Job Title
Parliamentary Liaison Intern
Grade
SDS2
Reports To
Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance Team
Leader
No
Location
Glasgow
Directorate/Team
Corporate Affairs
Direct Reports
Purpose of the Job:
Proactive parliamentary engagement activity has increased steadily in SDS over the last five years. We are looking to continue to expand our positive
engagement with political stakeholders (MSPs, MPs, councillors, SPICe staff, Committee clerks, parliamentary office staff) and work towards building
relationships with this key group during the forthcoming parliamentary term. A parliamentary engagement strategy and work plan for the forthcoming
parliamentary session 2015-16 has been agreed and the post holder will be a key member of the team expected to support the delivery of the tasks outlined
in the plan.
The post holder will assist the business to engage proactively with political stakeholders, providing administrative support to ensure that SDS colleagues are
kept fully up to date on daily proceedings in Parliament and the work of MSPs and MPs. They will monitor parliamentary and political stakeholder activity
(including social media activity) and report proceedings back to colleagues in a timely manner, as well as assist in organising and supporting face to face
meetings/events with political stakeholders throughout Scotland by producing briefing and providing parliamentary intelligence from parliamentary monitoring.
They will assist in drafting written communications to political stakeholders and be the key team member responsible for issuing hard copy mailings to key
contacts, the maintenance of a wider team strategic planner, parliamentary team work log and the administration and filing of important documents in a
parliamentary shared area.
SDS receives a large volume of information requests from political stakeholders, often representing the interests of individual constituents. Enquiries can be
complex and require sensitive handling. Effective management of requests and correspondence is important in developing and maintaining a positive
perception of SDS among this key stakeholder group. The post holder will assist the Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance Team in ensuring all
requests are dealt with promptly, helpfully and with a strong customer focus.
This role will involve meeting directly with political stakeholders. The post holder will be expected to develop and maintain positive working relationships with
political stakeholders, thereby contributing to the central aim of SDS’s parliamentary engagement strategy to boost SDS’s reputation among this key
stakeholder group. They will be expected to deal with stakeholders with tact, diplomacy and discretion, using their customer service skills.
Organisational Context:
As Scotland’s skills body, SDS is central to driving the success of Scotland's economy. Working with partners, we aim to create a Scotland where:


employers are able to recruit the right people with the right skills at the right time
employers have high performing, highly productive, fair and equal workplaces


people have the right skills and confidence to secure good work and progress in their careers
there is greater equality of opportunity for all
We do this by delivering services for individuals and employers that help them to achieve their ambitions.
With a significant role in supporting the Government’s agenda for economic development and growth, career management skills and youth employment, our
strategy is to develop our services to meet changing economic and customer demands. The organisation is tasked with achieving this in an external
environment which has high customer expectations about the quality and responsiveness of public services and where the general public expect, and
demand, good value for money, robust stewardship of public funds and a high degree of openness and transparency.
These expectations are reflected in the ambitions we have for our own organisation. We aim to be an employer of choice and recognised for excellence and
customer focus. As part of this, we are committed to continuous improvement and to using our combined strengths to deliver the best outcomes for our
customers and for SDS. Through a sharper focus on the principles of everyday leadership, we are an organisation with values that promote self motivation,
personal responsibility and respect amongst our colleagues and our partners.
Job Context:
A rare opportunity for an individual with a passion for government and politics to contribute to the work of Scotland’s skills body in our Corporate HQ. A
knowledge and understanding of the Scottish political landscape is essential for a vital role in a high-profile team responsible for the organisation’s corporate
reputation. With the economy, and specifically employment, at the top of the political agenda, and the Holyrood elections due to take place in 2016, there has
never been a more exciting time to work for Skills Development Scotland (SDS).
This role in the Corporate Affairs team sits within the wider Corporate Affairs Directorate. Corporate Affairs is a business support function, with three specific
teams: Government Liaison, External Communications and Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance (Freedom of Information (FOI). Corporate
Affairs colleagues work closely with and across all Directorates and colleagues in SDS. Reporting to the Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance
Team Leader, the post holder will be accountable for ensuring that there is appropriate and timely support provided for the SDS Parliamentary Liaison
function.
Dimensions of the Job:
The Internship is for the duration of 12 months and sits within a team of three with no direct reports or budget responsibility.
Working Relationships and Key Contacts:
Key contacts will include:



Political stakeholders (MSPs, MPs, councillors, SPICe staff, Committee clerks, parliamentary office staff);
SDS senior management, including the Chief Executive;
Other SDS colleagues at all levels;

Public affairs professionals in the wider political environment.
Key Accountabilities:
 Support liaison between SDS and political stakeholders, helping to manage, maintain and develop relationships with individual political representatives
and their staff;
 Work flexibly and collaboratively with both Corporate Affairs colleagues and other internal colleagues across all Directorates to provide joined up support
for parliamentary engagement;
 Monitor individual political representative and parliamentary activity, including social media and parliamentary business (parliamentary questions,
committee inquiries and Bill scrutiny, debates, question time, motions, parliamentary publications and announcements) relevant to SDS;
 Support the Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance Team Leader in the development of products to track, measure and analyse MSP and
stakeholder concerns raised in parliament, offering summaries for colleagues;
 Produce a weekly summary note for colleagues on developments in parliament (Committee and Cross Party Group activity, debates, parliamentary
questions, individual meetings with political stakeholders) and a weekly note on relevant political developments for senior management to keep them up
to date;
 Assist the Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance Team Leader in communicating ad hoc parliamentary activity to colleagues;
 Compile summaries of party manifestos and parliamentary Committee reports;
 Take a proactive approach to monitoring our social media channels for political stakeholder activity, highlighting relevant developments to colleagues and
proposing responses to activity;
 Assist in organising local political stakeholder group briefing sessions across Scotland;
 Provide administrative support for meetings with parliamentary representatives, SPICe, Cross Party Groups and other parliamentary-related meetings as
required, ensuring SDS business is clearly and professionally presented and our reputation enhanced externally;
 Assist the Parliamentary Liaison & Information Governance Team Leader in drafting high quality material to prepare senior management to attend
Scottish Parliamentary Committees;
 Coordinate our bi-annual stakeholder briefing material to MSPs;
 Assist in drafting written communications to political stakeholders and issuing them via mail and email;
 Assist in drafting timely and helpful responses to external requests for information from political stakeholders, ensuring colleagues’ contributions are
produced within Corporate Affairs timescales, address the appropriate issues and that replies are set in context and take into account political
sensitivities;
 Maintain accurate and up-to-date corporate records and information materials, including a wider team strategic planner, parliamentary team work log and
ensuring all files are organised and kept up to date in the team’s shared drive;
 Assist in the maintenance of a parliamentary affairs intranet area, working closely with communications colleagues;
 Contribute ideas and develop projects related to parliamentary liaison to ensure political stakeholders are well informed of SDS service delivery;
 Contribute to continuously improving Corporate Affairs systems and processes.
Knowledge, Skills Experience & Qualifications (need to know)
Behaviours (need to be)
Essential
Essential

Educated to degree (SCQF level 9) level in Politics, International  Communication & interpersonal (diplomacy and tact, good interpersonal
Relations, Public Policy or other relevant discipline, with a demonstrable
and communication skills)


knowledge of the Scottish political environment
Strong writing and drafting skills with the ability to articulate complex
ideas in an easy to understand manner
Complete proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and
PowerPoint)
Knowledge, Skills Experience & Qualifications (need to know)
Desirable
 Customer service skills


Acts with integrity and the utmost discretion
Planning & organising (well organised, with attention to detail, yet able to
multi-task in an environment of changing priorities)
 Personal Accountability (prepared to work flexible hours, willingness to
travel to events/meetings in Scotland as required, ability to accept
constructive criticism)
 Efficiency (able to handle own workload)
 Problem solving & decision making (professional approach, good
judgment, creative problem-solver)
 Team working (flexibility and ability to work as part of a team, confident,
with the ability to form effective and credible relationships)
 Strong multi-tasking skills required to accommodate a demanding, fastpaced, changing environment.

Good administrative, problem solving, critical thinking and decisionmaking skills with the ability to complete assignments within tight time
frames
Behaviours (need to be)
Desirable
 A ‘can do’ attitude, able to deal calmly and positively with multiple
competing tasks and day-to-day challenges
 Ability to persevere and remain calm in challenging or frustrating
circumstances