Jack Pollard Email and Phone Number

In my current role as Chief of Staff to the Member of Parliament for Derby North, I am ultimately responsible for delivering on the Member’s constituency priorities while ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of her parliamentary office. This includes day to day and strategic management of employees, oversight of casework, advising the Member on political matters and holding personal responsibility for key constituency priorities. On the parliamentary estate I support the Member with her daily engagements and meetings with ministers, constituents and Ministers. The role has offered a rich experience in a range of policy areas that reflect the industries and demographics of Derby North.

I was responsible for Sarah Dines MP’s engagement with key constituency priorities, including river health, delivery of a long-awaited bypass, improving access to dentistry, rail connectivity and other proactive campaigns. I maintain continuous dialogue between Sarah and key stakeholders, arrange frequent meetings, and manage the press and social media associated with these projects. This work has given me a thorough understanding of different sectors including: water, rail, care and the NHS. Alongside my work as a researcher, I am often asked to draft replies to complex policy correspondence and manage some of the office’s most sensitive casework.

Following a formal promotion to Caseworker, I took on additional responsibilities within the office of Sarah Dines MP. For a large period of the summer of 2020, I was the only full-time staff member within the office. My responsibilities included:- Actioning urgent casework on behalf of constituents- Drafting parliamentary speeches - Briefing the Member of constituency matters- Creating policy replies - Attending/assisting with constituency surgeries During this period I fluctuated between full-time employment and part-time (three days per week) during term time of my degree's second year.

Following the suspension of my undergraduate degree due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was asked to bring forward the start of a summer internship I had applied for with Sarah Dines MP. During this time, I was responsible for all manner of casework that was brought to the attention of Sarah Dines MP. I helped constituents access Covid support, I made representations to the DWP and other Government departments, and I drafted bespoke policy replies to constituents' concerns - often regarding the Government's response to the pandemic. I am especially proud that with little parliamentary experience, I worked primarily independently while being the Member's only full-time Caseworker. I facilitated the receipt of undelivered Covid-19 tests to a care home, alerted MH Treasury to undelivered Covid-19 support, and often worked additional hours to ensure constituents' concerns were recognised, actioned and replies were sourced from the Member.

I was responsible for researching, writing articles concerning, and prepared briefings for James’ key policy commitments.These included spending 3% on Defence, introducing an “open operator” passenger railway model, supporting unpaid carers, lifting restrictions on selective state schools, building more homes and reforming the internal workings of the Party.I prepared briefing documents relevant to individual visits for regional hustings and campaign rallies, managed the campaign’s policy correspondence operation, and prepared scripts for his social media content relevant to policy matters.I would also accompany James on a number of visits across the UK to assist the campaign’s Operations team, and to a variety of events at Party Conference that were relevant to the policy work I had done on his behalf.

Having decided to take a gap year before starting my undergraduate degree to pursue work experience opportunities, I travelled to Plymouth for 1 month for an internship in the office of Johnny Mercer MP.My stint within his office coincided with the "May Deal" Brexit votes which generated hundreds of emails each week that needed a reply. I was tasked with ensuring these were sorted, recorded, and replied to. I had the opportunity to observe how Members of Parliament assist constituents and had the opportunity to draft bespoke replies to constituents contacting Mr Mercer regarding a range of policy areas.