Senior Assembly Usher Recruitment Opportunity

Candidate Information Booklet

Assembly Grade: AG7

Salary: £34,732 – £35,887 (plus 12.5% shift disturbance and on-call allowance)

Deadline: Completed Application Forms must be submitted no later than 12 noon (UK time) on Monday 10 February 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 position of Senior Assembly Usher AG7 in the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (the Assembly Commission).

The Assembly operates in a dynamic political and parliamentary environment, and as a newly appointed Senior Usher you will be provided with an excellent opportunity to make an important and valued contribution to the work of the Assembly at Parliament Buildings. Working at the Assembly offers a rewarding career. This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-profile organisation with a dedicated and inclusive team.

In turn, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent pension provision where you contribute between 4.6 and 8.05% of salary and the Assembly Commission will contribute a further 34.25%.

We offer an annual leave allocation 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. We also offer a range of other employee benefits listed on the Recruitment website.

Please read the information provided in the 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 Steve Cardwell at steve.cardwell@niassembly.gov.uk or telephone 02890 521902.

Stephen Baxter, 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.

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 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 (SMT).

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.

The Assembly Commission has approximately 400 staff and an annual revenue budget of £68m. Our organisational structure is illustrated on the Northern Ireland Assembly Recruitment website.

About the Role
The Person
Core Responsibilities
Essential Criteria
Shortlisting Criteria
Assembly Skills and Behaviours
Equal Opportunities Statement
Location
Completing the form
Recruitment and Selection Framework
Stages of the Selection Process
Disability Confident
Key Employee Benefits
Terms and Conditions of Appointment
Senior Assembly Usher Working Pattern / Shift Availability
Training
Equality Monitoring
Merit List
Communication during the recruitment process
Further Information

About the Role

The post-holder will act as a team leader, reporting directly to an Assembly Principal Usher, assisting in the provision of a safe and secure environment to support Assembly business.

The post-holder will have specific responsibility for the daily management of Assembly Ushers and Control Room Operators, ensuring that they are deployed appropriately to meet business requirements. This will include the effective and efficient use of staff to achieve best value for money.

The successful candidate must be available and willing to work a minimum of 5 days per week within Monday to Saturday as determined by Assembly management in accordance with business need.

As a Senior Assembly Usher you will work 5 days per week (37 hours) within the period Monday to Saturday on a shift pattern. There are three varying shift patterns within the working day which will normally run on a three-week cycle. However, flexibility in starting time may be required commensurate with Assembly business requirements, and you will generally be given advanced notice of your shift pattern and duty times. Rest days will normally be a Sunday and one other day determined and allocated by Assembly management during Monday to Saturday as per the shift rota:

Week one – Monday to Saturday, 0730 – 1530hrs
Week two – Monday to Saturday, 1000 – 1800hrs
Week three – Monday to Saturday, 1430 – 2230hrs

The post holder will also be required to supervise staff performing external duties which will necessitate wearing a stab resistant vest weighing approximately 5kg.

The Person

You will take responsibility for leading and managing the team of Assembly Ushers and working with senior management, acting professionally to deliver a high-quality service to the wide range of people involved within business at Parliament Buildings, respecting the importance of impartiality and discretion.

You will be flexible and proactive in your approach to solving problems on the day, working closely across teams to achieve best outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities are:

Management Duties

Acting as a Senior Usher and team leader with line management responsibility for Assembly Ushers and Control Room Operators, including their performance management;
Assisting with the management of shift patterns and rotas for the Usher and Control Room Operator teams to ensure business needs are met as outlined in the Day List, Business Diary, and in accordance with senior management instructions;
Overseeing and managing the Control Room and the operation of the Parliament Buildings Security System (PBSS) and ancillaries.
Ensuring staff compliance with Assembly policies and Standard Operating Procedures;
Supporting the developmental and training needs of the Usher and Control Room Operator teams;

Operational Duties

Liaising with Parliament Buildings occupants in relation to access and egress arrangements for visitors;
Assisting in the maintenance of good order during daily business, events, functions and official tours;
Taking responsibility for routine supervision of security within Parliament Buildings and its precincts, in accordance with Assembly Security policy and procedures;
Ensuring incidents within Parliament Buildings and its precincts are promptly reported to senior management and recorded as appropriate;
Overseeing the coordination and management of staff during emergencies and evacuations;
Participating in providing Usher support to Plenary and Committee duties as required;
Ensuring that the Assembly postal service is managed in an efficient, effective and secure manner, and that all daily postal targets are fully met;
Ensuring staff are briefed in person and updated on Assembly business requirements and encouraging effective communications and the maintenance of a security and customer focused culture;
Communicating and liaising with external agencies and organisations, including police, emergency services and other key stakeholders in relation to operational business.

Administration Duties

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
Creating and maintaining staff duty rotas.

Carrying out other duties as reasonably required by the Assembly Commission.

Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date for applications, have:

1. GCE ‘A’ level grade A*-C in 2 separate subjects and 5 GCSEs grade A*-C including English Language and Mathematics. Applications will be considered from applicants with formal qualifications of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated.

AND

2. At least two years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (d) below:

(a) Leading, managing, developing and motivating individuals or a team of staff to ensure effective service delivery.

(b) Delivering high-quality customer service, through effective communication, to internal and external stakeholders (such as colleagues, managers, members of the public, elected representatives, departmental officials, or other external stakeholders).

(d) Effectively using an IT package(s) to manage information to meet business needs.

At least four years’ experience in each of the areas detailed at (a) – (d) above.

Shortlisting Criteria

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

Experience of performing a specific or dedicated operational planning role, including contributing to the planning and allocation of resources.

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.

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.

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 dependents 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.

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 Monday 10 February 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 and 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.

Stages of the Selection Process

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.

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

Applicants invited to interview will be assessed using the Essential Criteria and Assembly Skills and Behaviours as outlined above.

Interviews are planned for 12-14 March 2025.

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 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 recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

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 a competitive salary, excellent pension provision and generous annual leave allowance.

We also offer a range of non-salary benefits which includes 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, including appropriate protective clothing and stab resistant vest, will be supplied.

Details of our employee benefits are available on our recruitment website; www.niarecruitment.org

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 pre-appointment enquiries which include an Access NI basic check and Health Declaration, followed by the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

Senior Assembly Usher Working Pattern / Shift Availability

The successful candidate must be available and willing to work a minimum of 5 days per week within Monday to Saturday as determined by Assembly management in accordance with business need.

Week one – Monday to Saturday, 0730 – 1530hrs
Week two – Monday to Saturday, 1000 – 1800hrs
Week three – Monday to Saturday, 1430 – 2230hrs

The taking of annual leave may be influenced by the Parliamentary timetable and other business requirements.

In addition to normal salary, this post attracts a 12.5% Shift Disturbance Allowance (SDA).

Overtime working when Assembly business runs late during weekdays or when business or events are running at weekends, will also be required. Overtime, where authorised, will be paid in accordance with Section 8 of the Assembly Commission Overtime Pay Policy.

On Call Rota Requirements

As a Senior Usher, you will also be required to participate in an on-call rota. On the rota, you will be required to provide on call cover normally up to three nights (including overnight via phone) during the month and for a 24 hour period on one Saturday or Sunday per month, and occasionally on public holidays, although this will vary dependent upon Assembly business.

On call duty will require you to attend Parliament Buildings for supervisory purposes as determined by senior management, or in response to incidents at short notice, and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are readily available and can travel to Parliament Buildings during this time as required.

On call allowance will be applicable during rostered cover.

Training

You must also be willing to undertake and successfully complete initial First Aid, Fire Safety, and Fire Evacuation training courses which will include using the designated fire elevator and evacuation chairs shortly following appointment, and as part of regular refresher training.

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 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 recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

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.