Assistant Inquiry Manager Apprentice

The House of Commons is 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.

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:

• 30 days' annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year).
• Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Access to training and development.
• Flexible working.
• Interest-free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.

This role will sit in the Select Committee Team and fall under the banner of the 'Speaker's Apprenticeship Academy'. Now in its second year, the 'Speaker's Apprenticeship Academy' aims to work to widen the House Service talent pool by providing additional support to early career starters. Apprentices will have the unique opportunity to learn and develop their skills in the UK Parliament, the home of British democracy. We're not looking for politics experts; we want to hear from candidates who might not have previously considered the House of Commons as a workplace option, and who are early in their careers and not in full-time education. You will need to be 18 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. If you're looking for an apprenticeship in an exciting workplace where no two days are the same, this could be the role for you.

Select Committees are cross-party committees of MPs who examine government policy and spending. The Select Committee Team comprises the staff of most select committees, the Scrutiny Unit, and the Media and Communications Service. It provides support and advice for all aspects of the work of select committees.

As an Assistant Inquiry Manager Apprentice working in an inclusive, fast-paced organisation at the heart of British democracy, you will be part of a team that provides impartial policy and research support to a Committee of Members of Parliament holding the Government to account. The Assistant Inquiry Manager Apprentice will prepare papers for the Committee and liaise with witnesses and stakeholders. You will be trained and supported to provide policy support to the Committee, including writing briefing material for inquiries and orally briefing the Committee during private meetings, and you are also likely to contribute to material for Committee reports. You may also work across several committees. You are not expected to be able to do everything from day one. You will be well supported and mentored and have access to training in all elements of committee work. As part of this role, you will undertake a Policy Officer Apprenticeship at Level 4, which is the academic equivalent of a Higher National Certificate (HNC). You will be enrolled onto the apprenticeship shortly after you join, and it will typically take 18 months to complete.

Please note that learners aged 18 must pass Level 2 Functional Skills exams in English and Maths to complete their apprenticeship if they do not already have a grade C/4 or above in these subjects. You will complete training for 20% of your time, including from an apprenticeship training provider.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

• To prepare briefing papers for the Committee under supervision;
• To attend and provide advice during Committee meetings;
• To provide administrative support for Committee meetings, by helping to prepare the room and to greet witnesses and members of the public.

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, demonstrated through the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships, including promoting inclusion and diversity.
• Ability to research unfamiliar topics and quickly acquire knowledge using a range of sources, and to analyse information.
• Good written and oral communication skills, with the ability to express complex information clearly, concisely and with political impartiality.
• Excellent organisation skills and a flexible approach to work.
• Ability to plan and prioritise own workload to achieve deadlines and produce work to a high standard.

Please note, as this role is an apprenticeship, there is no requirement to have a degree qualification. If you have a degree in an unrelated subject to apprenticeship qualification then you are eligible to apply. If you have a degree or a qualification in a similar subject to the apprenticeship, please contact the Apprenticeships Team as you may be ineligible to apply.

Next Steps and Additional Information:

If you would like to apply for this role, please submit an application providing evidence against criteria 2-5 in the Job Description. More information on the application process can be found on the UK Parliament website. Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances. We may close the vacancy prior to the closing date stated due to a high volume of applications.

There will be an information session for this role on Friday 11th July at 11am via MS Teams. If you would like to attend, please sign up via Eventbrite. If you are an internal candidate, please email Georgia Pearse (Recruitment Advisor) to receive the link.