About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade is seeking to appoint a Personal Assistant to the Small Business Growth directorate (SBG), to run the Deputy Director of Analysis and International and the Deputy Director of Enterprise, Corporate and Strategy’s diaries and provide administrative support to the teams as we take forward a vital agenda to support small and medium-sized businesses.  With a high level of engagement from Ministers and the Permanent Secretary this is a great opportunity to work in a high-profile team in DBT, gaining experience of Government administration.   

We are looking for a motivated and collaborative Personal Assistant (PA) to join SBG.  As a PA you will support the work of our Deputy Directors, helping them to co-ordinate their responsibilities, so that they are able to effectively lead their teams to deliver our agenda. 

Job description

The successful candidate will be responsible for: 

• Providing administrative support, including diary and inbox management, to ensure the most efficient use of the Deputy Directors’ time, in-line with their preferred working style. This will require excellent prioritisation, attention to detail and anticipating future diary pressures and advising as appropriate.
• Providing general administrative support to the team, by assisting with contacts, stationery and IT queries.  This may involve serving as an information manager, supporting on recruitment logistics, updating team organograms, ensuring that distribution lists are up to date.
• Assisting in building a positive team identity, working with the Deputy Directors and rest of the team, via ways of working etiquette, team meetings, away days, workshops, social events.
• Arranging travel crucial to delivery for the Deputy Directors by booking transportation and accommodation, processing expense claims within a timely manner, and ensuring that a process is in place to handle workloads when the Deputy Directors are away.

They will also be responsible for the following programme tasks: 

• Supporting the team with preparing documentation for sign-off by Deputy Directors (for example grant agreements, submissions to Ministers, promissory notes).
• Processing financial payments related to programmes on behalf of the Deputy Director, ensuring all approvals are in place, and ensuring a clear audit trail is recorded on the SharePoint system. You may also be required to supporting programme teams on wider data collection, reporting and forecasting.
• Arranging meetings related to programme delivery for the Deputy Directors and other team members, both in terms of logistics (meeting rooms etc) and supporting team members on other programme tasks.
• Supporting programme teams arrange and deliver high-profile partner engagement events related to achieving programme aims

There will also be the opportunity to gain experience of policy work, including by providing secretariat support to senior level Board meetings.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Ability to provide a high-quality administrative service demonstrating strong attention to detail. 
• Experience in successfully managing multiple tasks at the same time. 
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a range of stakeholders, including those at a senior/executive level. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• We are looking for a motivated and collaborative individual with great organisational skills. 

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. 

After the closing date 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. 

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.   

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.  

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 /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. 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.