About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade brings together the Government’s priority business and trade agendas in a single economic growth department.  The department combines the business-facing parts of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT) and is a powerful voice for business in government.  It brings sector, markets and regulation experts together with world-class trade negotiators and business support teams across the UK and the international network to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business.  The department works to support both inward investment and exports and opens new markets through removing trade barriers, implementing trade deals and supporting businesses to operate both at home and abroad.   

The Department’s Private Office Group is looking for a talented and proactive person to join the Ministerial Operations Team that sits at the very heart of the Department to help facilitate the day-to-day operational requirements of the offices of the Secretary of State, Ministers, their Special Advisers and the Department’s Permanent Secretaries. 

This role provides a rare and comprehensive insight to all the operational processes that keep the Civil Service running and provides valuable exposure to the Department’s Ministerial Team and its most senior officials. 

Job description

We are recruiting for the position of Ministerial Operations Officer in the Ministerial Operations Team to help facilitate the vital work of our Private Offices to fulfil the strategic objectives of the department.  

You will join a friendly and supportive team, led by an experienced team leader.  You will be given the tools and training to succeed and to help you to develop your career further in an environment with a positive culture that values everyone and encourages your success. 

You will deliver a high-quality service to the Private Offices of the Secretary of State, five Ministers, their Special Advisers and the Department’s two Permanent Secretaries. 

Reporting to the Deputy Head of the Ministerial Operations you will help manage the smooth running of the day-to-day operations of the team, supporting pro-actively where needed. 

The responsibilities of the team are varied and you will be responsible for covering various aspects of this remit which can encompass anything from the onboarding of Ministers to sourcing a replacement for the Secretary of State’s red ministerial briefing box. 

You will cover, amongst other things, various aspects of HR and recruitment, finance processing, estates matters, the provision of Ministerial car services, logistics, freedom of information requests (FOIs), parliamentary questions (PQs) and the completion of the Cabinet Office quarterly transparency returns covering Ministerial and Special Adviser travel, meetings, gifts and hospitality. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

You must ensure the successful candidate meets your specification entirely, so do not put expectations that are not vital. 

• Good communication skills with the ability to work with a wide range of people and maintain strong working relations.
• Good judgement with the confidence to use your own initiative to proactively handle competing priorities while delivering to tight deadlines.
• Have the capability to adapt to rapidly changing demands and deploy a proactive approach to your work with a keenness to learn and deliver.

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience of coordinating and planning activity across numerous teams within the Department and with third-party delivery partners.
• Recruitment experience.
• Finance experience.

Personal Attributes & Skills 

We are looking for a confident self-starter who can either bring an existing skill set to the job or a positive and enthusiastic attitude to learn the specifics of the job quickly. The Ministerial Operations Team is seen as a go-to option when Private Office staff require quick answers to a variety of questions on operational processes, so a can-do approach with the ability to adapt is always helpful while at the same time having the ability to manage expectations. 

Location and Working Arrangements

Due to the need for regular access to Private Offices, this Post can only be worked from DBT’s Old Admiralty Building, London HQ. 

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,185, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,419 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 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 only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

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

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. 

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 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.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.  
• 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 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. 

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.