Political Assistant to the Labour and Cooperative Group

Please note this is a fixed term contract until 31 May 2027.

Medway has been recognised by government as the city of the Thames Gateway and we have set ourselves the aspiration to be recognised as a city of culture, learning, tourism and enterprise.

Medway Council is committed to putting the customer at the heart of everything we do, providing value for money services.

We need to recruit a highly motivated individual with exceptional communication skills, to work directly to the Labour and Co-operative Group on the Council. In supporting the group as Members of the authority, and in particular the Leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group, your role will include researching policy issues, preparing speeches and briefing notes, advising on political issues, attending meetings and conferences in Medway and elsewhere as required. You will also be dealing with Council officers and the media, as well as other external bodies.

You will need to be able to work in the strictest confidence, assimilate and analyse data quickly, establish positive working relationships with Members and officers, have excellent written and oral skills, good IT skills including management of website working knowledge of WordPress, social media outlets and produce high quality content including video. Equally important is the need to be politically sympathetic to the aims of the Labour party.

Hours of work will include occasional evenings and will be agreed with the Group Leader. This post is subject to political restriction in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency. Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.

Our organisation:

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.

Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

For an informal discussion, please contact Cllr Vince Maple by e-mail at: vince.maple@medway.gov.uk to arrange a call.

Interviews will be held mid-June. Full details be sent to you, if your application is successfully shortlisted.

Important Information-

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.

How to apply

Please be advised that we only accept online applications submitted through JobsGoPublic ATS

If you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.

All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email, if you require documentation/correspondence in different format such as braille or large print, please contact the Resourcing Team on 01634 332878.