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Recruitment at the Northern Ireland Assembly

Clerk Assistant Recruitment Opportunity

Candidate Information Booklet

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Northern Ireland Assembly blue flax logo surrounded by blue arc banner with a montage of pictures showing the Assembly's great hall, colleagues discussing work in the Assembly library and an exterior shot of the front of Parliament Buildings.

Assembly Grade: AG3

Salary: £81,349 – £83,765

Deadline: Completed Application Forms must be submitted no later than 12 noon (UK time) on Monday 13 October 2025.

Please retain a copy of this booklet for your reference throughout the selection process (you can download a PDF version of this booklet using the link above).

Foreword

Thank you for your interest in the post of Clerk Assistant, of which there are three posts.  This senior leadership role sits at the centre of Assembly business in a complex parliamentary environment. Acting with integrity, you will provide clear, well-reasoned procedural advice, often in real time and under public scrutiny, to the Speaker, Committee Chairpersons and Members. You will also lead high-performing teams across core parliamentary services.

As Clerk Assistant, you will be provided with an excellent opportunity to make an important and valued contribution to the work of the Assembly. This role will suit an adaptable, high-calibre professional committed to first-rate service in a fast-moving parliamentary setting. If you are committed to impartiality, collaboration and continuous improvement, we encourage you to apply.

Working at the Assembly offers a rewarding career, and this is an exciting opportunity to join a high-profile organisation with a dedicated and inclusive team. We offer a competitive salary and excellent pension provision, where you contribute 7.55% of salary and we contribute a further 34.25%. We offer an annual leave allocation of 25 days, increasing to a maximum of 30 days, as well as 12 days of public and privilege holidays. We also offer a range of other employee benefits.

Please read the information provided in this candidate information booklet carefully and if you are interested in this exciting post, I would encourage you to submit your application. If you would like to find out more about the role of Clerk Assistant before making an application, please contact Paul Gill (Clerk Assistant) at [email protected] or telephone 028 9052 1008.

Lesley Hogg. Clerk/Chief Executive
Lesley Hogg
Clerk/Chief Executive

About Us

The Assembly is at the heart of political and public life as the democratically elected parliament that represents the interests of Northern Ireland and its people.

Established as a key element of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, the Assembly comprises 90 Members and has three main functions – making legislation, scrutinising the work of the Executive and representing the views of the public. It is the prime source of authority in respect of all devolved responsibilities.

The Assembly Commission enables the successful operation of the Assembly by providing the staff, services and facilities which are needed to support parliamentary business. The Assembly Commission is a body corporate, comprising the Speaker and five Members of the Assembly. The Assembly Commission delegates the day-to-day running of the Assembly to the Clerk/Chief Executive and the Senior Management Team (SMT).

The priorities of the Assembly Commission, as set out in its Corporate Strategy 2023 – 2028, are that:

  • The Assembly will be empowered to achieve its full potential.
  • The public will understand and value the role of the Assembly and be engaged in its work.
  • Our staff will be a motivated, resilient and expert team.
  • Our systems and facilities will be modern, secure and efficient.

The Assembly Commission is a high-achieving and professional organisation, providing impartial support to the Assembly and its Members. The Assembly Commission has approximately 400 staff and an annual budget of £67m and is independent of the Executive and the Civil Service. The organisational structure is illustrated on the recruitment website.

Contents

About the Role

The Clerking business area directly supports Assembly business in the Chamber and in committees, including scrutiny and legislation; the Official Report and interpretation; and public engagement. The three Clerk Assistants lead a team of approximately 164 staff and are responsible for building high performing teams that are focused on delivering excellence in all aspects of service delivery.

The three Clerk Assistants have a central, senior and high-profile role and manage and oversee the conduct of Assembly business, providing clear, accurate and concise written and oral parliamentary advice; often working in real time in a politicised and pressurised environment; and in the public eye.

The Clerk Assistants also manage and oversee work to raise awareness and understanding of the work of the Assembly. The Clerk Assistants oversee the preparation of the official reports of meetings of the Assembly plenary, Assembly Committee evidence sessions and a range of other reporting and editorial services. In addition, the Clerk Assistants are responsible for the provision of a simultaneous interpretation and translation service in respect of Irish.

Clerk Assistants provide advice to senior office holders of the Assembly including the Speaker, Deputy Speakers, Committee Chairpersons and Members, as well as the Clerk/Chief Executive and the Director of Parliamentary Services. Consequently, excellent political understanding is an essential requirement of the role, together with the ability to develop and maintain highly effective working relationships, particularly with party business managers (‘Whips’) and Members.

The Clerk Assistants are operationally accountable for performance and delivery across a number of offices relating to the business of the Assembly including the Bill Office, the Business Office, Assembly committee teams, the Clerking and Member Support Office, the Official Report and Public Engagement. As a senior leader responsible for business areas which are core to the operation of the Assembly, Clerk Assistants are required to set a strategic direction and take key decisions.

Experience of leading and managing the delivery of services centred around the application of rules and procedures, such as Standing Orders, is required for this role. Clerk Assistants are required to have, or to develop, an expert knowledge of parliamentary procedure, the Assembly’s Standing Orders, Speaker’s Rulings and Assembly conventions and the Northern Ireland Act 1998 – including interpretation and application.

The Clerk Assistants are part of the Directorate Management Team, the Assembly Leadership Team (ALT) and the Heads of Business Forum. As such, they have a key role in the implementation of the Assembly Commission’s Corporate Strategy 2023-2028, with responsibility for the delivery of a range of objectives.

The role of Clerk Assistant is both demanding and challenging, operating as it does in a highly pressurised and scrutinised environment, and frequently outside of normal business hours.

The Person

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the Assembly, the parliament for Northern Ireland.

We are seeking a highly motivated, talented and versatile individual who is dedicated to providing an excellent service in an exciting, complex and dynamic political environment. You will act with integrity and provide robust and well-considered advice, frequently in the public eye, to a range of important officeholders at the Assembly and must be passionate about working collaboratively and delivering innovation and improvement in their work.

Excellent political understanding as well as outstanding judgement are essential to the role, together with the ability to develop and maintain highly effective working relationships, particularly with the Speaker and Deputy Speakers, Committee Chairpersons, Whips, Members, SMT and other Heads of Business as part of the Assembly Leadership Team (ALT).

You will also ensure that the Clerking service is aligned to the Corporate Strategy and Values of the Assembly Commission, is delivered to an excellent standard and is strategically focused, innovative, impactful and forward looking.

You should have the ability to motivate and inspire cohesive and collaborative teams and to communicate clearly and effectively as you carry out your new role.

You should seek opportunities to develop and enhance the Clerking service efficiently and effectively in line with recognised best practice, collaborating internally and externally with relevant stakeholders.

You should have the ability to exercise sound judgment in a political environment and ensure that the services provided by Clerking are impartial at all times.

Core Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities of the post of Clerk Assistant, working with their teams, are set out under each of the Assembly Commission’s values:

Excellence

“… is about an unstinting commitment to quality, high standards and empowerment within the organisation. We take responsibility individually and collectively for a professional and high-quality approach to our work.”

  1. Establishing and monitoring service standards across the Bill, Business, Committee and Official Report offices to drive continuous improvement and ensure procedural excellence and clarity of expectations.
  2. Quality assuring the work of teams to ensure outputs are accurate, impartial, procedurally sound, and in compliance with Standing Orders and legislation, maintaining high professional standards across Parliamentary Services.
  3. Providing procedure oversight and communication, including monitoring and updating parliamentary procedures to ensure best practice across clerking areas, supporting business areas and clearly communicating changes to Members and staff.
Positivity

“… reflects that parliamentary life requires flexibility and proactive approaches to innovating and solving problems. We recognise the value in each person’s impact on what the Assembly does.”

  1. Developing strategies to support institutional effectiveness and Member development and, adopting a forward-looking approach that supports evolving parliamentary needs and values the contribution of all Members.
  2. Raising public awareness and engagement with Assembly business, championing creative, outward-facing initiatives that foster public understanding and proactive engagement with parliamentary democracy.
  3. Leading and managing directorate and corporate projects to implement improvements and innovation across the Assembly’s business, contributing positively to organisational transformation and impact.
Integrity

“… is about the personal qualities we display which shape our culture—impartiality, equality of service, building trust, discretion.”

  1. Preparing and presenting impartial, timely and confidential procedural advice to key parliamentary actors, including the Speaker, Committee Chairpersons and Members, ensuring discretion, neutrality and trust at the heart of institutional operations.
  2. Member and stakeholder relationship management through building strong relationships with Members and internal/external stakeholders through meetings and communication, ensuring prompt resolution of issues and enhancing public engagement with Assembly business.
  3. Managing the interface with Executive departments to ensure the integrity of Assembly business, including scheduling and procedural compliance, while safeguarding constitutional balance and impartial service.
  4. Complying with all staff policies and procedures, including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work, role-modelling ethical conduct and embedding a culture of fairness and respect across teams.
Collaboration

“… captures the need to work closely together across teams to achieve the best outcomes, recognising interdependency and the need to draw upon all of our available skills.”

  1. Strategic leadership and resource planning through leading teams to deliver business objectives, managing budgets and resources, preparing reports for senior management, and coordinating staff input for strategic and corporate planning.
  2. Building high-performing teams through coaching and inclusive leadership, fostering collective responsibility, shared learning and delivery through others.
  3. Developing and maintaining internal and external relationships to ensure that parliamentary practice reflects best standards, with collaboration across jurisdictions and stakeholders supporting institutional learning.
  4. Participating in the management of the Parliamentary Services Directorate and contributing to risk management, strategic planning and resource governance through collegiate decision-making.

Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications, have

1. At least a primary degree, minimum 2:1 classification, in any subject and at least 4 years’ senior management experience* in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (e). Applications will be considered from applicants with formal qualifications of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated.

(a) Preparation and delivery of authoritative written and oral advice directly to members or committees of a parliament, a statutory body** or a company board*** operating in a sensitive political or operational environment;

(b) Provision of advice on the rules and/or procedures governing and regulating the operation of parliament, a statutory body** or a company board*** directly to members or committees of the organisation;

(c) Effective direct leadership of a team of employees to deliver high quality and effective advice in a parliament, statutory body** or company board*** setting, to tight deadlines and quality assured output in a pressurised environment;

(d) Experience of working in an environment where differing views have to be managed, with the ability both to anticipate and negotiate such differing views; and

(e) Experience of promoting and delivering a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, efficiency and value for money.

OR

2. At least 6 years’ senior management experience* in each of the essential criteria detailed at (a) – (e).

*Senior management experience is defined as reporting directly to the top management levels of the organisation. For example, reporting directly to a Chief Executive, Director, Head of Business/Function or to a company board.

**Statutory bodies are defined as Government departments, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, public corporations or other public bodies with 100 employees or more and which have a non-executive board of directors.

***Company board – defined as a company with 100 employees or more.

Shortlisting Criteria

Should shortlisting be required, the following shortlisting criteria will be applied:

  • At least 4 years’ experience of making clear, well-reasoned decisions under pressure on the basis of complex or incomplete information, demonstrating lateral thinking.

Assembly Skills and Behaviours

The following Assembly Skills and Behaviours will be assessed during the selection process:

Delivering a quality service

…is about providing a high-quality and efficient service to our customers. It is thinking ahead, managing resources effectively and delivering work on time and to a high standard. It is also using professional or technical expertise to enhance service delivery.

Building relationships and effective communication

…is creating and maintaining positive, professional and respectful internal and external working relationships through effective and appropriate communications.

Initiating improvement and delivering change

…is looking for and being open to new and innovative ideas and improvements to the service provided. It is being flexible and adapting positively and professionally to sustain performance when the situation changes, workloads increase or priorities change. It is about forming sound, evidence-based decisions and being accountable for results.

Managing and leading self and others

… is setting high standards for ourselves. It is about guiding, motivating and developing others to achieve high performance. It is about engaging others in delivering a corporate vision of excellence, expertise and innovation in support of the Assembly as a legislature.

Parliamentary and political understanding

… is displaying an appropriate understanding of the wider political environment; what the Assembly does and how our role fits in; and the level of public scrutiny to which the actions and decisions of Assembly staff are exposed. It requires impartiality, integrity and political sensitivity.

Equal Opportunities Statement

The Assembly Commission is committed to equality of opportunity in employment and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified applicants irrespective of religious belief, political opinion, race, age, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or people with dependants or without. All applications for employment will be considered on the basis of merit.

Location

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

The Assembly Commission operates a Hybrid Working Policy and the balance between working in Parliament Buildings and working at home will depend on business and service need. 

Completing the form

Only the information presented in the application form will be considered by the selection panel. CVs or other supplementary material will not be accepted in place of, or in addition to, completed application forms.

Completed online forms must be submitted by 12 noon (UK time) on 13 October 2025.

Launch the application portal and complete the application form.

Application forms submitted after the closing time and date will not be accepted.

Recruitment and Selection Framework

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 that will be assessed for this role are Experience, Technical, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and Strengths and the selection method(s) that will be used are detailed below. Further information on the Recruitment and Selection Framework can be found in the Guidance on Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Stages of the Selection Process

Eligibility Sift

The essential criteria reflect the skills and experience that applicants must possess to be able to undertake the role. An eligibility sift will be carried out based on the information contained in the essential criteria section of the application form. In your completed application form you must therefore demonstrate clearly for each essential criterion, how your skills and experience are relevant to the skills and experience required for the post of Clerk Assistant.

Shortlisting

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 above will be applied. The Selection Panel reserve the right to set a minimum standard for the shortlisting criterion and/or to only invite those who score highest in the shortlisting criterion to the next 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.

Interview Stage

The interview will address the information contained in the Core Responsibilities and will assess the Essential Criteria, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and Strengths; and will include the preparation and delivery of a presentation to the selection panel.

Interviews are planned for week commencing: 3 November 2025

Further Interview Stage

The Selection Panel reserves the right to hold a further interview stage if deemed necessary.  

Disability Confident

The Assembly Commission is a Disability Confident Committed Employer and for our recruitment, we have committed to:

  • ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible;
  • communicating and promoting vacancies;
  • offering an interview to disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job (the Guaranteed Interview Scheme); and
  • anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required.

The Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) supports applicants with disabilities or those with a long-term impairment or health condition, that is expected to last for at least 12 months by offering an interview to disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. If you are applying under GIS it is therefore important that you include all relevant information in your application form. You should refer to the Guidance on Recruitment and Selection for Applicants for more information.

If an assessment or test is used as a shortlisting tool, then applicants applying under GIS will not be required to complete the assessment or test and will be offered a guaranteed interview, provided that they demonstrate in their application form that they meet the essential criteria for the role.

In instances where an assessment or test forms part of the selection process and is not a shortlisting tool, then all applicants must meet the minimum standard required for that assessment or test, including those applying under GIS.

If you wish to submit your application under the GIS, or if you require adjustments to enable you to participate in any part of the selection process, please indicate this on the application form or contact us at [email protected].  

Please note that you will be required to provide written confirmation of your disability or long-term health condition from a general practitioner or an appropriate specialist, by the closing date for applications.

You can get advice or assistance with making an application from your local Jobs and Benefits Office – contact details are available on nidirect:

Find contact details for your local Jobs and Benefits Office.

Key Employee Benefits

We offer an annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days. In addition, we offer 12 days of public and privilege holidays.

The Assembly Commission will enrol you into the Civil Service Pension Scheme from the first day of employment. Assembly Clerk Assistants contribute 7.55% of salary and the Assembly Commission contributes a further 34.25% of salary, depending on your rate of pay.

We also offer a range of non-salary benefits which include hybrid working; supportive family friendly policies; flexi-time; health and wellbeing initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme; supported learning and development; Cycle to Work Scheme; Payroll Giving; and volunteering opportunities.

The successful applicant will be given suitable training, including formal specialised courses as necessary.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are happy to talk about the possibility of flexible working in this role with the successful applicant.

View further details of our employee benefits.

Terms and Conditions of Appointment

This is a permanent appointment. The successful candidate will be an employee of the Assembly Commission. All appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

The standard working week is 37 hours (excluding meal breaks). Working hours will be dictated by the mode of operation of the Assembly and will involve occasionally working into the evening while the Assembly is sitting and exceptionally on weekends and on public holidays.

The taking of annual leave will be influenced by the parliamentary timetable.

Equality Monitoring

Under Fair Employment legislation, we are required to monitor the community background and gender of those applying for jobs. You must therefore complete the equal opportunities monitoring section of the application form when applying for the post.

Merit List

The merit list of applicants deemed to be appointable will normally remain “live” for 18 months from the date it is signed and may be used to fill any further permanent or fixed term opportunities for the same post.

Communication during the recruitment process

The Assembly Recruitment Team will issue most communication electronically. You should therefore regularly check your email account to make sure you do not miss any important communication. Please note, sometimes the Recruitment Team emails are automatically filtered as spam by email providers.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Assembly Recruitment Team on 028 9052 1741 or email us at [email protected].

Further information about the Assembly can be obtained on the Northern Ireland Assembly website.

The Candidate Information Booklet does not constitute any term or condition of employment.