Senior Clerk

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 266629**Salary**:

- £53,000 - £63,330**Job grade**:

- Other**Contract type**:

- Fixed Term**Length of employment**:

- 12 months with possibility of extension or permanency**Business area**:

- Select Committee**Type of role**:

- Policy**Working pattern**:

- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- WestminsterAbout the job

**Job summary**:
The House of Commons a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system.

Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.

As a House of Commons Clerk, you will move between roles within two different teams within the House of Commons. The common theme to most of these roles is supporting Members of Parliament in their parliamentary work through the provision of advice about the rules and practices (“procedure”) of Parliament. The two teams are:
The Select Committee Team (SCT) supports the work of the House’s Select Committees. You can find out what Select Committees are and what they do on this linked website. Most SCT roles directly support one or more Select Committees.

The Chamber Business Team (CBT) is part of the Chamber and Participation Team. It supports MPs when they hold debates, change the law and ask parliamentary questions of government, including Prime Minister’s Questions. It keeps records and provides advice to the Speaker, their deputies and other MPs on the rules and practices of the House. Most roles in CBT support one or more of these functions.

You may be given the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities to support the work of the House. These may involve working beyond 6 pm on a rota basis. A few roles in CBT may require you to undertake similar responsibilities, again on a rota basis. In either case, you may be eligible for an unsociable hours allowance.

**Job description**:
You will not be expected to already have a detailed knowledge of committee work or the rules of the House. There will be structured training to ensure you develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed at the posts you are appointed to. You will be guided and supported by a team leader and will work collaboratively with colleagues, including other clerks.

Most newly appointed clerks begin their careers in SCT, where your first job is likely to be as Second Clerk to a Select Committee. You will work collaboratively as part of a team of, usually, between five and nine, that supports the Committee’s work. Initially your tasks may include:

- Managing and supporting committee inquiries. This can involve researching and writing policy briefings and committee reports, arranging committee meetings and visits, developing media and communications strategies, and advising the committee on who they should hear from;
- Developing your knowledge of the policy areas that the Committee works across, the evidence the committee has received and the stakeholders that contribute to it.

**Person specification**:
Strong analytical skills with experience of:

- rapidly researching unfamiliar topics;
- assessing the credibility of a range of sources;
- identifying and evaluating risks and opportunities to make clear, evidence-based decisions or proposals for action.

Communicates highly effectively orally and in writing:

- explaining complex information impartially and succinctly to appropriately meet the audience’s needs, including non-specialist audiences, by;
- providing clear, accurate and persuasive oral briefing; and
- writing clear, accurate and concise material effectively under pressure and to a high standard without the need for editorial supervision.

Strong team working skills, able to:

- build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels;
- promote collaboration within a team to ensure it operates effectively; and
- demonstrate the House values described in the job description: Inclusive, Courageous, Trusted and Collaborative, in particular improving diversity and inclusion outcomes.

Excellent organisational and planning skills, with experience of autonomously:

- planning and delivering work against tight deadlines to high quality;
- managing multiple competing priorities in changing circumstances.

Able to proactively take ownership of issues and deliver a successful conclusion by:

- understanding, anticipating, and addressing immediate stakeholders’ needs in a timely and efficient way; and
- negotiating at all levels to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes and improve service delivery.

**Benefits**:
In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:
30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days af