House of Commons
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.
Staff Benefits
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 27%.
- Access to training and development.
- Flexible working.
- Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.
Introduction
The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) is responsible for physical and personnel security across both Houses of Parliament and provides support to Members and staff when away from the Estate. Its purpose is to keep Parliament safe and open for business.
PSD sets security strategy provides expert advice and delivers an operational service. It does this in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and by working closely with the Parliamentary Maintenance Services Team (PMST), Strategic Estates, Serjeant at Arms and Black Rod's office, Restoration & Renewal teams, the Parliamentary Digital Service, and other key stakeholders.
The Physical Security Strategy and Portfolio Team are the internal client for physical security projects; identifying the need, setting requirements and ensuring the benefits are delivered.
The Role
The postholder will work for the Security Portfolio Director providing a proactive operational and project support to the Physical Security Strategy and Portfolio Team. They will contribute of the development of policy, standards and processes across the teams as appropriate.
There is a matrix management approach and the candidate will be working actively alongside the three team heads: Head of Strategy, Head of Engagement and Head of Advisory & Planning.
They will provide support services across the diverse portfolio in Security Projects, to ensure successful delivery through the identification, definition, prioritisation and reporting of a portfolio of change. Support the development and maintenance of the change portfolio, ensuring that the business realises its strategic ambitions through successful delivery and be accountable for the monitoring and prioritisation of tasks across the whole department.
They will manage the administration function for the team with one direct report and will lead for the Director on all Business Planning and corporate reporting.
Some of the responsibilities for this role include:
- Liaise with other senior managers on behalf of your Director including collation of information, analysis and process control for necessary project reporting.
- Manage administration function staff including diary, email and time management, taking lead on Director's emails and reports. Responsible for tracking decisions and actions requested of the Director and ensure decisions are taken within agreed timeframes.
- Review and update team budgets, systems and process. Maintain the Security suppliers audit process and ensure that annual inspections are performed.
- Coordinate security projects led by the Heads of teams, including developing project plans, managing stakeholders and risks, and communication. Using sound judgment to resolve issues, according to general guidelines, rules and regulation. Apply analysing methods for solving a problem.
- Manage and update our team Business Plan, working with the PSD Business Management Director to ensure timely and accurate updates into the corporate business plan and corporate risk management process.
Skills and Experience
To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:
- Professional experience of working with senior managers and organising workloads and priorities, including drafting papers and Board Secretariat.
- Experience of working with diverse groups of people, upholding the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion, ensuring that everyone is, at all times, treated with dignity, courtesy and respect.
- Highly effective planning and organisational skills with the ability to identify and adapt to changing priorities, to work under pressure to tight deadlines and deliver to agreed targets.
- Builds good working relationships with colleagues throughout the organisation and an understanding of setting goals, direction and performance management
- Strong analytical skills to meaningfully analyse and interpret relevant data and other information to inform decision-making and monitor progress.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present and explain complex or technical information, policies and issues to stakeholders in a way that is understandable and meaningful to the receiver.
- Experience of delivering through others who don't report directly to the post-holder, by employing a range of influencing strategies.
Next Steps and Additional Information
CV & Supporting Statement - If you would like to apply for this role, please submit your CV and covering letter with a 500 word limit.
More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description.
Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.
The interview process will require you to complete an in-tray exercise. Further details will be provided if your application is successfully shortlisted to the interview stage.
We offer a range of flexible working options and actively encourage applications from candidates expressing a wish to perform the role in a flexible working arrangement such as job-share.
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About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to
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