Domestic Committees Apprentice

House of Commons

The House of Commons is a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system.

Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.

Staff Benefits

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:

• 30 days' annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year).
• Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• Access to training and development.
• Flexible working.
• Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.

Introduction

The Governance Office is responsible for key corporate functions, including the Domestic Committees and Governance Secretariat, Strategic Planning and Performance, Parliamentary Safety, Information Compliance and Internal Audit.

The Domestic Committees and Governance Secretariat provides secretariat services, support and advice to the Commission (and Members Estimate Committee), the Finance Committee, the Administration Committee, the Administration Estimate Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (and Members Estimate Audit Committee) and the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art. These groups represent the senior Member bodies in the House of Commons which decide and advise on how the House Administration should deliver its services to Members, staff and visitors.

The Speaker is proud to be launching the 'Speaker's Apprenticeship Academy' which will work to widen the House Service talent pool by creating six new apprentice roles which will be placed across the House of Commons. Apprentices will have the unique opportunity to learn and develop their skills in the UK Parliament, the home of British democracy. We're not looking for politics experts, we want to hear from candidates who might not have previously considered the House of Commons as a workplace option, and who are early in their careers and not in full time education.

The Role

This Domestic Committees Apprenticeship offers the opportunity to participate in a wide range of work across the team as it supports different Boards and Committees, from setting up and supporting meetings to ensuring the resolution of questions from Members, their staff and House staff.

The successful candidate will help each part of the team with their business administration and learn how the governance of the Administration operates. This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys providing excellent customer service, is well organised and is eager to explore new opportunities.

You are not expected to be able to do everything from day one. You will be well supported and mentored and have access to training courses offered by the House of Commons.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

• Providing administrative support to the Domestic Committees and Governance team, including:
  • Setting up and supporting meetings, including Committee meetings;
  • Manage the collation and electronic distribution of committee papers;
• Collate, analyse, and summarise information and documentation in Excel or Word;
• Preparing documents for publication and acting as a CMS user for the team, updating or developing pages.

As part of this role, you'll undertake a Business Administration Apprenticeship at Level 3. This is the academic equivalent of two 'A' Levels.

We will enrol you onto the apprenticeship shortly after you join, and it will typically take 18 months to complete. You will complete training for 20% of your time, including from an apprenticeship training provider. More information on the apprenticeship can be found here: Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

Skills and Experience

Eligibility:

The following qualifications are required for this role:

• GCSE (or equivalent) at A*-C/4-9 in English
• GCSE (or equivalent) at A*-C/4-9 in Mathematics

If you have a degree or other qualification in Business or 50% or more in Business or similar, you will be ineligible. Please contact the Learning and Careers Team at if you unsure about your qualifications.

If you are successful at interview, you will be asked to provide proof of these qualifications as part of the apprenticeship enrolment process. Please note, these roles are apprenticeship roles. If you have a degree in an unrelated field and you have the required GCSEs (or equivalent), then you are eligible to apply.

Please contact the Apprenticeships Team on if you have any questions relating to this apprenticeship.

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• Good written and oral communication skills, with the ability to express information in a clear manner with good attention to detail.
• Ability to work inclusively and flexibly within a team, recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion, positively accepts constructive feedback and acts on advice given.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise your own workload and identify opportunities to support others.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office suite, including Word and Outlook. Has the capability to learn new IT skills, including internal systems.

Next Steps and Additional Information

• Application Form - If you would like to apply for this role, please submit an application providing evidence against criteria 1-4 in the Job Description.

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description.