About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Are you an enthusiastic self-starter with exceptional communication skills?

Do you have excellent organisational and prioritisation skills?

Would you like the opportunity to gain exposure to senior officials, in an exciting and supportive working environment?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

The Future Transport Systems & Environment (FTSE) Directorate plays a central role in shaping a sustainable future of transport in the UK and delivering outcomes for transport users. Our work makes a huge difference to the daily lives of millions across UK and being at the forefront of the Department’s strategic aims makes FTSE an exciting place to be. We have a strong collaborative ethos, with teams working across our Leeds, Birmingham, London, and Hastings office's.

We are seeking an enthusiastic self-starter to take on the role of Diary Manager and Administrative Support to Directors/Deputy Directors across the directorate. This role is perfect for a confident and dedicated individual who will thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. The postholder must be exceptionally organised, with a flexible working approach and demonstrate good judgement and time management to prioritise urgent requests and monitor progress on key tasks.

We are looking for someone with strong stakeholder management skills who can confidently communicate at all levels with internal and external stakeholders, both verbally and in writing. Building and maintaining positive professional relationships is key because you will be responsible for supporting multiple teams. You will gain exposure to senior officials, key stakeholder meetings and decision-making processes. You will also have opportunities to undertake formal training and be involved in stretching projects that enhance your expertise.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Providing diary support by managing, and prioritising multiple demands for the Directors or Deputy Directors. Proactively and independently making decisions on which meetings to prioritise, anticipating and scheduling regular meetings.
• Providing effective inbox management, monitoring, and using sound judgement to action Directors’ or Deputy Directors’ high volume of sensitive/urgent emails where necessary.
• Manage the Directors’ or Deputy Directors’ schedule and arrange meetings to ensure sufficient time for priorities, travel, desk-time and breaks and arranging travel and accommodation when necessary.
• Handling and managing the flow of correspondence including paperwork and briefing materials for upcoming meetings. Ensuring that the Directors or Deputy Directors are in the correct location, with the correct papers and aware of upcoming appointments.
• Coordinating internal and external meetings, events and visits. 

For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About You  

To thrive in this role, you will have proven administrative and organisational skills with the ability to manage several conflicting priorities to meet tight deadlines. 

You have strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build effective working relationships across teams and at all levels. 

You demonstrate resilience and are responsive to moving components in the diary with the confidence in your own ability to apply good judgement when making fast-paced decisions. You work well independently and as part of a team.

Additional Information 

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

The role will require occasional travel for away days, key meetings and team events.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (750 words). Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Proven administrative and organisational skills and the ability to support a large team, whilst working flexibly and managing your own workload effectively.
• Strong inter-personal skills with experience of building good working relationships across teams, including with Senior Leadership teams.
• Experience of managing several conflicting priorities to meet tight deadlines, proactively forward planning and tracking ongoing tasks whilst keeping relevant stakeholders informed.

The sift is due to take place 1st & 2nd February 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held virtually via MS Teams 15th & 19th February 2024. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An Interview

This interview will be conducted virtually. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

Security

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. 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.