Political Group Assistant

**How you'll make a difference**:
South Gloucestershire Council is a Unitary Authority, governed by a co-leader and partnership cabinet system and is politically ambitious in seeking to deliver for the area and working closely as a team. The Labour group leader is also the co-leader of the Council.

You will make a difference as the Political Group Assistant to the Labour group by being a primary means of providing advice on political issues, this will include dealing with the media, preparing speeches and briefing notes, researching policy issues, attending meetings and conferences within the area and elsewhere.

You will act as the focus for information gathering and dissemination with community groups, MPs, local authorities, commercial groups and deal with Officers at all levels.

This post is being offered as a Limited Term Contract until 31st May 2027, working 4 days per week.

**What will you be doing?**
- You will be liaising with community groups, the media, local and national bodies, MPs, local authorities, professional organisations and other networks for the exchange of information, the gathering of ideas and the development of group initiatives.
- It will be your responsibility to provide political and policy advice to the political group, including the facilitation of group budget and other proposals and you will contribute to changes to Council policies and proposals where appropriate.
- In the role you will monitor national and local political developments and local issues, including changes to government policy, legislation, and Council and external reports and initiatives, and advise the group on issues and implications.
- Developing relationships is key with all levels of staff within the Council to acquire information, negotiate with and promote the views and objectives of the group, on any aspect of the Council of interest to the group.

**What we need from you**:

- You must be educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification.
- We require you to demonstrate a high degree of self-motivation, able to manage your own workload effectively, including organising and planning tasks, including working to tight deadlines, under pressure, and with mínimal supervision.
- You will have excellent communication skills, verbal and written, in particular, be able to produce succinct, jargon-free notes, briefings, presentations and reports, articles, letters and press releases.
- It is important that you have political and organisational sensitivity and an understanding of the political environment.

Hours of work will include evenings and possibly weekends.

**How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different**:

- We invest in the careers of our people and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our **training and development **offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.
- We’re providing essential services across our internal network to ensure we can fully support our community.
- We’re positive and forward thinking, always looking for new and innovative ways of working work and we’re ambitious about the future.

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

**We’re making a difference, be part of it**

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The appointment is made pursuant to section 9 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and is therefore a limited term contract until the 31 May 2027. However, the Political Assistant posts are part of the council’s employee establishment. Any further appointment to the post will be dependent on the outcome of the local council elections in May 2027 and a decision at the council’s annual meeting following the elections.
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