Job Description

Details

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Reference number

419183

Salary

61,176 - 73,351
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

WP - Commission and Member Support Service (CAMS)

Type of role

Senior leadership

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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Cardiff

About the job

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Job summary

This is a challenging and exciting role in which you will work closely with Members, the Chief Executive and Clerk, Director of Communications and Engagement, existing Head of MBS, Head of CAMS, the Head of Member Liaison and other senior leaders and service areas within the Senedd Commission as well as the Independent Remuneration Board and its secretariat. You will need to demonstrate sound judgement and win their trust and confidence.



You will be responsible for advising Members, providing accurate and timely procedural advice, drafting politically sensitive briefings, reports and advice to tight deadlines. You will frequently be required to provide advice directly to Members on extremely sensitive matters, and in a fast-paced environment. In doing so, you must maintain the trust of all Members whilst never shying away from difficult conversations and decisions.



As joint head of MBS(reporting to the Head of CAMS), you will ensure that Members have access to excellent operational support for them to utilise their time most effectively. Together, and with the help of other staff from across Directorates, you will plan and deliver the programme of work. You will be challenged to be creative and innovative, within the context of your thorough understanding of the Senedd's regulatory framework, and work autonomously where appropriate.



The post-holder will also help to support and advise the Independent Remuneration Board (and its Clerking team) on matters relating to Members' allowances and staffing arrangements. This includes attending Board meetings and briefing Board Members. More generally, you will need to demonstrate a personal commitment to the Senedd Commission's values, leading change in support of the Senedd Commission's strategic objectives.

Job description

The Members' Business Support team (MBS) is part of Commission and Member Support Service. It currently provides advice and guidance to 60 Members who employ c275 support staff. The team provides information, guidance and advice on all aspects of the financial support available to Members. The team is responsible for approving, paying and publishing all claims drawn against Member allowances. The team also provide advice on a broad range of generalist HR matters, including operational and recruitment support for Members in their capacity as employers within the Senedd's regulatory framework and the ever changing field of HR and employment law and practice.



Operating within the Independent Remuneration Board's Determination on salaries and allowances, and the regulatory framework that applies to Members, you must have a strong focus on customer service excellence and providing procedural advice, whilst also being able to deliver consistent and appropriate solutions to assist Members in the delivery of their responsibilities.



At this time we are preparing for the most significant changes in the Senedd's constitution since its establishment with its expansion from 60 to 96 Members come the elections in 2026. The team is expanding to support the increase in demand for our services, at the same time we are bringing the Members Business Support team more closely alongside our Member Learning and Engagement team to establish clear expectations of working together. This recognises the cross-cutting nature of our

communication and engagement with Members which enables the delivery of the integrated package of responsibilities of the two teams' Member Services.


The Member Learning and Engagement team (MLE) delivers a varied programme of training and development activities to Members of the Senedd, and their staff across Wales, and has a lead responsibility for engagement with Members on Senedd Commission services and initiatives to support them in fulfilling their roles.


This post will sit alongside an existing post holder within MBS and the Head of Member Liaison (MLE team), with the three postholders expected to work closely together. A key aim is for teams to be interconnected, allowing knowledge to flow between them and enabling challenges to be solved with a holistic approach by bringing knowledge, skills and intelligence from different teams together. Each post holder will have day-to-day line management responsibilities. Teams will also be expected to work in matrix style across significant workstreams which may be led by a different person.


This is a challenging and exciting role in which you will work closely with Members, the Chief Executive and Clerk, Director of Communications and Engagement, existing Head of MBS, Head of CAMS, the Head of Member Liaison and other senior leaders and service areas within the Senedd Commission as well as the Independent Remuneration Board and its secretariat. You will need to demonstrate sound judgement and win their trust and confidence.


You will be responsible for advising Members, providing accurate and timely procedural advice, drafting politically sensitive briefings, reports and advice to tight deadlines. You will frequently be required to provide advice directly to Members on extremely sensitive matters, and in a fast-paced environment. In doing so, you must maintain the trust of all Members whilst never shying away from difficult conversations and decisions.


As joint head of MBS(reporting to the Head of CAMS), you will ensure that Members have access to excellent operational support for them to utilise their time most effectively. Together, and with the help of other staff from across Directorates, you will plan and deliver the programme of work. You will be challenged to be creative and innovative, within the context of your thorough understanding of the Senedd's regulatory framework, and work autonomously where appropriate.


The post-holder will also help to support and advise the Independent Remuneration Board (and its Clerking team) on matters relating to Members' allowances and staffing arrangements. This includes attending Board meetings and briefing Board Members.


More generally, you will need to demonstrate a personal commitment to the Senedd Commission's values, leading change in support of the Senedd Commission's strategic objectives.

Person specification

Job Specific criteria:

1. Personal impact and political sensitivity - demonstrate the ability to win the trust and confidence of politicians from different parties and senior managers, shaping your behaviour to deal confidently and impartially with them. You will be able to use your experience and an awareness of the implications of working in a dynamic and complex, politically sensitive environment to influence and persuade individuals to a particular course of action


2. Analytical skills and sound judgement - demonstrate the ability to absorb, consider and relay complex information clearly, concisely and with consistency. You will be able to use these skills to understand and respond to situations appropriately, developing coherent and workable solutions which take account of the bigger picture and make connections between different issues.


3. Exceptional communication skills - both written and oral, which can be adapted to suit a variety of audiences. You will need to have outstanding drafting and communication skills. You will be able to produce information which is clear and accurate and offer unbiased advice both in writing and orally. You must always be politically impartial.


4. Regulatory framework - demonstrate experience and knowledge of working and delivering advice in a complex environment, encompassing different policies, guidance and legislative requirements.


5. Leading a team - the ability to motivate and lead a team, working collaboratively to prioritise resources considering changing demands and customer needs to focus on the areas of greatest impact to ensure successful delivery.

Desirable criteria:

The following qualities are not essential for this particular post but have been deemed as desirable. These will only be taken into account in the event of two (or more) candidates acquiring the same score at either application or interview stage.


1. Experience in providing generalist Human Resource advice and support on a range of operational and recruitment matters or Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (or currently working towards MCIPD).

2. Experience of overseeing financial procedures, counter-fraud measures, retention of records requirements, HRMC requirements in relation to expense claims and benefits or internal accounting requirements.

3. Experience of managing the delivery of high-profile projects.

Welsh language criteria:

The language skills for this post have been assessed Courtesy Level Welsh. Candidates should have the ability to:

Pronounce Welsh names, answer the telephone, greet people or make introductions bilingually. Understand and use proactively familiar, every day, expressions. Understand very short texts where people are giving basic information about themselves or others in correspondence, on forms or to interpret content using the technology available.
If the successful candidate does not possess these skills, they will be expected to commit to learn them during an agreed period.

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 61,176, Welsh Parliament contributes 17,722 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Learning and development tailored to your role An environment with flexible working options A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

Candidates are required to complete an application form through our recruitment portal addressing the job specific and desirable criteria.



Closing Date for applications: 10 August 2025.


Your application must be submitted before midnight on the closing date.



You will be updated on your progress via the email address you first register with. Please check your Junk Mail and Spam folders to make sure you don't miss any future correspondence.



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .



See our vetting charter .
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.



We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

Name : Sulafa Thomas Email : Sulafa.Thomas@Senedd.Wales
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Recruitment team

Email : jobs@senedd.wales

Further information

https://senedd.wales/commission/work-for-the-senedd-commission/