About the job

Job summary

GDS exists to help government make brilliant public services that empower people in the UK. We work at the very centre of government to drive digital transformation, focused on users. We build and maintain common platforms, products and tools for others to use and create great public services that are accessible, inclusive and easy to use. We also work with departments to identify patterns, share learning and create change to make government more efficient.

Our teams are organised around delivering on our priorities. These are:

• making it easier for people to find what they are looking for on GOV.UK
• building common service platforms to make it simpler and cheaper to build quality digital services
• promoting agile, user-centred design practices both in the UK and across the world

Job description

We are looking for a highly-organised, proactive, and dedicated individual to provide exceptional support to the Director of Platforms and Services at the Government Digital Service. The role is a challenging one with a high level of exposure and responsibility - you will be exposed to decision-making from the most senior leaders in the civil service, and government. 

You will form an integral part of a friendly and high-performing private office team and join a wider community of private office professionals across GDS, the Cabinet Office and beyond, who work together to support the digital transformation agenda in government.

The ideal candidate is an experienced executive assistant or similar professional with a background in a corporate environment. You will have excellent communication and multitasking skills, and thrive in a fast-paced environment. Your ability to anticipate the Director's needs, adapt to changing priorities, and work well under pressure will be key to your success in this role. 

You will be responsible for keeping the Director’s day on track, ensuring they are well prepared with context to meetings, and have insight from a range of topics to hand. You will also support their SMT to identify the priorities for the Director, and make sure they are delivered.

As a Deputy Private Secretary, you’ll:

• manage the Director's calendar, schedule meetings and appointments, ensuring efficient time management and prioritisation of commitments
• coordinate logistics for meetings, conferences, and events, including preparing agendas, gathering materials, and making necessary arrangements
• organise domestic and international travel arrangements, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and itinerary planning
• prepare and edit correspondence, presentations, and reports on behalf of the Director, ensuring accuracy and adherence to company guidelines
• managing incoming mailbox communications and other correspondence, and prioritise matters that require the Director's attention
• liaising effectively and working in partnership across a range of internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, executives and partners, maintaining professionalism and discretion at all times
• building and maintaining effective working relationships with other Private Offices
• maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding sensitive information
• ensure the office adheres to proprietary guidelines by managing transparency returns and by tracking and archiving expenses
• assist in the preparation and organisation of team meetings, including the distribution of materials and meeting minutes
• work with the Director to identify opportunities to continuously improve the function of the office

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• hold a Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business Administration or a related field
• have previous experience supporting C-level executives, preferably within a digital context
• be exceptionally organised and a great multitasker who can manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines
• demonstrate good judgement and strategic thinking, being able to anticipate approaching risks and opportunities providing mitigation where necessary
• excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a keen attention to detail and the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of an organisation
• strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and other relevant office software - G-Suite would be an advantage
• proactive, solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to anticipate the CEO's needs and take initiative
• adaptability and flexibility, with the ability to work well under pressure and adapt to changing priorities
• willingness to work occasional extended hours and be available as needed to support the director

Benefits

The benefits of working at GDS

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to Government Digital Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access 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

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60 minute video interview

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours: 

• Managing a quality service
• Changing and improving 
• Delivering at pace 
• Making effective decisions

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.