This position is no longer open for applications

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ADVISOR REQUIRED FOR A MIDDLE/END OF MAY START! BASED IN BIRMINGHAM £30000 - £35000 + 15% BONUS PAID MONTHLY

Freedom Of Information Advisor is needed to provide a response service for parliamentary and senior stakeholder correspondence and Parliamentary Questions. This will be working for a rail project client based in London.

The purpose of the role will be to co-ordinate and support the preparation of appropriate responses to requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004

You will support the delivery of public affairs and stakeholder engagement strategies, consistent with the wider corporate affairs programme, including supporting colleagues in arranging and undertaking engagement activities and providing appropriate briefing materials.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Prepare briefing materials and written correspondence from Members of Parliament, Peers and senior stakeholders for the clients leadership team, whilst working and coordinating with colleagues in other teams and functions
• Deliver the provision of responses to Parliamentary Questions
• Acknowledge, log, co-ordinate and respond directly to requests for information received by the client under the FOI Act 2000 and EIR 2004; making an assessment on the information held by the organisation, the service areas responsible and whether the information can be disclosed.
• Formulate written responses to FOI/EIR requests, working with and advising colleagues, senior managers and directors in other directorates to reduce complex materials into a concise form and to agree a final response.
• Maintain accurate records to ensure that all requests can be tracked and are dealt with in a timely manner and within the statutory time-frames.
• Develop and maintain relationships and flows of information across the organisation to support the delivery of public affairs activities and the wider corporate affairs programme
• Support the wider Public Affairs Team in the delivery of individual campaign and project plans, in order to contribute to the delivery of the public affairs and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Support the delivery of the senior contact programme and the speaker requests process, creating and maintaining records in order to help provide a systematic engagement plan for the clients leadership team
• Assist the Briefings, Correspondence & FOI Manager with internal training workshops; dealing with the logistics, preparing materials and supporting delivery where required, in order to ensure broad understanding across the organisation of FOI and EIR issues.
• Support the Briefings, Correspondence & FOI Manager in dealing with requests who are dissatisfied and wish to appeal decisions made in relation to their requests.
• Assist in preparing submissions to the Information Commissioner’s Office as required.
• Respond to updates in guidance and legislation, ensuring the company meets requirements through updating policy and procedures in relation to FOI Act and EIR.

REQUIRED CRITERIA

SKILLS

• Communications skills, particularly drafting responses to enquiries
• Stakeholder management, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to adapt to different audiences and deal with difficult customers/stakeholders
• Analytical skills, including the ability to collate, interpret and present information in a coherent and meaningful way
• Organisational and planning skills, with the ability to coordinate and respond to multiple customer or stakeholder enquiries within specified timescales
• Ability to handle confidential information sensitively and discretely
• Ability to produce results under pressure

KNOWLEDGE

• Political awareness and understanding
• Knowledge of the planning and parliamentary process
• Knowledge of the FOI Act (2000) and EIR (2004)
• Knowledge of corporate communications, community engagement, internal communications, social media, PR and media relations
• Understanding of government communications processes and UK Parliament process
• Understanding of customer relationship management (CRM) databases
• Understanding of methods for engaging with politicians at a national and local level
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes, especially Excel

TYPE OF EXPERIENCE

• Experience of managing briefings and correspondence to senior stakeholders and information requests to meet statutory requirements
• Experience in co-ordinating and responding to multiple customer or stakeholder enquiries in a timely manner
• Experience of working with financial, policy and technical concepts to deliver accessible and accurate briefings and correspondence
• Experience in handling FOI/EIR requests (and the requirements of the FOI Act 2000 and EIR 2004
• Experience in processing or handling sensitive data and enquiries
• Experience in developing persuasive content for use across a range of communications channels
• Experience in working with or for publicly funded organisations (e.g. a central government department)