About the job

Job summary

The Minister for the Armed Forces has a wide-ranging portfolio, including Overseas Operations and Engagements, UK Resilience, Counter Terrorism, Russia and Ukraine, Afghan Resettlement and Permanent Joint Overseas Bases. Working in their Private Office provides excellent insight into Defence and cross-Government policy making, as well as how the Department fulfils its obligations to Parliament.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and organised individual to fill the position of Diary Secretary to the Minister for the Armed Forces. This is an exciting, high-profile role which sits right at the top of the Ministry of Defence. The office is a busy, friendly, and supportive environment; the effective running of the Minister’s diary is essential for the smooth and efficient running of the business.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

The post holder will be primarily responsible for maintaining strategic oversight of the diary. You will need to work collaboratively with the wider civilian – military Private Office to ensure the Minister’s time is managed efficiently by highlighting key risks and opportunities. You will need to maintain a wider awareness of the changing priorities and responsibilities within the team and be able to distinguish between the preferable and critical when prioritising the Minister’s time.

The Minister has a very busy schedule which often changes at short-notice, and therefore you will need to be confident in communicating to senior stakeholders and be resilient in the face of challenge and change. However, you will be supported by a close-knit team. The post holder will also lead on organising the travel arrangements required for the Ministers domestic and overseas engagements. There may also be an opportunity to take on a small portfolio in discussion with the Private Secretary.

You must also have an aptitude for building rapport with a diverse range of people, as managing Min AF’s time will regularly impact upon other stakeholders across Defence and across Government. Good organisational skills will enable the post holder to manage the diary successfully, and attention to detail will allow for a smooth transition to and from meetings. An understanding of Departmental and Parliamentary processes would be desirable but is not essential.

There may be opportunities for some domestic or international travel and to shape the role to support development needs.

We offer flexibility where we can, but the post-holder will be largely office based and must be willing to work longer hours when required – you are entitled to a duty and Private Office allowance. 

• Managing the diary, remaining cognitive of both short and longer-term priorities.
• Making sure practical arrangements are in place for all meetings, including booking visitors in, confirming suitable meeting rooms and booking travel.
• Managing logistics for, and booking, domestic and international travel for the office.
• Receiving and responding to invitations, including evening events – some attendance at events, in discussion with the team
• Submitting business cases and transparency returns for travel and subsistence.
• Additional administrative tasks including, managing the Minister’s technology requirements, escorting external visitors, updating the Ministerial Correspondence and Parliamentary Questions tracker and providing Cabinet Office Transparency Returns

Person specification

• Self-starters who are comfortable working independently in a fast-paced environment, able to set goals, create opportunities, win support for them and see them through.
• People with excellent interpersonal skills, able to express themselves clearly and engage with a diverse set of senior stakeholders to ensure that Ministers’ priorities are met.
• People with sound judgement and analytical skills, able to take evidence-based decisions and calculated risks, with a good instinct for when to seek direction.
• People who are resilient, able to oversee and progress a broad programme of activities, prioritising among them and delivering to deadlines.
• Individuals who are highly organised and able to establish a close working relationship with a wide range of contacts, inside and outside of the Department.
• A sense of fun and a willingness to help develop a close and supportive team ethos.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,641 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will also be required to provide a 500-word personal statement which sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential / desirable requirements for the role.

The sift assessment will be based on the CV, Personal Statement and  the following two Behaviours :

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating & Influencing
• Working Together

If a large number of applications are received, the initial sift will be completed against the Personal Statement and Making Effective Decisions.

All other behaviours listed above will be explored at interview.

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

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.