Co Deputy Head of Whips Office (Commons)

Job Title:  Co Deputy Head of Whips Office (Commons).

Responsible to:  Head of Whips Office (Commons).

Salary:  £37,000 - £43,000 depending on experience & 3% Employer’s Pension Contribution.

Tenure:  Permanent, six-month probation period.

Hours:  Full time, 40 hours per week.

Location:  House of Commons based on the days that Parliament is sitting. Opportunity for flexible working when Parliament isn’t sitting including most Fridays and recesses, the latter of which closely follow school and public holidays.

Closing date:  Tuesday 15^th April 2025, 23:59 BST.

Purpose of job

This is a key post at the heart of the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary operations with significant communications, advisory and administrative responsibilities.

We are seeking an experienced and able communicator, with knowledge of the House of Commons and strong interpersonal skills, to support the day-to-day running and of the Liberal Democrat Whips Office in the House of Commons.

Joining an existing deputy, the role is responsible for providing support to the Head of the Whips Office and the Chief Whip, ensuring that the Parliamentary Party can be proactive in support of its parliamentary objectives. This requires an understanding of Parliamentary process and building relationships across the House.  

The role will report directly to the Head of the Whips Office. The position will demand a high level of organisation, confident communication, attention to detail in routine tasks, and a capacity to cope with a widely varying workload.

Key Responsibilities

1. Keep Members informed of House of Commons business through the production of the daily business notices, the weekly whip, and other House of Commons notices as required;
2. Maintain effective links between the Parliamentary Party in the Commons and the Parliamentary Party in the Lords, the Parliamentary Advisers Unit, Parliamentary Support Team, the Leader’s Office, the Media Team, the Policy Unit, Lib Dem HQ and other Whips Offices;
3. Liaise with Lib Dem MPs and their staff to provide procedural, political and pastoral advice;
4. Work with the Head of Best Practice to devise and deliver an effective programme for MP’s staff training;
5. Maintain the tracking system for the parliamentary activity of Lib Dem MPs including assisting the Head of the Whips Office and Chief Whip with the organisation and oversight of parliamentary slipping and pairing;
6. Help oversee maintenance of the Whips Office databases; and
7. Provide other duties as required by the Head of the Whips Office and/or the Chief Whip.

Person Specification 

This is a key role at the heart of the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary operation. The successful candidate will support and promote the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons through the provision of timely advice on the legislative programme, Parliamentary procedure and Parliamentary initiatives to MPs and their staff.

The successful candidate will demonstrate sound communication, administration, and research skills. A working knowledge of Parliament is preferable. The ability to work accurately under pressure, retain a sense of humour and deal sensitively and confidentially with a range of individuals and operations is essential.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the current political environment.

The candidate is expected to work regular evening hours to reflect the sitting hours of the House of Commons.

Essential Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate will be able to show knowledge or previous relevant experience that demonstrates:

1. Organisational experience, with the ability to prioritise workloads;
2. An understanding of the pressures on MPs’ offices;
3. A working knowledge of Parliament and its procedures;
4. Experience of working with spreadsheets and databases and a general high level of IT literacy;
5. Capacity to work to deadlines under pressure;
6. Strong written and oral communications skills;
7. A strong commitment to – and demonstrable experience of – team working;
8. A strong commitment to, and understanding of, the aims and values of the Lib Dems; and
9. A willingness to work flexibly and be responsive to the extensive demands of a Whips Office.

Desirable Skills and Experience

It will be desirable for the successful applicant to have:

1. Prior experience of working in Parliament; and
2. Prior experience, knowledge or understanding of the Parliamentary work of Lib Dems.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you have any questions about the role, please contact coulsonj@parliament.uk To apply please send the below to recruitment@libdems.org.uk: 

1. A copy of your CV, including complete work history;
2. A covering letter, no more than 2 pages of A4 in length, indicating clearly how your experience and skills meet the criteria stated in the job, key responsibilities, and person specification (please put your name on the top of the letter); and
3. A completed diversity monitoring form (linked).

Please note:

• We will not be able to employ you if you are not eligible to work in the UK;
• Applicants are encouraged to inform us if any reasonable adjustments are needed to be made during any part of the recruitment process;
• Please give us two referees including one from your current employer - if you would prefer us not to contact them until a later stage of the process, please let us know;

The Liberal Democrats are equal opportunity employers and particularly welcome applications from groups who are currently under-represented in our staff.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all our staff. That’s why we’ve taken the Time to Change Employer Pledge. We encourage applications from persons with experience of mental health and are committed to supporting our employees to fulfil their potential and perform at their best in work.