Location: Bristol with occasional travel to Westminster
Salary scale: £18,525 – £26,505
Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Thangam Debbonaire wants to recruit a full-time Constituency Assistant to join her constituency team in central Bristol and help them provide an excellent service to Bristol West constituents.

Bristol West is a lively and diverse constituency, comprising the city centre and some of the most deprived and affluent areas in the city. In population terms, Bristol West is one of the biggest constituencies in the country. As a result, the constituency office is often extremely busy with a huge amount of correspondence and individual casework.

The Constituency Assistant will usually be the lead for contact and relationships with Bristol West’s schools, voluntary organisations, campaign groups, businesses, university and others. The role will involve engaging these groups, organising events briefing the MP on local concerns. The Constituency Assistant will also assist the MP in taking forward constituents’ concerns with government agencies, Bristol City Council and other institutions.

The successful candidate will have sound judgement; good administration, research and website skills; an excellent standard of customer service; a willingness to learn and work as a team. Excellent written English and a professional telephone manner are essential. This position will involve attending occasional constituency surgeries and events on weekends – with time off in lieu.

Overall, this is an exciting role for someone who loves Bristol and wants to help people in our city.

Key responsibilities

• Building strong relationships with constituency organisations, companies, institutions and individuals
• Representing the MP at meetings (both online and in-person), in Bristol and beyond
• Researching key constituency issues, engaging important stakeholders and briefing the MP
• Assist in the updating of social media on request
• Assist in the writing of speeches
• Assist with arrangements for events; this may include: venue research and bookings; compiling and managing guest-lists; liaising with suppliers; and providing on-the-day event support as required
• Database management using office software (e.g. Microsoft Office) to handle administrative cases
• Diary management
• Efficient data and file management to ensure the office complies with the data protection legislation
• Engage professionally, confidentially and with care and integrity with members of the public, through a variety of methods
• Handling administrative arrangements for meetings with members of the public/MP surgeries
• Minute taking
• Respond to enquiries by telephone, e mail and social media, passing on queries to another team members/MP as appropriate

Upon appointment you will be required to comply with the Baseline Personnel Security Standard, undertaken by the Members’ Staff Verification Office (MSVO). See Members’ Staff Verification Office (MSVO) page for further info. MPs generally pay staff in accordance with IPSA guidelines.

Closing Date: 9am on Monday 19 July, 2021

Interview Date: Interviews will take place on 23 July 2021.

Application Details: Please send a CV and covering letter to karen.drake@parliament.uk, demonstrating why you would be suitable for the role.