Role Overview

The Whips Office sits at the centre of the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] Parliamentary Party’s operations in the House of Commons - this is an exciting opportunity to join our team as we support the largest third party force in over a century.

The Deputy Head of the Whips Office will be someone who can communicate clearly under pressure, work at pace and earn the trust of MPs and their staff quickly. No two sitting days are the same, and you will have significant communications and administrative responsibilities throughout.

We are seeking an experienced and able communicator, with knowledge of the House of Commons and strong interpersonal skills, to support the day-to-day running and administration of the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] Whips Office in the House of Commons.

You will be responsible for providing day-to-day support to the Office and the Chief Whip, ensuring that the Parliamentary Party can be proactive in support of its parliamentary objectives.

The role will report directly to the Head of the Whips Office. The position will demand a very high level of organisation, confident communication, attention to detail in routine tasks, and a capacity to cope with a widely varying workload.

Key Responsibilities

• Keep Members informed of House of Commons business through the production of the daily business notices, the weekly whip, and other House of Commons notices as required.
• Liaise with [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] MPs and their staff as requested by the Head of the Whips Office.
• Provide advice and support to [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] MPs and their staff on the business of the House.
• Maintain effective links between the Parliamentary Party in the Commons and the Parliamentary Party in the Lords and staff teams from across Parliament and [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] HQ.
• Maintain the tracking system for the parliamentary activity of [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] MPs including assisting the organisation and oversight of parliamentary slipping.
• Provide other duties as required by the Head of the Whips Office and/or the Chief Whip.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Organisational experience, with the ability to prioritise workloads
• A working knowledge of Parliament and its procedures, and an understanding of the pressures on MPs’ offices
• Capacity to work to deadlines and maintain accuracy under pressure
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Effective interpersonal skills across a range of stakeholders.
• Strong political judgement
• A strong commitment to, and understanding of, the aims and values of the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]
• A willingness to work flexibly and be responsive to the extensive demands of a Whips Office
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Desirable Criteria:

• Prior experience of working in Parliament; and
• Prior experience, knowledge or understanding of the Parliamentary work of [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal].

How to Apply

Please fully read through the requirements of the job before applying and take a few minutes to complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring Forms then proceed with your application.

• A CV (maximum 2 pages)
• A cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the person specification
• To be considered for this position, please submit your application to [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

We will be reviewing applications as they come in and reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date. We will not notify applicants if their application has been unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage.

Please note:

We will not be able to employ you if you are not eligible to work in the UK. We will not be able to obtain a work permit on your behalf.

Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed to be made during any part of the recruitment process.

Please let us have details of your current salary and two referees including one from your current employer – if you would prefer us not to contact them until a later stage of the selection process, please let us know.

We may not notify applicants if their application has been unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage.

The Party believes it is essential to foster equity, equality, diversity and inclusion within our workforce. We want our employees to thrive in an environment where everyone is welcome and supported to achieve their potential. It is important to celebrate what makes us unique and that you feel valued, appreciated and free to be who you are.

The [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] will use your contact details to send you information on the topics you have requested. Any data we gather will be used in accordance with our privacy policy at www.libdems.org.uk/privacy. To exercise your legal data rights, email: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal].

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