Parliamentary Business Adviser

Job title: Parliamentary Business Adviser

Responsible to: The Head of the Lords Whips' Office

Salary: £29,000 - £33,000 per annum, depending on experience 

Tenure: Permanent 

Hours: Full time: 40 hours a week

Location: House of Lords, Westminster (with some flexibility for working from home on Fridays)

PURPOSE OF JOB

The post holder will assist and support the Liberal Democrat group in the House of Lords in their parliamentary work.  They will lead on ensuring all business is covered by Liberal Democrat peers and will take control of production of the weekly Whip document.  They will work with the Chief Whip and the whips team to help ensure good attendance at votes and will record voting patterns within the group.  They will provide an important administrative and political link to other offices in the House of Lords, including the Government and the Official Opposition, as well as internally for the party with the Commons Whip' Office, the party's other parliamentary advisers and the offices of MPs.  The post holder will also provide research support for peers as required. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITES 

1. To ensure that all Liberal Democrat peers are aware of the business in the House of Lords 
2. To liaise with peers, both spokespeople and backbenchers, to ensure business responsibilities are allocated, and that parliamentary business is covered 
3. To produce, and keep control of, the weekly Whip document 
4. To work with the Chief Whip and whips team to ensure good attendance at votes and to maintain accurate records of voting 
5. To provide research support for some peers ahead of their participation in parliamentary business
6. To liaise with relevant offices within Parliament (both Lib Dem and others) on a variety of issues, on behalf of the Lords Leader and Chief Whip and the wider Lib Dem group in the Lords
7. To work with peers and the Party's communications team to help identify parliamentary work that can be promoted across the country and within the Party
8. To deal with day-to-day queries from members of the Lib Dem group in the House of Lords, including the Lords Leader and Chief Whip 
9. Supporting other members of staff in the Whips' Office, as required - some evening work may occasionally be needed
10. Any other duties, as required

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

We are looking for an outstanding candidate with exceptional interpersonal skills, excellent administrative skills and strong personal organisation.  The successful candidate will have good political judgement and a strong commitment to the aims and values of the Liberal Democrats. 

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE - ESSENTIAL 

• Exceptional interpersonal skills
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills
• Good time management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and to work to tight deadlines
• Discretion and the ability to be nuanced when thinking about problems and issues 
• Strong IT skills and the ability to use Outlook, Word and Excel, along with a confident telephone manner
• A strong commitment to the aims and values of the Liberal Democrats, and an interest in British politics

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE - DESIRABLE 

• Some knowledge of Parliament and the parliamentary and legislative processes at Westminster
• At least one year's previous work experience 
• Some knowledge of the policies of the Liberal Democrats

APPLICATION PROCEDURE 

• A full CV of no more than two pages, and including a telephone number and email address 
• A covering letter, of 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 People@libdems.org.uk by 10pm on Sunday 20^th October 
• Interviews will be in person in Westminster and are likely to be held during the week beginning Monday 28^th October, and reasonable expenses will be covered

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

The Liberal Democrats are equal opportunity employers and applications are encouraged from people in groups that are under-represented in politics.