Committee Specialist – Education Committee

The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Committee Specialist to join the Education Committee in the new Parliament. The Education Committee is responsible for scrutinising the policy, administration and expenditure of the Department for Education and its associated bodies.

Committee Specialists form part of a small committee team, working on a range of inquiries within the committee’s subject area to support the scrutiny of government. This includes organising evidence, preparing briefing material, writing draft Committee reports and conducting analysis.

Specialists are expected to be knowledgeable about the committee’s subject area, including: schools policy, the curriculum, qualifications, child protection, early years, childcare and special educational needs.

As part of this, they are expected to develop and maintain relevant contacts and networks.

The Person

The ideal candidate will have the following skills/experience:

• A 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (education or children’s services) or significant work experience in a relevant policy/scrutiny environment.
• Up to date subject knowledge (or a demonstrable ability to acquire specialist knowledge) and the ability to rapidly acquire knowledge in sometimes unfamiliar areas relevant to the Committee.
• Ability to research and collate material from a range of sources and to analyse it to develop well-argued, evidence-based conclusions.
• High-level written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly, impartially and succinctly to a non-specialist audience.

Benefits

• Annual leave starting at 28 days pro rata
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Child care voucher scheme
• Discounted membership of the in-house gym

Application link: https://houseofcommons-careers.engageats.co.uk/

For more information on the Department for Education, please visit: www.education.gov.uk. All applications must be submitted on a House of Commons application form. More information on the role can be found on the job description Committee Specialist, Education Committee.pdf

Closing date: midnight on 13 April 2015