyists, and pressure groups.
- Ensure the MP is briefed on potential questions and motions to be put to the House.
- Research and produce high quality written reports, briefing notes, and professional advice.
- Maintain social media channels and manage external communications.
- Lead on project work as required.
Skills and Experience
- An excellent knowledge of the British political system and key issues in politics and current affairs, including Olivia Blake’s work in parliament and the constituency.
- Exceptional communication skills with a proven ability to express complex ideas clearly and concisely in an appropriate manner to a range of audiences.
- Experience of working in parliament or a similar political, trade union, or campaigning context.
- Experience of managing external communications in a similar political, trade union, or campaigning context.
- Ability to work autonomously and manage project work while also exercising good judgement of the issues that require escalation to a manager.
- Ability to juggle multiple deadlines and manage a complex and varied workload.
- Ability to interact professionally with colleagues and constituents.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and behave with discretion.
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: 11 December 2023
Interview/Start Dates
Closing time for applications is 9am
Application Details
To apply for this position, please email your CV and covering letter (max 2 sides) in MS Word format to olivia.blake.mp@parliament.uk, with the subject line ‘Application for Senior Parliamentary Assistant’. Your cover letter should address how you meet the required skills and experience set out above.
Website: http://www.oliviablake.org.uk