Support and Information Officer in Belfast

The Electoral Commission is looking for a Support and Information Officer to join their team in Belfast. The role involves supporting the Electoral Commission's work in Northern Ireland by providing advice and guidance to voters, political stakeholders, and the public. You will assist with party finance activities, offering secretarial and financial planning support to the Senior Officer (Political Parties Liaison). Additionally, you will support communications and engagement efforts, helping to draft press releases, manage social media, coordinate newsletters, and contribute to wider initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Commission's strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the first point of contact for the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, responding to public, political, and stakeholder enquiries via phone, email, and letter, ensuring accurate guidance and timely responses.
• Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Northern Ireland team, including secretariat duties for the NI Assembly Political Parties Panel and managing observer accreditation during elections.
• Support the Senior Officer (Political Parties Liaison) by monitoring and recording campaign activity, processing statutory returns, and assisting regulated entities in meeting legislative requirements.
• Assist with drafting press releases, coordinating newsletters, and managing digital content for the Commission's website and social media channels to support effective public engagement.
• Work closely with colleagues on cross-functional projects, contributing to internal meetings and providing flexible support across political, communications, and engagement workstreams.
• Maintain accurate records and logs in line with Commission procedures, ensuring a high standard of data management and confidentiality throughout all activities.

About You:

• Educated to A-Level or equivalent.
• Experience of providing advice and guidance in a public facing role.
• Experience of using and maintaining information resources (databases, spreadsheets etc.).
• Experience of event organisation.
• Experience of handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Good time management and planning skills.
• High level of IT literacy, including Outlook, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with a thorough and methodical approach.
• Strong ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise workload effectively.
• Adaptable and able to manage changing requirements and business priorities.
• Proactive in problem-solving, including meeting the needs of diverse stakeholders.

Benefits:

• A culture of flexible working, such as flexi scheme, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A working from home allowance of £312 per annum is paid as a tax-free working from home allowance.
• A minimum of 28 days of paid annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays increasing up to a maximum of 30 days after 4 years.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Eye care vouchers, Ride 2 Work and an opportunity to sell up to 5 days annual leave at the end of the annual leave period.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40% of their time in the office.

Application Process:

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people who are passionate about democracy. The more diverse our workforce, the better we can adapt to and reflect the needs of society. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and as a staff member you will become part of an inclusive culture, where you will have the opportunity to achieve your full potential and enhance your career through learning and development.

To adhere to our commitment to anonymous recruitment, please remove all reference to your name, age, ethnicity and other identifiable information. This allows us to assess candidates based solely on their knowledge and skills, free from bias related to background, gender, or ethnicity.

Your statement should also be anonymous, and highlight your relevant skills, experience, in relation to the job criteria and person specification which can be downloaded. Closing date is the 22nd April 2025 at 23:59. Shortlisting will take place from 23rd April 2025. 1st stage interviews will be held on 6th and 7th May 2025.