Candidates’ Officer

Job Title: Candidates’ Officer

Responsible to: Company Secretary

Salary: £27,007.50 per annum

Tenure: Fixed Term 

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week

Location: Home based - Occasional travel to Liberal Democrat Headquarters

Purpose of job

The successful candidate will play an integral role at the heart of Liberal Democrat Headquarters ensuring that the next generation of candidates for Westminster, Scottish and Welsh Parliaments as well as Police & Crime Commissioner elections are in place with the utmost efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

1. Working with the Company Secretary and the Joint Candidates Sub-Committee, the Candidates’ Officer will be responsible for delivering the candidate services set out in the Service Level Agreements with the English, Scottish and Welsh Liberal Democrats, particularly, dealing with enquiries.

2. Facilitate liaison and communication between candidates, the State Candidates Committees, the Parliamentary Candidates Association, and the relevant key stakeholders and departments on the variety of issues that surround candidates’ support needs.

3. Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others both internally and externally to achieve the key goals of the party.

4. Liaise with targeted diversity programmes to ensure that they are informed of relevant candidate selection timetables to help increase the representation of female, BAME and other under-represented groups.

5. Support the delivery of programmes that come within the remit of the Joint Candidates Sub-Committee.

6. Provide administrative support to the English Candidates’ Committee.

7. Candidate contact: Lead on delivering Candidates services. You will act as primary point of contact for Candidate related matters, both for candidates, Returning Officers, and for members of the State Candidates Committees. In this capacity you will develop an effective multi-channel programme of communications about and for candidates and prospective candidates, to provide relevant information, timetables, as well as support and training options available.

8. Support Party officers in ensuring that the Liberal Democrats have a properly nominated candidate in place for all parliamentary and other relevant elections. 

9. Work with key stakeholders and colleagues to improve the accessibility of the approvals process and improve the resources available to candidates following approval and selection.

10. Drive Assessment Days: Ensure that the processes to organise and administer key candidate functions are undertaken by the team, including; 

a. administration of the Candidate Assessment process, organising assessment days and communicating with applicants.

b. supporting Committee Chairs and panels conducting appeals relating to decisions on approval, selection, and breaches of the Candidates’ Code of Conduct.

Other important notes

Inclusion statement: The Party believes it is essential to foster equity, equality, diversion 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.

GDPR

Take responsibility for understanding and complying with the Liberal Democrat’s approach to data protection by completing regular Data Protection and UK GDPR training and adhering to policies and guidance which improve knowledge and promote best practice.

Information Asset Owners (IAOs), Directors and Heads of teams will:

● Take responsibility for understanding and complying with the Liberal Democrat’s approach to data protection by completing regular Data Protection and UK GDPR training and adhering to policies and guidance which improve knowledge and promote best practice.

● Responsible for specific information assets and assessing and mitigating risks to information within the area you manage. This involves ensuring the security, accuracy and integrity of the data held on the systems you manage and for mitigating any potential risks.

● Raise awareness of data protection issues and ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities towards the information they use. Please note:

Right to work in the UK: 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.

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 full CV of no more than two pages and including a telephone number and email address
A covering letter (no more than one A4 page) setting out why you want the job and how your experience and skills are relevant to it

To be considered for this position, please submit your application to recruitment@libdems.org.uk 

We will be reviewing applications as they come in and reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

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 will not notify applicants if their application has been unsuccessful at shortlisting stage.