Political Research Assistant

Role overview

Gloucestershire County Council is hiring a Political Research Assistant to support the Green Group from Shire Hall in Gloucestershire, England. This fixed-term role runs for four years, aligned to the current Council term from May 2025 to May 2029. The position is 37 hours per week and is not open to job share at present.

The post offers a salary of £41,771 to £47,181 per year and carries job requisition number 14317. The closing date for applications is 01/07/2026.

What the role involves

This opportunity is for someone with a strong interest in local democracy and political work who wants a varied and demanding position. You will help the political group organise and coordinate its business, stay informed about national issues that affect local government, and provide day-to-day support to group members.

The role also includes writing press materials, preparing briefing notes, and managing the group’s social media presence. You will be expected to contribute to online communications and help keep the team responsive to changing priorities.

About you

The council is looking for someone with strong verbal and written communication skills, relevant experience in a political setting, and a solid grasp of social media and digital communication. Experience does not have to be specific to Gloucestershire.

You should be self-driven, comfortable juggling changing demands, and able to handle political sensitivities with confidence. Experience working with the media and other partners, especially in a local government context, would be an advantage. The ideal candidate will be educated to degree level or have equivalent experience.

Additional information

This role is designated as politically restricted under Section 9 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. It may be offered on a job-share basis, although the vacancy notice also states that it is not currently open to job share.

Hybrid working is available for most council roles, combining remote and office-based work where service needs and individual preference allow.

The council is unable to provide sponsorship for this role. Applicants must already have the right to work in a way that allows them to commit to at least six months of employment, and right-to-work permission cannot be transferred from a sponsored role with another employer.

For customer-facing posts, the Immigration Act 2016 requires the successful candidate to demonstrate the ability to carry out all spoken aspects of the job confidently in fluent English.

Benefits

Employees can expect flexible and agile working options, family-friendly support, and opportunities for career development and qualifications. The council also offers a supportive environment with regular supervision, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, an Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7, occupational health support, staff discounts, a cycle-to-work scheme, employee networks, and a salary sacrifice green car scheme where terms and conditions apply.

Annual leave starts at 25.5 days and rises to 30.5 days after five years of continuous service. Staff may also buy up to 10 additional days of leave each year, pro rata for part-time employees.

Recruitment details

To discuss the role further, contact Stephen Bace in Democratic Services on 01452 324204 or email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk. Interviews are scheduled for the week beginning 13 July 2026.

A job profile is available for the position.