Political Research Assistant

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job. This post is not open to job share. Bring Local Government to Life. Shape the Liberal Democrat Voice in Gloucestershire. Are you passionate about politics and communications? Do you want to be part of a dynamic new administration committed to transparency, action and community engagement? We’re looking for a creative, politically aware communicator to be the Political Communications & Policy Assistant to the Liberal Democrat Group on Gloucestershire County Council. This is an exciting and fast-paced role at the heart of local democracy. You’ll help us turn complex council policy into accessible, engaging stories that resonate with the public and press—through punchy press releases, standout speeches, and imaginative digital content. You'll also act as a key political adviser and liaison between councillors and council officers, helping to shape both the message and the policy behind it.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Crafting press releases, social media content, speeches and briefings that clearly communicate Liberal Democrat priorities.
• Supporting councillors with research, policy development and public messaging.
• Tracking national and local political developments and identifying opportunities to influence or respond.
• Acting as the key contact between the Group and council officers.
• Helping coordinate internal group business and supporting the day-to-day effectiveness of the political team.

What We’re Looking For

• Is a natural communicator—confident in writing, creative in approach, and politically savvy.
• Can make complex local government issues understandable, engaging and impactful.
• Has experience in political comms, journalism, campaigning, or public affairs.
• Is organised, proactive, and thrives in a fast-moving, high-trust environment.
• Understands (or is keen to learn about) local government.
• Is politically sensitive, emotionally intelligent, and a strong team player.

A degree is welcome but not essential—if you’ve got the right experience and political instinct, we want to hear from you.

Important to Know: This is a politically restricted post under Section 9 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. That means you can’t stand for public office or hold official roles within a political party, though you’ll be supporting the Liberal Democrat Group in a professional, advisory capacity.

About Us

For all your hard work, you will receive the following; Flexible and agile working opportunities, 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service, plus an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro-rata for part-time staff), family friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family, career development and qualification opportunities, supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision, excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone, an in-house Occupational Health service, Cycle to Work scheme, links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network, Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply).

How to apply

Please submit your application and personal statement today by clicking the “Apply Now” Button. For further information please contact Stephen Bace in Democratic Services, on 01452 324204 or email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below. We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential. It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English. Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.