Private Secretary Nottingham, England
Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates
At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.
Equality and Diversity - Department for Education
It is an exciting and extraordinary time to work in the Department for Education (DfE) and we are offering
a fantastic opportunity to be at the heart of the Department in Strategy Group within the Director
General’s (DG) Private Office.
This is an integral and fast paced role, that will see you supporting the DG on a day-to-day basis. This will
involve the management and delivery of Private Office functions to drive forward Strategy Group’s
priorities, enabling the Director General to lead and manage departmental business effectively,
including coordinating high quality briefing and preparing for meetings.
You will also need to develop and maintain a wide range of relationships with colleagues from teams
across the group, other private offices within DfE, across Whitehall, and with a range of key
stakeholders.
Your work will support Strategy Group’s mission in drawing the department together around a shared
strategy, set of aims and purpose. Communicating internally and externally, we anticipate and response
to current and future challenges, using better data, evidence and customer and stakeholder insight to
inform our strategy, policy response and delivery. The Strategy Group consists of seven Directorates:
Resilience - Building a resilient education & care system able to respond at pace.
Strategy and Delivery - Supporting Ministers and the Department unite behind a strategy and turn it
into reality.
Disadvantage, International and Sustainability Directorate – Leading policy, delivery and analysis that
addresses disadvantage and disparities faced by young people. Collaborates across DfE and HMG to
lead the UK’s global education priorities and sets the strategy to ensure that the education system
moves towards a more nature based and sustainable future.
Strategic Analysis, Research, Data and Science (SARDIS) - Ensures the Department’s strategic
priorities are informed by data, analysis, evidence, and research – driving departmental strategy and
decision-making.
Communications - Explaining policy, change behaviour, protecting DfE reputation and supporting
operational effectiveness through professional communications and engagement.
Transformation and Policy Capability - Encompassing Future DfE, the cross-government and DfE
embedded Policy Profession and Race Programme which pulls together all DfE’s work to tackle race
and ethnicity disparities and create a race-inclusive culture through increased knowledge and
awareness. The directorate also sponsors the Policy Lab and Open Innovation Team.
Private Office – Providing day-to-day support to the Ministerial team, Permanent Secretary and
Advisors and co-ordinating the Department’s Parliamentary business.
Job description
The role requires excellent day to day management and delivery of Private Office support to the DG, including:
Providing clear commissions and steers to relevant colleagues in advance of meetings and events and obtaining contributions from all appropriate stakeholders.
Commissioning and co-ordinating relevant briefing and papers ahead of DG meetings within their portfolio area.
Advise the Director General on policy areas and pre-empting key challenges.
Acting as a conduit between the Director General and the Group, Ministerial Private Offices, the wider Department and other Government Departments to ensure activities are co-ordinated across the department.
Policy lead for various portfolios covering several directorates within the group, including being the principle contact for those teams in their interactions with the DG.
Management of the Director General’s inbox including responding to emails on their behalf (where appropriate), delegating to others across the team and Directorate, whilst ensuring responsible leads are confirmed and actioning items, intelligently managing the information flow to the Director General.
Quality assuring a range of materials, taking a view on them and ensuring they are fit for purpose before they go to the Director General.
Lead on correspondence and cross-cutting items for the Director General.
Provide on-call out of hours cover for the DG’s Private Office (one week in five as part of a team rota).
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
The successful candidate will be a strong team player, comfortable working in high pressure environment
to handle challenges, particularly:
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, pressured and frequently changing environment, including getting up to speed quickly and being flexible when needed
- Excellent organisational skills and able to prioritise effectively under pressure
- Excellent policy skills, with the ability to process and analyse large amounts of information, draw conclusions and weigh up conflicting evidence
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including drafting advice and articulating complex messages
- Excellent team working skills, being flexible and adaptable to support the wider team goals and supporting junior colleagues
- Experience of working across different teams and organisations to deliver together, whilst supporting junior colleagues
- Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with senior stakeholders
Benefits
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application
750 word statement to show how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification
section & CV. The CV and statement will be assessed against the essential criteria detailed in the advert.
Interview
- Sift is likely to take place, 2nd March
- Interviews are likely to take place 15th March
- Interviews will take place virtually via Teams
Other Information
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
For this role the department would not consider sponsoring a Certificate of Sponsorship/visa. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Department of Education via [email protected] soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
