Politician's assistant job profile | 杨贵妃传媒.ac.uk

Work experience and a commitment to politics are more important than your degree subject when gaining work behind the scenes as a politician's assistant

Working as a politician's assistant, you'll provide administrative support to an elected politician. You'll help with secretarial tasks, research and publicity.

You may be referred to as a politician's assistant, a parliamentary or constituency assistant (depending on where you're based), a personal assistant (PA) or an executive officer.

Although job titles and locations vary, the basic task is to do whatever behind-the-scenes work is necessary to enable politicians to represent their constituents. Politicians generally have between one and three assistants.

You can work for the Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), Members of the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) or Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Responsibilities

Tasks vary depending on whether you're based in a local constituency office or parliament (London, Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh). For example, you're more likely to be involved in helping MPs with parliamentary work if you're based in parliament, and more likely to be responsible for local media and events in a constituency office.

However, as a politician's assistant, you'll typically need to:

respond to enquiries - known as progressing casework from constituents, other politicians, the media, lobbyists and pressure groups
perform secretarial duties, such as managing the politician's diary, making travel arrangements and taking minutes at meetings
undertake all administrative duties, such as filing, ordering stationery, responding to correspondence and updating databases
carry out research into local, regional, national and international issues as required, and ensure the politician is made aware of any relevant matters
arrange surgeries for constituents and offer support on the day
write press releases, newsletters and mailshots to promote the politician's work and update their website
assist with campaigns before and during elections
provide administrative support in relation to expenses and help to deal with budgets
attend public and private functions to assist the politician and sometimes stand in when the politician is unable to attend
liaise with members of government and local government, party headquarters, other politicians and their staff, embassies, commissioners, relevant interest groups, the media, relevant voluntary sector organisations and constituents
help draft amendments for reports and prepare briefing material
provide the politician with the support needed to get an issue on the political agenda, such as research or liaising with key individuals or groups.

Salary

Salaries vary according to the nature of your role, e.g. administration, executive, research or administration/research. Salaries for employed interns are typically in the region of 拢23,810 to 拢27,008, depending on your experience.
Salaries at level 1 (e.g. case worker, administrative officer) usually range from 拢23,810 to 拢37,846 nationally (拢24,468 to 拢41,782 for London).
With experience, in roles such as senior case worker, senior administrative officer and parliamentary assistant, salaries typically range from 拢25,795 to 拢47,772 nationally (拢26,775 to 拢50,237 for London).
At a senior level, office managers and senior parliamentary assistants can earn 拢31,967 to 拢54,377 nationally (拢35,447 to 拢61,597 in London).

If you're a parliament-based assistant, you can expect to earn slightly more than a constituency-based colleague. Although there are guidelines, politicians have some flexibility when deciding the salaries of their staff. For more details, see .

Employee benefits include a 10% non-contributory pension.

Income data from the . Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours can vary, so you'll need to check with your MP what hours they expect. You may need to work outside of normal working hours occasionally, for example when parliament is in session or to help with events.

There may be some extra hours expected at certain times, such as during the run-up to an election, when preparing high-profile legislation and at times of national or political crisis.

There are part-time opportunities, and some assistants work for two politicians simultaneously. Each of these roles would require a separate employment contract.

There may be some opportunities for hybrid working, depending on the focus of your role.

What to expect

The job may be challenging, particularly during elections, because of work pressures and job uncertainty, which is an ongoing issue. During parliamentary recesses, working hours are generally less pressured, except during the party conference season in September and October.
It can also be extremely rewarding and satisfying. Enjoyment and success are often dependent on the dynamics of your relationship with the politician.
Your role may vary depending on whether you're working in the main office (in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast) or a constituency office. For example, working in the main office may include tasks such as diary management, dealing with policy issues and helping to write speeches. Constituency-based work might be more casework-focused, including arranging surgeries for local people and liaising with local stakeholders. Working environments also vary and constituency offices may be in old buildings.
It's important to be committed to the policies of the employing member's party.
Travel within the working day is not common, but you will usually need to spend time away from home for party conferences.

Qualifications

This area of work is open to all graduates but a degree in the following subjects may increase your chances:

economics
history
international relations
law
politics and international politics
public administration and social policy.

However, employers are typically more interested in your skills, knowledge and experience than your degree subject.

You'll need a passion for politics as well as a strong understanding of the UK parliament, procedures and political landscape.

Entry without a degree or HND is not usual. However, you may be successful if you have excellent administrative, secretarial and research skills in addition to an up-to-date knowledge of parliament and politics.

A postgraduate qualification may be an advantage, especially if it provides in-depth knowledge of specific policy issues, but it's not essential.

You will need to undertake staff security clearance before starting in a job.

Skills

You'll need to have:

a thorough understanding of parliament, parliamentary procedures and the political landscape
excellent oral and written communication skills
organisational skills to manage an MP's busy schedule
research and analytical skills
time management skills to manage competing priorities and demanding deadlines
strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to deal with a range of audiences, such as senior politicians, the media, lobbyists and constituents, and organisations at all levels
strong attention to detail
tact, diplomacy and a professional manner
conscientiousness, integrity and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and GDPR
excellent IT and administrative skills
the ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
the ability to use your initiative and take responsibility for your own workload
reliability, enthusiasm, resilience and motivation
a flexible, practical and proactive approach to work.

You may need a higher level of numeracy if your role involves managing finances or statistical research.

Work experience

Getting relevant work experience is important. This can include shadowing a politician or completing an internship. Some politicians advertise paid summer internships, or longer contracts, as well as voluntary placements such as two-week summer schools that aim to help young people gain an understanding of politics and community-based work.

Volunteering in a constituency or parliamentary office is also useful. This could be during election campaigns, for example, getting involved in canvassing, data entry or supporting campaign events. Experience with NGOs, think tanks or public policy organisations is also highly valued, especially if it involves research, policy analysis or communications.

It's important to keep up to date with local, regional, national and international affairs as well as your party's stance on key issues. While membership of the party isn't always essential, you should at least have empathy with their principles and aims.

Getting involved with your university's politics society, student council or students' union shows your commitment and interest. Be aware, however, that some types of political activism, particularly those seen as extreme or disruptive, may be viewed unfavourably.

Speak to your university's politics department and politics society and subscribe to newsletters from politicians and political organisations. Also, use networking to find out about opportunities and to develop valuable contacts.

Employers

Employers of politicians' assistants are, by definition, politicians and political parties.

The politicians may be members of the:

All the parties represented within these parliaments and assemblies employ politician's assistants. Even the parties that don't have parliamentary representation may employ paid assistants if they have sufficient funds, but salaries and working conditions are likely to be lower than in the larger parties.

Look for job vacancies at:

the websites of political parties and individual politicians.

Competition for jobs is strong, and some jobs are filled by word of mouth, rather than being advertised. Recruitment usually reaches a peak in the run-up to a general election and there is often a 'shakeout' of staff immediately afterwards, regardless of whether or not the party has been successful.

Contact party and regional party headquarters to enquire about opportunities. Send speculative applications to individual members and make sure they are tailored to their interests. .

Professional development

Most of your training as a politician's assistant is done on the job, supported by more experienced colleagues. Much of the role is learned through experience, especially when working directly with constituents and handling casework.

You'll have access to a learning management system offering e-learning modules, classroom-based training and a personalised learning record. Training opportunities are circulated internally to parliamentary and constituency staff.

The majority of staff training is coordinated by the Members' Services Team (MST), which delivers a wide range of courses both online and in-person, in Westminster and regionally. These sessions cover areas such as casework, data protection, dealing with difficult conversations, digital skills and office management. Training is also provided by the House of Commons Library.

MPs are generally supportive of staff attending relevant training, but it is rare for time or funding to be allocated for formal undergraduate or postgraduate study. As job security is limited and employment directly tied to the MP, it's important to build up your skills and take advantage of all development opportunities.

Find out more at .

Career prospects

The skills, experience and knowledge you gain as a politician's assistant can make you very employable, particularly in roles that value political awareness, research and communication skills, and an understanding of government and policy-making processes.

If you're based in a constituency office, you may decide to move into a Westminster-based role, where you'll typically gain more exposure to parliamentary procedure, national policy development and political networking.

You should try to build up your experience and take increasing responsibility by developing expertise in one or two policy areas or getting involved with cross-party work such as All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) or select committees. These activities can help you increase your skills and knowledge, develop your network of contacts and raise your professional profile. Try to create a portfolio of press releases, articles and policy involvement to showcase your contributions.

As you progress, you may take on responsibilities such as managing office budgets, line-managing junior staff or overseeing casework systems. You might also move into more specialised roles such as communications, policy analysis, research or speech writing.

Potential career paths include:

working for a high-profile politician, such as a minister
working for party headquarters in a research, communications or policy role
pursuing your own political career
becoming a political adviser or special adviser to senior MPs or ministers.

You may also move into related areas of work, such as:

political consultancy, public affairs, lobbying or strategic communications
think tanks, trade unions, NGOs or charities in research, advocacy or public policy roles
central or local government, including roles in policy, strategy or stakeholder engagement
corporate roles in government affairs, regulatory policy or corporate communications
media careers, such as political journalism or research for news or political programmes
academic or policy research, often at universities or research bodies.

Due to the generally insecure nature of working for a politician, you'll need to proactively manage your career and continually develop your skillset to ensure long-term success.

杨贵妃传媒