Job Description Details of a current vacancy in the . To apply for this post, please ensure you complete all sections of our online application form found at http://www.parliament.uk/about/working/jobs/

Job Description Job title Reference number Executive Officer 1004

Office Grade ’s Office HL5

Starting Salary £26,450

Term This post is permanent.

Scope of the job Background Black Rod is responsible for access, order in the House, Chambers and Committees and its outbuildings; for business resilience, incident management and other contingency planning. Black Rod is also responsible for organising major State, ceremonial and other events within the ; and on behalf of the for the daily administration of Her Majesty’s residual estate in the Palace.

Within this post there is very significant Member interaction and contact with external organisations notably the Royal Household, Cabinet Office and other Government departments. The role has significant Member and public exposure and works at the heart of Parliament.

Black Rod’s Department has a range of corporate, ceremonial, organizational and executive responsibilities and therefore requires a secretariat, which can keep pace with fast moving events and daily changing priorities and deliver consistently professional support.

The staff in Black Rod's Department comprises the Usher, who is Black Rod’s Deputy, and the Deputy Yeoman Usher, supported by three staff in Black Rod’s Private Office. To assist Black Rod in maintaining order within the House there are twenty-three Doorkeepers under the control of the Principal Doorkeeper and his two Deputies. Main objective The main objective of the role is to provide high level diary management, Member interaction, event and administrative support to Black Rod and to the Lord Great Chamberlain and work in a key role within the department to

1 of 5 RESTRICTED ACCESS–TBC

delivering its portfolio of responsibilities. It will also require diary management for the Yeoman Usher. Key internal and external relationships Members of the House of Lords and their staff; Staff at all levels from both Houses of Parliament; The Lord Great Chamberlain; Senior Officials in The Royal Households; Crown Office, College of Arms, Cabinet Office; Prime Minister’s Office; Ministerial Offices; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Metropolitan Police; Westminster Abbey; Westminster City Council and members of the public.

Main responsibilities Line management and budgetary responsibilities This post has no line management or budgetary responsibilities.

Other responsibilities of the post • Proactively manage and coordinate the diary of Black Rod and the Yeoman Usher providing wide ranging administrative assistance including filing correspondence, ad hoc printing and admin tasks for Black Rod and the office/department as a whole.

• Provide an accurate and consistent service to Peers and VIP guests with regard to advice and information on access queries for Members of the House and their guests, diplomatic visitors, disabled access to the Palace of Westminster, parking, security, including security clearance forms, protocol and Business of the House.

• Supporting responsibility for liaising with all new Peers and Bishops prior to their Introduction providing guidance and facilitating the provision of passes, access, gallery seating for their guests and photographs of their introduction ceremony.

• Management of the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft diary for the booking of services, weddings and baptisms with close liaison with the Verger of St Mary Undercroft, the Speaker’s Chaplain and St Margaret’s Church over service requirements.

• Provide administrative and secretarial support with the planning and execution of Ceremonial and other major events including State Opening of Parliament and State Visits (scheduling, including responsibility for maintenance of project plans, ticketing, minute taking) and general admin for the range of events Black Rod’s Department is responsible for.

• Be an integral part of a team who provide a professional helpdesk service to Members, staff and the public who contact Black Rod’s Office and ensure all messages are dealt with where possible or reported to the relevant member of staff in a timely and efficient manner.

• To deputise for the Private Secretary to Black Rod and Higher Personal Secretary to the Yeoman Usher in the provision of administrative and secretarial support in their absence.

House of Lords job vacancy 2 of 5

• Act as Fire Marshal for Black Rod’s Office in the event of a Fire Evacuation Drill.

Person specification The qualifications required for the post are: • A minimum of 5 GCSEs, including English Language and Mathematics, at grades A to C/4 to 9, or equivalent.

The knowledge, skills and experience required for the post are outlined below. Each element will be assessed in the examples you provide in your application form. Should you be shortlisted these areas will be assessed in more depth at interview and, if appropriate, in a test.

Essential • Experience of complex diary management and strong IT skills; • Project planning skills; • Strong communication skills in all areas, including the ability to deal with a wide range of people and organisations including the Royal Household; • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with high profile contacts with tact, discretion and reliability; • A high level of organisational skills in an office environment • A flexible approach to work. • Ability to work quickly under intense pressure. • Proven analytical and problem-solving skills. • SharePoint or other electronic records software management knowledge. Desirable • Experience of dealing with high profile external agencies or organisations and Events, (for example Ministerial Offices, Senior Officials at the Royal Household, Chief Executives of high-profile public and private sector bodies; Westminster City Council etc). • An understanding of Ceremonial and protocol • A understanding of the working of the House of Lords and Parliament as a whole.

Terms and conditions

Salary and allowances The post is paid in accordance with House of Lords grade HL5 (£26,450 starting salary per annum). Pay increases usually depend on performance as assessed in annual performance reviews. Salary is paid monthly by bank transfer.

Probation There is a probationary period of nine months.

Term and hours The post is permanent and is for 41 hours per week (including break-time).

House of Lords job vacancy 3 of 5

Consideration will be given to candidates expressing a wish to perform the role on a flexible working arrangement such as those set out below:

• Parliamentary Term-time1 working

Benefits Interest-free season ticket loan; eye care vouchers; employee assistance programme; reasonably priced in-house gym; access to Safety, Health and Wellbeing service; membership of a Civil Service Pension Scheme (see below).

Pension The House of Lords participates in the Civil Service Pension Schemes. As an employee of the House, you will be entitled to join one of these highly competitive pension scheme arrangements.

Annual leave Annual leave entitlement is 30 days (increasing to 35 days after one year's service) plus public and bank holidays. In most offices annual leave may be taken only during periods when the House is in recess and must always be agreed in advance with the line manager and Head of Office.

Inclusion and Diversity The House of Lords Administration is committed to increasing diversity & maintaining an inclusive workplace culture. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability. The Administration will also consider flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments.

Pre-appointment checks For external candidates, appointment depends on satisfactory references, health and security checks and where necessary proof of qualifications.

Successful candidates’ publically open social media profiles will also be checked under this stage of the process and information obtained may be used to review suitability for the job role.

Pre-appointment checks For external candidates, appointment depends on satisfactory references, health and security checks and where necessary proof of qualifications.

Successful candidates’ publically open social media profiles will also be checked under this stage of the process and information obtained may be used to review suitability for the job role.

Baseline Security Standard The House of Lords (along with all government departments) has to comply with a Baseline Security Standard. The standard requires that we ascertain the identity of the applicant, their right to work in the UK, their employment or

1 Parliamentary term time relates to the periods when the House of Lords is likely to sit. This is broadly in blocks between October and Christmas, the New Year and Easter and post-Easter until the Summer break. Parliamentary term time overlaps to some degree with school terms but does not read across exactly.

House of Lords job vacancy 4 of 5

academic history over the last three years, and their address history over the last three years.

In addition, applicants are required to give a reasonable account of any significant recent periods of time (more than six months) spent abroad. Applicants who have been unemployed or self-employed for over six months in the last three years (whose last three years’ employment/academic history are not covered by references) will be asked to provide further documentation to prove their history.

Returning your completed application Please complete your online application by 12noon on 22 July 2019.

Telephone enquiries

If you wish to find out more information about this post, please contact Hazel Scott on 020 7219 3101.

No recruitment agencies please.

House of Lords job vacancy 5 of 5