About the job

Job summary

The newly created Department for Business and Trade brings together the business focused functions of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). Our joint expertise in trade and business provides us with a unique opportunity to unleash the power of UK businesses, reform regulation to reduce burdens and unlock post-Brexit freedom

The Corporate Services DG Group is home to the operations function of the Department and is made up of the following Directorates:

• the Commercial function
• Digital, Data and Technology
• Finance and Business Services (including Health and Safety, Estates, Knowledge and Information Management and Security)
• Human Resources and Organisational Design
• Project Delivery and Change
• the Communications and Marketing directorate

We have two diary manager roles available in different Private Offices within the Corporate Services DG Group. The roles will include, diary and travel management, coordinating briefings, inbox management and supporting private office priorities. These roles will be working to support different senior leaders. One role will be within the Chief Operating Officer's Office (based in Darlington), and one role is in the HR Directorate.

The successful candidates will have strong organisational skills, an eye for detail and be able to juggle competing pressures effectively. You will need excellent communication skills and be confident when talking to senior stakeholders.

These roles provide a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of Private Offices and teams across the Department, and understand how the Department functions. These roles will suit someone who is looking to explore a career in the Civil Service, expand their current experience or have a new challenge within a busy Private Office team.

One of the roles will require SC.

Job description

The successful candidates will join our Private Office teams to deliver a high quality and efficient service. Examples of the work they will undertake include:

• Diary management: strategic management of the diary. Working closely with other private offices to arrange meetings, events, and briefings.   
• Inbox management: including flagging urgent requests, prioritising and managing the flow of correspondence through inbox e.g. Parliamentary Questions.   
• Meeting support: Taking minutes at senior management meetings and distributing to relevant people.  
• Organising travel: senior leaders will occasionally need to travel within the UK and overseas.  You will make travel arrangements in accordance with the Department’s Travel Policies always ensuring cost effectiveness and compliance with the policy.  
• Finance: Handling and processing financial expenses.  
• Supporting the wider Directorate and DG Group: including running internal awards campaigns and managing the process for welcoming new starters. 
• Cross-Team support: including technical/IT, communications, planning events, and other admin tasks as needed.  
• Cross Directorate work: Work effectively as part of Private Offices. This will include working collaboratively with colleagues in the wider team on joint priorities and being flexible to cover periods of leave as required.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Have the ability to plan, organise and work well under pressure – managing conflicting demands effectively.  
• Demonstrate excellent attention to detail.
• Have effective and confident communication skills – an ability to liaise with staff at all levels effectively and communicate with clarity and confidence. 
• Have the ability to build and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. 
• Experience of working both independently and as part of a team to achieve your goals  

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience providing business support or diary management for senior leaders.  

Personal Attributes & Skills:

• You will be highly organised, flexible and resilient.
• You are able to learn quickly and demonstrate pro-activity in your work.
• A team player and good at collaborative working.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,329, Department for Business and Trade contributes £7,378 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, Strengths and Experience.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:  

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 500 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

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

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.  

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department. 

Vetting 

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.   

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments will be made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• 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. Any applicant who has 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. 
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you. 
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

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. 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.