Principal Clerk of Select Committees

We are looking for a Principal Clerk of Select Committees (SBS PB2) within our Committee Office at House of Lords.

The Committee Office is one of the largest House of Lords offices, with 88 staff supporting over 20 select committees at a time, spanning a wide range of policy areas. You will be responsible for leading, supporting and developing the teams for 6 committees, several of which have an international focus, ensuring production of high-quality work to enable the committees to fulfil their remits and achieve their objectives.

Inclusive leadership is important to us and, as one of our senior leaders, you will also help to embed a balanced and inclusive working environment within the team whilst personally demonstrating our core values of respect, responsibility, professionalism, and inclusivity.

This is an exciting and rare opportunity to work at the centre of Parliament.

You’ll be accountable for –

• Ensuring that the select committees receive high quality support across the full range of planning and procedural, policy, logistical, technical, legal, publicity and media services; and that the committees are able to engage with a broad and diverse range of witnesses and evidence.
• Supporting staff development.
• Advising committee members and staff on matters of committee procedure and work.
• Ensuring that committee outputs, including reports, are of high quality, meet committees’ requirements and are impactful.
• Undertaking the duties of the Deputy Head of Office, providing leadership for the entire office and supporting the Head of Office. You will act as a key member of the Committee Office senior management team, leading on elements of whole office policy, helping to foster a strong and positive office culture, and demonstrating the House Values.
• Leading for the House on interparliamentary forums which relate to committee activity.
• Clerk at the Table of the House: advising members in the Chamber on all matters relating to parliamentary procedure (if the successful candidate does not have current experience of this work, appropriate training and support will be provided).
• Member of the senior leadership forum, which includes the most senior staff in the Lords Administration.

If this sounds like something you would like to hear more about, please apply below.

What we’re looking for –

• Being a visible and approachable leader who inspires confidence and earns the respect of others.
• The ability to establish, communicate and maintain clear standards and expectations, managing good and bad performance effectively. A strong track record of supporting the career development of staff.
• The ability to provide leadership for the whole Committee Office, and the Lords Administration, demonstrating the House’s values of respect, inclusivity, professionalism and responsibility.
• The ability to offer high-level advice on the procedure and practical work of Lords Select Committees, in a political and fast-moving environment.
• Thorough understanding of the constitutional context in which the House of Lords works.
• Understanding of the importance of parliamentary procedure beyond committee work, and a willingness to quickly get up to speed with the detail of Lords procedure.
• The ability to develop and manage constructive working relationships with members, colleagues across Parliament, and the wide range of stakeholders in Parliamentary committee work.
• A track record of delivering substantial tasks or projects on time, on budget and to a high standard. The ability to lead the delivery of a portfolio of such projects.
• Extensive experience of drafting complex documents to a high standard, and of supporting and editing quality drafting work by others.

The job description provides full details about the role and what we are looking for.

What you’ll get in return

• 30 days annual leave (increasing to 35 after one years’ service)
• Generous pension scheme
• The opportunity to witness history in the making!
• Parliamentary health and wellbeing programme

The work we do is vital to House of Lords, and you will be a pivotal member in the team strengthening the work of the House. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK parliament. It is independent from and complements the work of the House of Commons to:

• Make laws
• Check and challenge the actions of the government through questions and debates
• Investigate public policy and provide a forum of independent expertise

Job contact :

• Name : Jake Vaughan
• Email : vaughanj@parliament.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hlrecruitment@parliament.uk