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Public Engagement Manager
Bainisteoir Caidrimh Phoiblí

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The Public Engagement Manager will be responsible for engagement plans and stakeholder activities for the Northern Ireland Assembly and for Parliament Buildings including engaging citizens in the business of the Assembly, education and youth engagement, Parliamentary engagement and delivery of events in Parliament Buildings.

Public Engagement Manager
Bainisteoir Caidrimh Phoiblí

What we're looking for

The main duties and responsibilities of the post are:

  • To manage the Education Service, Events, Outreach and Youth Assembly teams.
  • To promote public confidence in the Northern Ireland Assembly, building upon the established communications channels and ensuring regular and effective two-way dialogue with stakeholders.
  • To ensure the alignment of the work of the Public Engagement teams with the Assembly Commission’s Corporate Strategy.
  • To promote Parliament Buildings as an iconic building of local, national and international significance, as the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and as a prime destination venue.
  • To research and review the visitor experience facilities within Parliament Buildings and to develop strategies according to the findings, reimagining the potential for further strengthening public engagement.
  • To work closely with the Clerk Assistants and the Head of Communications to develop and maintain public perception of the Northern Ireland Assembly and enhance understanding of its work, focussing of the Assembly’s key functions of
    • Making laws
    • Holding the Executive to account
    • Representing the people
  • To provide a comprehensive, multi-media, multi-platform customer journey to convert the dis-interested or un-engaged into informed and engaged citizens thereby facilitating a participative democracy.
  • To play an active role in the life of the Assembly Commission, offering constructive challenge to ensure engagement is proactive, innovative and planned and considered at an early stage in Assembly business and activities.
  • To provide regular, evidence-based reports to the Clerk Assistant and to the Senior Management Group on stakeholder feedback, issues identified and engagement effectiveness.
  • To oversee all business area governance and budgetary activities to ensure adequate controls are in in place and risks are managed with effective administration, including recording relevant data.
  • Comply with all of the Assembly Commission’s staff policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures.
  • Managing information and records in accordance with established policies and statutory requirements.
  • You may also be required to carry out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.
Find out more and apply now
What we're offering
  • Salary range: £60,143 - £61,967
  • The standard working week is 37 hours, excluding meal breaks (42 hours gross). Working hours will be dictated by the mode of operation of the Assembly and may involve work into late evenings and on occasions, 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 for the post of Public Engagement Manager 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

  1. At least a primary degree, minimum 2:1 classification, in any subject and at least 3 years’ 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.

 OR

  1. At least 5 years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (e).

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

(a) Prioritising, planning and organising a very demanding and diverse workload of complex tasks and managing the resources available to ensure compliance with tight deadlines.

(b) Leading, managing and motivating a team of staff to ensure effective service delivery; taking personal responsibility for the delivery of high quality results and for the improvement and development of both processes and people.

(c) Experience of quickly developing strong working relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally, with proven ability to take the initiative, fostering innovation to bring forward new ideas and come up with innovative solutions to problems, taking into account business context and constraints.

(d) Significant experience of delivering innovative engagement activities across a diverse organisation with different audiences, priorities and pressures and activity across multiple platforms.

(e) Application of marketing and engagement best practice, having added measurable value to organisations through application of these principles and in response to customer requirements, along with knowledge of the latest evaluation techniques to measure the effectiveness of communications and external relations activities delivered, including digital engagement activities.

Shortlisting criteria

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

  • Experience of leading and managing a public engagement team in researching and reviewing the visitor experience and facilities and implementing the findings.

Quick Q&A for this job...​

The salary range is £60,143 – £61,967. This is an Assembly Grade 4 position.

There is one permanent position.

Public Engagement is currently delivered by a number of teams, which will report to the Public Engagement Manager:

  • Education;
  • Events;
  • Outreach;
  • Youth Assembly.

The successful candidate will be accountable to a Clerk Assistant.

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

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday 15 June 2022.

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.

All elements will be assessed for this role 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 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 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.

As part of this stage of the selection process, applicants will be required to complete:

(a) a written exercise;

(b) an interview, which will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework; and

(c) the preparation and delivery of a presentation to the selection panel. The subject of the presentation will be advised to the applicant on the day of the interview.

The Assessment Stage is planned for week commencing 4 July 2022.

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.

Public Engagement Manager
Bainisteoir Caidrimh Phoiblí

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:

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Please note that the application form will be unavailable from 18:00 on Friday 10 June until 08:00 on Monday 13 June 2022 due to maintenance of 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 Wednesday 15 June 2022.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Office on 028 90 521446/028 90 521741 or email recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Apply Now

Please note that the application form will be unavailable from 18:00 on Friday 10 June until 08:00 on Monday 13 June 2022 due to maintenance of the system.

If you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.