Information and Administrative Assistant

Updated 6 June 2008

Post: Information and Administrative Assistant (Policy/Research)

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Location: Edinburgh
Accountable to: Policy and Parliamentary Information Officer
Objective:

To provide information and administrative support to the policy and research teams.

Responsibilities

To provide administrative support to the policy and research teams.
To administer and support relevant groups/forums including Children in Scotland’s Participation Network, the Cross Party Group on Children and Young People and the Fathers’ Project.
To source relevant information for, compile, analyse and disseminate the 4Nations policy information briefing.
To source and compile for on-line publication local authority level statistics relevant to children, young people and their families.
To assist in developing content, and to maintain and update the relevant sections of the website.
To provide administrative support in the planning, organisation and running of events, including minute taking, and any follow up as required.
To answer general calls, including information requests.
To undertake other appropriate duties as required.

Person Specification

Essential qualities:

Good communication skills (both written and verbal).
Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
Computer literacy, in particular Word, Excel and experience of maintaining databases.
Experience of working independently, using initiative and working to deadlines.
Experience of managing a diverse work portfolio to a high standard, even when busy.
Ability to work successfully as a participating member of a team of colleagues.
Experience in minute taking and awareness of support needed in servicing groups or committees.
Thorough and meticulous attention to detail.

Desirable qualities:

Experience in providing administrative support for events.
Experience of website maintenance.
Experience of working with statistics and data.
Relevant Degree or equivalent qualifications/experience.
Awareness of legislation and policy relating to children and young people.

Terms and Conditions of Service

Contract	3 Year Fixed Term (with the possibility of extension)
Salary scale	Scottish Joint Council (SJC) 15-18, at time of writing being £15,828 - £16,932
Hours	Full time – 5 days per week (36.25 hour week). Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm, with 45 minutes for lunch (a 36.25 hour week). From time to time the work will demand a more irregular working pattern, evening and weekend work, and the occasional overnight stay.
Annual leave	25 days including 5 days to allow for irregular hours of work necessary from time to time. Nine public and local holidays pro-rata per annum.
Family Leave	Children in Scotland offers enhanced entitlement in relation to dependants/family leave and parental leave, details of which are available on request.
Sick leave	Based on SJC conditions of service. Cover relates to length of service.
Pension	Children in Scotland is a member of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations' Money Purchase Pension scheme. Employees may join this scheme with a minimum contribution of 3% of their salary and Children in Scotland will contribute 6%.
Criminal Convictions	All interviewees are requested to complete a Self Disclosure statement. Appointment to the post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure certificate (Basic) being issued by Disclosure Scotland (and/or similar document by relevant overseas authority). Continuing employment will be subject to satisfactory Disclosure certificates being issued by Disclosure Scotland every two years following the appointment. Where the contents of a Disclosure certificate (or similar document) are not satisfactory, Children in Scotland reserve the right to withdraw the offer of employment/terminate employment. Children in Scotland will regularly assess the post in relation to the level of Disclosure Scotland certificate required and reserves the right to request an alternative level of disclosure in the future in line with changes in legislation or of the work carried out by the post holder.
Qualifications	Successful candidates will be required to produce original certificates for verification of qualifications.
Eligibility to work in the UK	Successful candidates will be required to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the U.K.
Probation	There is a probationary period of 6 months. This is exempt from the disciplinary procedures.
Notice	4 weeks in writing.

Closing date for applications - 12 noon, Friday 20 June 2008

Interviews will be held in Edinburgh week commencing 30 June 2008

Criminal Records Checks
Appointment of successful candidates for posts which will have regular contact with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults will be subject to a satisfactory criminal records check.

All candidates should read this further information.

Applications for any open vacancies are invited by post or electronically. Simply download the Guidance Notes, Application Form and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, complete both of the forms and return them to us at the addresses below.

Applicants should use either Application Form 1, which should be printed off, completed and posted to us, or Application Form 2, which should be downloaded, completed electronically, and printed off and posted or emailed to us. In the same way, either Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form 1 or Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form 2 can be used.

Please ensure that you refer to the Guidance Notes when completing the Application Form.

The Guidance Notes and Application Form 1 are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can read and print them using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this software, you can download and install it free of charge by clicking the "Get Acrobat Reader" button below.

To view the files with Adobe Acrobat you may need to download a reader by clicking on the following link:

Please note that if more than one post is applied for a separate application form will be required for each post.

If posting applications then please send them marked for the Office Manager and clearly label envelope "PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL".

For information, email recruitment@childreninscotland.org.uk
or contact us at
Children in Scotland, Princes House, 5 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4RG
Tel: 0131 228 8484. Fax: 0131 228 8585.

Children in Scotland is the national agency for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals working with children and their families in Scotland. It is committed to becoming an equal opportunities employer; we would welcome applications from minority ethnic groups and disabled people.

For more information on our Equal Opportunities Policy, click here.