Job Description Details of a current vacancy in the House of Lords. 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 National Parliament Representative 1064 Office Grade Committee Office HL8 Starting Salary £52,324 Term This appointment will be for two years in the first instance, with the possibility of extension for a third year. We will consider secondments to a successful applicant coming from the Civil Service, House of Commons, or the Parliamentary Digital Service. This post is offered as a level transfer or Temporary Promotion (TP) for internal candidates who are successful at interview. Scope of the job Background There is a vacancy for a National Parliament Representative, with effect from 18 October 2021, or a date to be agreed. The Committee Office is one of the largest House of Lords offices, supporting around 20 select committees at a time, spanning a wide range of subjects. Its work ranges from year-long inquiries on cross-cutting subjects to technical, but no less important, shorter inquiries on legislation, including on draft bills. Some of the work is carried out jointly with the House of Commons. The Committee Office has a strong tradition of engagement in international affairs, with four committees (the European Affairs Committee and its Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee, the International Relations and Defence Committee, and the International Agreements Committee) having an explicitly international remit. The Committee Office also has a history of active engagement in interparliamentary dialogue. Until March 2021 this engagement was led by the European Union Committee and its sub-committees, which were tasked with representing the House in interparliamentary relations within the EU. The National Parliament Representative played a key part in supporting this work, as one of a network of NPRs from national parliaments of EU member states based in the European Parliament in Brussels. The NPR also played a key part in gathering intelligence, to inform document-based scrutiny of EU legislation by the EU committees, and in organising visits to Brussels and the EU by committees and delegations of Members. More recently, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU has changed the emphasis of the role. The NPR’s focus remains on the EU, as part of the team supporting the European Affairs Committee and its Protocol Sub-Committee, which were appointed in April. But the work has become more diplomatic in nature, arranging meetings for the Chair of the EAC with EU figures and Member State ambassadors, and assisting in planning for the establishment of a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly – the forum for UK-EU interparliamentary dialogue that was envisaged in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. It is hoped that the new NPR will travel regularly to Brussels, and the European Parliament has offered to continue providing office accommodation. But it is not currently envisaged that they will be based full-time in Brussels: instead the job will entail both Westminster and Brussels-based working, with regular (possibly weekly) commutes between the two locations. The European Union Committee was also instrumental in establishing the Interparliamentary Forum on Brexit in 2018. This Forum enabled committees from Westminster and the devolved legislatures to come together informally to discuss issues of common interest relating to Brexit. The Lord Speaker has identified reviving a forum for dialogue between legislatures within the UK as a priority, and in due course the post-holder may take on an additional role in developing and coordinating select committee input into such dialogue. Main objectives To represent the House of Lords and its select committees in the EU, in particular by: • Supporting the European Affairs Committee (EAC) and its sub-committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and promoting their influence; • Building and maintaining a network of contacts with staff from EU27 national parliaments, the European institutions and the UK Government Mission to the EU (UKMis); • Coordinating Committee Office input into the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, to be established under Article 11 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement; • Forming, along with the Commons NPR, the UK National Parliament Office. At the time of writing the UK-EU relationship is still evolving. A key objective for the post-holder will be to offer informed analysis of developments in Brussels, to inform decision-making on these issues. Key internal and external relationships Internal • Members and staff of House of Lords committees, particularly the EAC; • Staff of the House of Lords Overseas Office and the Lord Speaker’s Office. External • Members and staff of the European Parliament and other EU institutions; • Members and staff of committees in the devolved legislatures, particularly those with an interest in UK-EU relations; • EU27 National Parliament Representatives; • Staff of the House of Commons, including the Head and staff of the International Relations Office and the National Parliament Representative; • UKMis officials; • The secretariat of the Conference of European Affairs Committees of the EU (COSAC). Main responsibilities Line management and budgetary responsibilities There is no formal budget-holding, but the National Parliament Representative has a high level of responsibility for self-management, efficient use of resources, and accountability. The postholder will be expected to ensure that the administration and financial management of the post are in line with best practice. Other responsibilities of the post The postholder supports the work of the House of Lords and the EAC (the term includes the Select Committee and its Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland). The key functions will be: • Cooperating at official level with staff from the House of Commons, EU national parliaments, the EU institutions, and devolved administrations, developing and using a network of influential contacts. • Explaining and promoting the work of the House, particularly regarding UK-EU relations. • Providing timely analysis of developments in Brussels and elsewhere, insofar as they relate to future UK-EU relations. • Providing pertinent and timely information to the EAC and its staff, including through building contacts and monitoring the work of the EU institutions. • Helping the EAC and its staff to understand and influence legislative proposals that could have an impact upon the UK, including in respect of Northern Ireland. • Supporting the Chair of the EAC in developing contacts, and in organising diplomatic meetings with stakeholders in the EU and more widely; taking notes of these meetings to report back to the committee. • Facilitating committee visits to Brussels and the EU more widely, and supporting delegations to conferences and interparliamentary meetings, including COSAC. • Depending on its future development, co-ordinating committee engagement with the successor to the Interparliamentary Forum on Brexit. • Providing coaching and training to other staff, specifically regarding UK- EU relations and the EU institutions. • Continually seeking to enhance the value of the post to the House, including by taking on such other duties as may be required. Person specification The qualifications required for the post are: 2:1 degree or equivalent Our values The House of Lords Administration has four values: respect, inclusivity, professionalism and responsibility. Our behaviours sit alongside our values, translating them into day-to-day actions and demonstrating how we bring our values to life. They outline what we can expect from each other at work and ensure we all play our part in building an inclusive and respectful workplace culture. The values and behaviours are applicable to everyone who works for the House of Lords. As colleagues and representatives of the Administration, everything we do and say counts. The post holder will be expected to operate in line with the House of Lords workplace values which are: Respect - We treat people with respect and expect to be treated with respect. Inclusivity - We embrace and value difference and diversity –whether from a person’s race, gender, other characteristics, background or experience. Professionalism - We aim for and value a high level of skills and expertise. We act with integrity and openness, putting public service first. Responsibility - We take ownership of our work and actions. We hold each other to account, take appropriate risks and continue learning 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. Competencies: Personal effectiveness • Strong networking skills, including the ability to make, maintain and use contacts. • The ability to work on your own initiative and with very little supervision. • Tact, discretion and the ability to work quickly under pressure, maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Leadership and team-working • A track record of planning your own and others’ work effectively, and experience of supporting and developing colleagues. • The ability to work as part of a team and to support others to produce better results. Expertise/professional