Salary: £27,500 pro rata (£13,750)
Hours: 15 hours per week
Location: Home based with occasional meetings in Edinburgh and the Highlands & Islands region
Please note, as part of the Scottish Greens Parliamentary Group, Ariane operates a full-time working week of 30 hours.
Working for a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
This is an exciting opportunity for a well-organised, self-motivated person with administrative experience and a background in working with the public, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.
Suitable candidates will share Ariane Burgess MSP's parliamentary aims and values and want to be a force for positive change for people and the environment in the region and Scotland. They will be keenly interested in environmental and social justice and want to see action on the climate and nature emergencies. They will want to help Ariane make a lasting and positive contribution for her constituents.
In the role you will support Ariane in responding to casework queries from constituents, join her at occasional face-to-face events and meetings in the region and support the wider administration of her office.
The successful applicant will be familiar with the Highlands and Islands region, and the public policy landscape of Ariane's portfolios and committee work.
MSPs are employers in their own right. Under Ariane’s employment, you will become part of a team supporting her in carrying out her duties. You'll work in a dynamic and fast paced environment to provide an outstanding service for constituents.
You will work remotely in a small team and interact with staff from the wider Green Group. You are expected to have a strong collaborative ethos, be willing to share workloads across the team, and be self-motivated and able to work independently.
This description indicates the nature and level of responsibility associated with this job. It is not exhaustive, and the successful candidate will be required to undertake other duties as needed. Training will be provided for aspects of the job, such as parliamentary processes and GDPR, as well as inductions to the Parliament and Scottish Greens Parliamentary Group.
Responsibilities
- Supporting with keeping casework up to date and responding to public enquiries.
- Keeping cases up to date by tracking, logging and recognising when to escalate issues within team.
- Meeting constituents on a wide range of issues, including those of a sensitive nature and escalating accordingly.
- Advocating on constituent's behalf with relevant bodies to resolve matters.
- Reviewing constituent records and documentation in line with casework GDPR requirements.
- Ensuring casework filing systems, both electronic and manual, are kept up-to-date in line with GDPR requirements.
- Supporting the Member at occasional events and meetings through taking notes and providing briefings
- Carrying out general office administration and acting as front of office for enquiries.
- Responding to incoming correspondence while professionally managing each enquiry within agreed timescales.
- Drafting written correspondence such as letters, requests for information and parliamentary questions and motions.
- Maintaining office records and compliance with data protection.
- Maintaining filing system and managing records.
- Ensuring compliance with data protection legislation and GDPR requirements.
- Ensuring administrative and secretarial support is provided.
About You
- Be empathetic and able to build and maintain relationships with a variety of people.
- Have a flexible and adaptable approach, able to use good judgement and work on own initiative, and able to prioritise competing workloads.
- Have excellent communications skills, with accurate attention to detail and the ability to work effectively with colleagues.
- Be patient and sensitive while remaining objective and open minded.
- Be comfortable being in a front-facing role explaining regulations such as GDPR to the general public.
- Be acutely aware of the responsibility of representing those unable to do so themselves in certain situations.
- Have a natural interest in helping people with a curiosity to probe for further information where required.
- Have an interest in politics and be sympathetic to the aims and objectives of Ariane in carrying out her parliamentary duties.
- Be familiar with the Highlands & Islands and particularly rural communities.
The Selection Process
For any questions about the role, and to send your CV and supporting statement, please contact Ariane’s Office Manager, Laura Moodie by email: Laura.Moodie@Parliament.Scot
Your supporting statement should outline how you meet the requirements detailed above for this role. Applications that do not include a supporting statement may not be considered.
Job share applications will be considered.
Ariane is a Living Wage and Fairer Hours Accredited employer.
Closing Date: Friday 20 September, 2024 - 09:00am
Successful applicants will be invited to interview at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Monday 30 September.
Scottish Greens - For People. For Planet.