Control Room Operator (3 Posts)
Oibreoir Seomra Rialaithe (3 Phost)

Assembly Grade: 8

Salary range: £25,664 – £27,266 (plus 20% Shift Disturbance Allowance)

Deadline for applications: Completed Application Forms must be submitted no later than 12 noon (UK time) on Friday 11 November 2022.

Please retain a copy of this booklet for your reference throughout the selection process.

Foreword

Thank you for your interest in the position of Control Room Operator (CRO) in the Northern Ireland Assembly (the Assembly).

The Assembly operates in a dynamic and fast moving political and legislative environment, and as a newly appointed CRO, you will be provided with an excellent opportunity to make an important and valued contribution to Assembly business at Parliament Buildings.

As a CRO, you will play an important role in ensuring that security and order are maintained at Parliament Buildings. This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-profile organisation, and apply your skills, experience and knowledge in a challenging and very rewarding customer focussed position.

In turn, we offer a competitive salary (under review), excellent pension provision and 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 post before making an application please contact ken.eccles@niassembly.gov.uk or telephone 02890 521945.

Richard Stewart, Director of Corporate Services

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.

As a key element of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, the Assembly exercises executive and legislative authority on devolved matters.

Comprising 90 Members, the Assembly has three main functions – making legislation, scrutinising the Executive and representing constituents.

In accordance with the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the staff, services and facilities which are needed to support the work of the Assembly are provided by the Assembly Commission, a corporate body comprising the Speaker and five Members of the Assembly. The day-to-day running of the Assembly is delegated to the Clerk/Chief Executive and the Senior Management Team.

The Assembly Commission therefore provides the infrastructure (including Parliament Buildings), facilities and staff to allow the Assembly and its Committees to meet and to encourage public awareness of, and engagement with, the parliamentary process. It also pays the salaries of Members and reimburses the expenses which enable them to undertake their duties both at the Assembly and in their constituency offices.

The Assembly Commission is a high-achieving and professional organisation providing impartial support to the Assembly and its Members. The Assembly Commission is independent of the Executive and the Northern Ireland Civil Service and our staff are not civil servants.

The Assembly Commission has a staff of around 370 and an annual revenue budget of £51m.

View our Organisational structure.

Contents

• About the Role
• Core Responsibilities
• Essential Criteria
• Equal Opportunities Statement
• Location
• Completing the form
• Stages of the Selection Process
• Guaranteed Interview Scheme
• Key Employee Benefits
• Terms and Conditions of Appointment
• Equality Monitoring
• Merit List
• Communication during the recruitment process
• Further Information

About the Role

Assembly Control Room duties are carried out by a team of Control Room Operators (CROs) whose primary role is to staff the Control Room, and operate the Assembly’s Security Management System, which includes a CCTV system and other security equipment.

As part of the CRO team, you will therefore play an important key role in ensuring security and order are maintained throughout Parliament Buildings and its immediate external environs.

When not engaged in Control Room duties, you will be required to perform general Usher duties inside and outside Parliament Buildings. This will involve you carrying out duties at various locations inside Parliament Buildings and its immediate external environs in direct support of Assembly Business.

Core Responsibilities

As a CRO, and member of the Usher Services team, you will primarily work in the Control Room. Your duties will include:

• Producing accurate and up to date written and electronic incident logs and reports including faults as required;
• Proactively monitoring and responding to fire, intruder and Building Management alarm systems and activations;
• Operating the Assembly Security Management System which includes a CCTV system, and requires the production and processing of evidential quality data;
• Carrying out internal and external patrols of Parliament Buildings;
• Dealing with building maintenance enquiries and contacting relevant maintenance personnel out of hours;
• Operating Assembly building key management systems;
• Liaising by telephone with PSNI, Emergency Services and other organisations, including contacting on call staff when necessary, and providing support to colleagues and building users during emergencies and evacuations;
• Controlling access for building users and contractors including vehicular access to the upper car parks;
• Using a wide range of communication systems including telephone, email, radio and intercom systems;
• Complying with line management requests in the event of the activation of the Assembly’s Major Incident/Business Continuity plan;
• Undertaking training as required in the full range of duties, including use of SMS and CCTV systems, all building alarm systems and security equipment, First Aid and Fire safety, as well as all Assembly mandatory training;
• When not deployed directly within the Control Room, Control Room Operators will be required to perform all Usher duties within Parliament Buildings and its precincts. This will include external security patrols, static security positions and car park management;
• Responding to operational issues whilst on duty in the Control Room;
• Operating relevant Assembly IT systems;
• Complying with all of the Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures, including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures and all mandatory training requirements;
• Managing information and records in accordance with established policies and statutory requirements; and
• Carrying out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.

CRO Working Pattern / Shift Availability

The CRO post is a full-time role. Average net normal working hours are 37 per week, but actual hours worked each week may vary depending on the CRO shift pattern. As an applicant for a CRO post, you must be available and willing to work within the confines of the Control Room for 12 hour shifts on a shift pattern that covers 24 hours per day, seven days per week, including public and privilege holidays. Overtime may also be worked on a voluntary basis outside these shift patterns, in response to business need.

You must also be willing to undertake and successfully complete CRO training which will be delivered by Assembly staff shortly following appointment. Refresher training will be provided as appropriate.

The Person

You may previously have worked effectively within a team in the past, or be able and willing to do so as a new CRO, and you should have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively as you carry out your new and important role.

You must also be willing and keen to adopt a customer facing focus, as you engage with a wide range of persons involved within business at Parliament Buildings.

Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications have:

1. At least one years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (c) below;

(a) Working and communicating effectively, both individually and as part of a team; and

(b) Providing excellent customer service to internal and external customers including, providing information and assistance as required; and

(c) Effectively using IT packages e.g. Microsoft office, Outlook and Word or other bespoke IT systems etc.

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.

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. However, as females, Roman Catholics and ethnic minorities are currently under-represented in this staff group, we would particularly welcome applications from females, Roman Catholics and individuals of an ethnic minority. Additionally, young people (people under the age of 35) are currently under-represented in this staff group.

All applications for employment will be considered on the basis of merit.

Location

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

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 Friday 11 November 2022.

Access the application form.

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

Stages of 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 that will be assessed for this role are Experience, Ability, Technical, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and the selection method(s) 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 Testing

Online 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 on Friday 11 November 2022. 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.

Online testing (if required) is planned for week commencing: Monday 14 November 2022.

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 the essential criteria for the post.

Interview Stage

The interview will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework.

Details will be provided in the invite to interview letter.

Interviews are planned for week commencing: Monday 05 December 2022.

Further Interview Stage

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

Further information on the Recruitment and Selection process is available in the Recruitment and Selection Framework and Guidance on the Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) has been developed to support applicants with disabilities or those with a long-term impairment or health condition, that is expected to last for at least 12 months and which means that they cannot meet all of the shortlisting criteria. In these instances, provided that they have demonstrated in their application form that they meet the essential criteria for the role, the applicant will be invited to interview.

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 including those applying under GIS.

When considering applications made under GIS, the Human Resources Office reserves the right to request medical information from the applicant’s general practitioner (through the applicant and with their consent).

If you are disabled and consider that you require reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate in any part of the selection process, please indicate this on the application or contact us at recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

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 will enrol you into the Civil Service Pension Scheme from the first day of employment. Staff contribute between 4 and 9% of salary and the Assembly Commission contributes a further 28 to 35% of salary, depending on your rate of pay.

We also offer a range of non-salary benefits which include supportive family friendly policies; 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.

Uniforms, and where appropriate protective clothing, will be supplied.

View 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 successful candidate must be available and willing to work within the confines of the Control Room for 12 hour shifts on a shift pattern that covers 24 hours per day, seven days per week, including public and privilege holidays. Overtime may also be worked on a voluntary basis outside these shift patterns, in response to business need.

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 will 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 02890 521869.

Further information about the Assembly can be obtained on the Internet at website: www.niassembly.gov.uk

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