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Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk
Cléireach Tionóil Cúnta Sinsearach

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Senior Assistant Assembly Clerks are responsible for providing support for important functions of the Assembly, including the conduct of Assembly business, the passage of legislation and the work of the Assembly committees.

Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk
Cléireach Tionóil Cúnta Sinsearach

What we're looking for

The main duties and responsibilities of the post are:

  • Providing or 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 the Speaker, Committee Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons, Members, and senior managers (defined as AG4 and above).
  • Preparing or contributing to written and oral advice for the Speaker on items of business tabled by Members, for approval by the Assembly Clerk (where required).
  • Supporting Members to develop legislative proposals or amendments to legislation by providing written and oral procedural, policy development and/or drafting advice, under the direction of the Assembly Clerk.
  • Under the direction of the Assembly Clerk, preparing draft amendments for Members/Committees and plenary briefs for the amending stages of Bills for the Speaker, for approval by the Assembly Clerk.
  • Preparing or 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.
  • Under the direction of the Assembly Clerk and within the business unit, clerking committee meetings or sub-committee meetings, if required, and providing written and oral advice to Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons at external meetings and events.
  • Preparing inquiry/scrutiny plans and draft committee reports for approval by the Assembly Clerk.
  • Undertaking or commissioning research into key areas of interest to Members and committees to inform future work such as policy scrutiny, committee inquiries, private member’s legislation or the drafting of legislative amendments.
  • Preparing draft requests for legal advice.
  • Leading, managing and developing individual staff members or a small team to ensure the delivery of team objectives and front line services to a range of stakeholders, including by providing appropriate induction, training and development as required.
  • Developing and maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders including Members, officials from Executive departments and agencies, other legislatures, private and voluntary organisations, and members of the public to inform the conduct of Assembly business.
  • 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 by providing draft papers, participating in working groups and performing other duties as allocated by the Clerk Assistant/Assembly Clerk.
  • Leading on the development, review and delivery of specific projects and work streams within the particular business unit under the direction of the Assembly Clerk.
  • Quality assuring the work of staff to ensure compliance with legislation, Standing Orders and other procedural guidance in order to meet agreed service standards.
  • Ensuring the best use of resources, including financial budgets, by making recommendations to manage this, under the direction of the Assembly Clerk.
  • Checking and approving purchase orders and invoices in line with organisational policy and within approval levels.
  • Effectively using Microsoft Office and bespoke internal Assembly software systems and databases to carry out work.
  • Managing information and records in accordance with established policies and statutory requirements.
  • 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.
  • Carrying out other duties that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.
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What we're offering
  • Salary range: £46,859 - £48,273
  • 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 must, by the closing date for applications, have:

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

AND

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

  1. At least 5 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, departmental officials, and other external stakeholders, which support the delivery of objectives.

Shortlisting criteria

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

  • 2 years’ experience of contributing directly to the development or scrutiny of policy or legislation, including research or consultation and preparing recommendations for change or improvement.

Quick Q&A for this job...​

The salary range is £46,859 – £48,273. This is an Assembly Grade 5 position.

There is one permanent position.

Senior Assistant Assembly Clerks are responsible for providing support for important 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 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 legal 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 Assembly 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 (AG4).

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

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon on Friday 08 July 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 of the Framework 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:

  1. a written exercise;
  2. an interview, which will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework; and
  3. 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.

Online tests (if required) are planned for week commencing 25 July 2022

Written exercises are planned for week commencing week commencing 22 August 2022

Interviews are planned for week commencing 29 August 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.

Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk
Cléireach Tionóil Cúnta Sinsearach

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 the application form will be unavailable due to essential system maintenance on Monday 04 July 2022 between 18:00 and 23:30.

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

The deadline for applications expired at 12 noon on Friday 8 July 2022.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Office on 028 90 521869/028 90 521741 or email recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Apply Now

Please note the application form will be unavailable due to essential system maintenance on Monday 04 July 2022 between 18:00 and 23:30.

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