Parliamentary, Constituency & Communications Officer for Keith Brown MSP

Location: Based between the Scottish Parliament and Alloa Constituency Office
Hours: 35 (Full-time)
Salary: £30,687 – £35,000 per annum, depending on experience
Responsible to: Head of Office

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, highly organised and politically aware individual to join the office of Keith Brown MSP as a Parliamentary, Constituency & Communications Officer.

Reporting to the Head of Office, the successful candidate will provide parliamentary and constituency support to the MSP, ensuring parliamentary work is effectively coordinated with constituency activity and communicated across a range of channels.

This is a varied role combining parliamentary support, constituency engagement and digital communications. The successful candidate will help ensure that parliamentary interventions, local campaigns and constituency activity are communicated effectively, with a particular responsibility for creating engaging digital and social media content.

The post requires a regular presence at the Scottish Parliament on key parliamentary sitting days, alongside working from the constituency office in Alloa. This will ensure that communications activity is informed by, and fully integrated with, the MSP’s parliamentary and constituency work.

Key Responsibilities

• Report to the Head of Office, supporting the delivery of the office’s objectives and priorities.
• Provide parliamentary and constituency support to the MSP from both Holyrood and the constituency office.
• Prepare parliamentary briefings, speeches, motions, questions and research as required.
• Manage and develop the MSP’s social media channels and wider digital presence.
• Create, edit and publish engaging written, graphic and video content across multiple digital platforms.
• Identify opportunities to promote parliamentary interventions, constituency campaigns, community activity and local successes.
• Draft press releases, newsletters and other communications materials.
• Support the production of materials including surgery advertising, campaign materials and parliamentary reports.
• Support wider constituency activity, including assisting with casework where required.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Office and wider staff team to ensure parliamentary, constituency and communications activity is effectively coordinated.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear and engaging content for different audiences.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and work to short deadlines.
• Experience of producing high-quality digital and social media content.
• Ability to create engaging visual and video content for digital platforms.
• An understanding of social media trends and how different platforms can be used effectively to communicate with and engage audiences.
• Excellent political awareness, with an interest in Scottish politics, current affairs and the work of the Scottish Parliament.
• Ability to monitor developments, identify relevant issues and opportunities, and communicate these effectively.
• Ability to analyse complex information and present it clearly and concisely.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to develop positive working relationships with constituents, stakeholders and media contacts.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative while also working effectively as part of a small team under the direction of the Head of Office.
• Sound judgement, discretion and an ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Flexibility to work across both parliamentary and constituency settings.

Desirable

• Experience working in a parliamentary, political, public sector, campaigning or communications environment.
• Proficiency in graphic design and video-editing software, such as Canva, Adobe products or equivalent.
• Experience using social media management and scheduling tools.
• Experience producing short-form video and other digital-first content.
• Knowledge of local government and Scottish public services.
• Experience of media relations, campaigning or stakeholder engagement.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who is proactive, creative and politically astute, with excellent attention to detail and a genuine commitment to public service.

You will be comfortable moving between parliamentary business, constituency activity and digital communications – whether that means preparing a briefing at Holyrood, producing a video or graphic for social media, helping communicate the outcome of parliamentary work to constituents or supporting a local campaign or individual constituents.

Digital communications will be an important part of the role, so we are particularly interested in someone who understands how to turn parliamentary and constituency activity into clear, engaging and accessible digital content.

Working under the direction of the Head of Office, you will play a central role in ensuring the office’s parliamentary, communications and constituency work is coordinated effectively and delivered to a high standard.

Applications are welcome from candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences who can demonstrate the skills and attributes required for the role.

To apply please send your CV and covering letter, explaining why you are the best candidate for the position to ellen.forson@parliament.scot by 5pm on 13^th November, with initial interviews taking place in Alloa on 4^th December.  The interview process will involve a practical exercise to be completed in advance.