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Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk

Ready to support key functions of the Assembly, including the work of Assembly Committees and the passage of legislation?

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Colleagues in discussion during a meeting in the Assembly library

The role of Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk is both demanding and challenging, operating as it does in a highly pressurised and scrutinised environment.

Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk

What we're looking for

The main duties and responsibilities of the post are:

  • The delivery of front line services to a range of stakeholders.
  • Managing and developing a team of staff and ensuring the best use of resources, including financial resources.
  • Providing and contributing to the provision of timely, accurate and authoritative advice, guidance and briefing on a range of procedural, policy and legislative matters relating to or arising from the work of the business unit to senior decision makers such as Committee Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons, Members, and senior managers (defined as AG4 and above).
  • Assisting in the undertaking or commissioning of research into key areas of interest to Members and Committees in order to inform future work such as policy scrutiny, Committee inquiries or legislative progress.
  • Assisting with the planning and management of the efficient and effective delivery of Committee business.
  • Under the direction of the Assembly Clerk and within the business unit, clerking Committee meetings or sub-Committee meetings and providing support for Chairpersons and deputy Chairpersons at external meetings and events.
  • Managing your workload and making effective decisions.
  • Developing and maintaining relationships with key personnel in Government Departments and agencies, press, media, private and voluntary organisations and members of the public.
  • Preparing and assisting in the preparation of draft speeches, speaking notes, and press releases for the Speaker, Committee Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons and others, to inform debates in plenary or for events outside the Chamber or the Assembly.
  • Preparing inquiry/scrutiny plans and draft Committee reports for approval by the Assembly Clerk.
  • Preparing draft amendments, scope letters and briefs for the amending stages of Bills for approval by the Assembly Clerk.
  • Assisting Members in the development of proposals and consultation documents as part of the Private Members’ Bill process.
  • Editing, scrutinising and clearing items of business tabled by Members e.g. Assembly Questions.
  • Contributing to the planning and delivery of corporate and directorate projects allocated to them by the Assembly Clerk or Clerk Assistant.
  • Complying with all Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures.
  • You may also be required to carry out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.
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What we're offering
  • Salary range: £44,601- £45,947 (under review).
  • The standard working week is 37 hours, excluding meal breaks (42 hours gross). Working hours will be dictated by the level of business and sitting times of the Assembly and will involve work into late evenings on sitting days and intermittently at weekends and on public holidays.
  • In addition to the usual public and privilege holidays, there is an annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing incrementally by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days. Please be aware that a major influence in determining when leave can be taken will be the parliamentary timetable.
Find out more about employee benefits
Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications have:

1. A thorough understanding of the role and functions of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the political environment in which it operates including the current challenges facing the Assembly.

AND

2. at least a primary degree in any subject and at least 2 years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (d). Applications will be considered from applicants with formal qualifications of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated. 

OR

3. at least 4 years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (d).

The experience specified above at 2. and 3. must be in the following areas:

a) prioritising, planning and organising a demanding and diverse workload to ensure compliance with deadlines;

b) Managing, developing and motivating staff to ensure effective service delivery;

c) Providing authoritative written and oral advice on complex or politically sensitive matters to elected representatives or senior managers;

d) Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with key stakeholders such as senior managers, elected representatives, government departments, voluntary/ private organisations or media which support the delivery of objectives.

Quick Q&A for this job...​

The salary range is £44,601- £45,947 (under review). This is an Assembly Grade 5 position. 

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) is the corporate body which provides the Assembly, or ensures that the Assembly is provided, with the property, staff and services required for the Assembly’s purposes. The Commission employs a Secretariat to serve the Assembly. The organisational structure of the Assembly Secretariat is illustrated on the Recruitment website.

The Clerking business area in the Northern Ireland Assembly directly supports Assembly business in the Chamber and in committees, including scrutiny and legislation.

Senior Assistant Assembly Clerks are responsible for providing support for key functions of the Assembly, including the conduct of Assembly business, the passage of legislation and the work of the Assembly’s Committees.  Senior Assistant Assembly Clerks normally carry out duties in one of the following areas.

The Bill Office supports the work of the Assembly in the management of legislation through its plenary and committee stages and is responsible for ensuring that the Acts, which finally emerge, fully reflect the deliberations and decisions taken by Assembly Members.  The Office is also responsible for providing advice to Members on the admissibility of proposed amendments, to the Speaker on the selection of amendments to Bills and for supporting the development of Members Bills. 

The Business Office supports the work of plenary sessions of the Assembly. The Office acts as the focus for procedural advice to the Speaker and Members on the conduct of Assembly business and is responsible for the production of Order Papers, proposed Amendments to motions, and the Minutes of Proceedings, which are the official legal record of the business of the Assembly.  The Business Office supports the Business Committee and processes Assembly questions and the laying of documents in compliance with Standing Orders and Speaker’s rulings.

Committee Offices have responsibility for supporting Committees established by the Assembly.  Committee teams prepare committee work programmes, plan inquiries, organise and service committee meetings, events and visits, record committee proceedings, commission research and advice, and draft speeches and committee reports.  Committee staff also provide analysis and advice to Committee Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons and Members. In addition, the Clerking and Members Support Office is responsible for the implementation of the Commission’s Member Development Strategy.

All applicants must be capable of undertaking any of the functions associated with the work of the Bill, Business and Committee Offices.

The successful candidate will be accountable to an Assembly Clerk.

The successful applicant will be based in Parliament Buildings, Belfast.

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday 2 November 2020.

The Selection Process

There are five elements within the Recruitment and Selection Framework:

Experience – the knowledge or mastery of an activity or subject gained through involvement in or exposure to it.

Ability – the aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard. 

Technical – the demonstration of specific professional skills, knowledge or qualifications.

Assembly Skills and Behaviours –the actions and activities that people do which result in effective performance in a job.

Strengths – the things we do regularly, do well and that motivate us.

The elements of Experience, Ability, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and Strengths will be assessed for this role and the selection methods that will be used are detailed below. Further information on the Recruitment and Selection Framework are included in the Guidance on Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Online verbal reasoning testing may be used as a shortlisting tool. Invitation to test does not imply that an applicant possesses the essential criteria. The tests will be held online and instructions and further information will be issued to applicants after the closing date for applications. Only those applicants who meet the minimum standard, and who score highest in the tests, will be considered for the next stage of the selection process, the eligibility sift. 

The essential criteria reflect the experience and knowledge that an applicant must possess in order to be able to undertake the role. An eligibility sift will be carried out on the basis of the information contained in the essential criteria section of the application form. You must therefore demonstrate clearly in your form how, and to what extent, you meet with the essential criteria for the post. 

The selection panel reserve the right to use shortlisting as part of the selection process for this post. Should shortlisting be used, the shortlisting criterion listed in the Job Specification will be applied. The selection panel reserve the right to set a minimum standard for the shortlisting criterion which applicants must achieve in order to be invited to the interview stage of the selection process. If shortlisting is not necessary, all applicants who have demonstrated the essential criteria will proceed to the next stage of the selection process.  

As part of this stage of the selection process, applicants will be required to complete a written exercise. There will also be an interview, which will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework. The Assessment Stage will also include the delivery of a presentation. The subject of the presentation will be advised to the applicant on the day of the interview and the applicant will be expected to present information to the selection panel.

Interviews are planned for week commencing 7 December 2020.

The selection panel reserves the right to hold a further interview stage if deemed necessary.

Application Pack: Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk

Below you will find everything you need to apply for the position.

Read all the information about the job and the associated guidance related to working in the Assembly:

You are now ready to complete the online application:

Apply Now

Please note the application form will be unavailable for a short period (around 30 minutes) on Sunday 25th October between 15:00 – 19:00 due to maintenance on the system, if you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.

The deadline for applications expired at 12 noon on Monday 2 November 2020.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Office on 02890 520327.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Good Luck

Apply Now

Please note the application form will be unavailable for a short period (around 30 minutes) on Sunday 25th October between 15:00 – 19:00 due to maintenance on the system, if you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.