Policy Officer - Parliamentary

Our high profile Public Sector Client requires a Policy Officer, specialising in Parliamentary, for a 3 months FTC based in Central London.

This role is within the External Affairs directorate and you will report to the Head of Policy.
The External Affairs team sits within the External Affairs & Insight (EA
- assisting in delivering Client's plans regarding upcoming party conferences and a range of other work including producing annual reports to Select Committees of organisations under their scrutiny.

They will have regular contact with people at all levels in and out of the Organisation including senior managers and officials in Parliament - such as MPs, Peers and various clerks of committees.

Purpose
* To support a wide range of activities relating to Client's parliamentary policy agenda, as detailed in the CBP, including:
* Assist with delivering projects that the External Affairs team are responsible for and managing input from across the Office; including on the PASC Inquiry and work relating to producing reports or letters for Permanent Secretaries or Select (or other) Committees;
* In the absence of the Head of Policy, contribute to parliamentary policy related work and CBP-related work including working as required with the Interim Director of External Affairs
* Maintain strategic alliances and relationships with key and senior stakeholders;
* Provide excellent secretariat support as required to a portfolio of meetings, such as meetings with Client's sponsor bodies, meetings between the Ombudsman and permanent secretaries, or chief executives of government agencies. This will include preparation of briefings, taking notes, and undertaking appropriate follow-up action/communications.

Key Accountabilities
* Co-ordinate and participate in the work to deliver the outcomes required by the Ombudsman regarding the PASC Inquiry into complaint handling
* Contribute to the work to deliver information about Departments ahead of Permanent Secretary appraisals;
* Assist with the programme of MP constituency visits
* Research, brief, and otherwise contribute to a programme of work for the Ombudsman to actively engage with Select Committee Chairs;
* Participate in Horizon Scanning activities;
* Act as the first point of contact in the parliamentary policy team, exercising judgement and responding appropriately to internal and external approaches, clarifying what is expected, providing advice or a response on behalf of the team and proactively proposing courses of action/recommendations for agreement by the Ombudsman, as appropriate;
* Contribute to the maintenance of Parliamentary, Central Government
* Ensure competing demands are managed, work is correctly prioritised, and deadlines are met including regarding papers for the Leadership Team and Unitary Board;
* Lead on parliament, ombudsman reform and cross government complaint-related contributions to The Grid, ensuring that they are complete and accurate; (NB: The Grid is a planning tool to help Client monitor developments in the external & policy environments, and to manage its external communications more effectively/strategically by providing an 'at a glance' summary of all forthcoming external communication.
* Contribute to responses to external Parliamentary or Central Government related consultations
* Assist in sourcing, analysing and evaluating information across a range of subjects, and identifying and summarising key data and the implications of the analysis in order to recommend actions to staff
* Ensure that the Ombudsman is prepared for meetings, presentations and speeches by researching and contributing to briefings and documents including, where appropriate, briefing senior staff
* Help to coordinate the activities of the External Affairs team with the Ombudsman and Chief Operating Officer's Executive Assistants
* Develop effective networks across the Office, and be alert to potential policy implications of activities elsewhere in the organisation
* Maintain appropriate technical knowledge and seek to continuously develop an understanding of the external context within which Client works to enable cross office working and contribute to wider Client objectives
* Contribute to EA
* Able to exercise the highest level of discretion, judgement and confidentiality
* A team player, with experience of building and sustaining relationships to achieve results, internally and externally;

Supporting the business
* Good knowledge of the workings of central government and/or the NHS;
* Knowledge or understanding of the role of an Ombudsman function and/or the administrative justice landscape

If you would like to apply for this fantastic opportunity, please submit CVs by 1pm on Friday, 15th March 2013

Badenoch & Clark is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. Badenoch & Clark is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a registered Disability Symbol User.