About the job

Job summary

The Home Office has one of the most challenging and critical jobs in Whitehall: to keep Britain safe and secure. We operate at the heart of the Government's agenda, leading on immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime policy, counter-extremism and counter-terrorism and state threats and work to ensure visible, responsive, and accountable policing in the UK. The challenges the Department faces are significant and can change rapidly in the global environment in which we operate, making this one of the most exciting and stimulating Government Departments in which to work.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work at the heart of the Department. You will play a leading role in supporting the Home Secretary in delivering their responsibilities by ensuring the best possible use of their time. You will be part of a small and friendly team in the Home Secretary’s private office. You will have the opportunity to experience work at the highest level and to interact on a daily basis with the most senior Ministers and officials within and outside the Home Office. You’ll need to be a flexible and enthusiastic individual who is detail-oriented and able to take a problem-solving and proactive approach to your work. 

Job description

The role requires a high degree of flexibility, discretion and self-sufficiency. The diary and travel arrangements may be changed at very short notice, often late in the evening or early in the morning, and it is the post holder’s role to manage these changes. Being well-informed about the Home Secretary’s work is essential as it will help with the prioritisation of meetings. Often meetings will be with high profile individuals outside of government and the post holder will need to liaise with their office to find suitable dates. 

The post holder will also be required to work closely with the Private Secretaries to maintain a long term strategic forward look of upcoming Home Office business requiring the attention (and time) of the Home Secretary.

The post holder’s responsibilities are challenging as the Home Secretary has three roles: in the Department, in Parliament and in their constituency. Ministers have complex diaries which require the post holder to know the Home Secretary’s priorities and how they like to work. No two days are the same and you will have exposure to all levels and people in the Department. 

The post holder needs to apply rigorous control to the diary and ensure that it works for the Home Secretary, taking account of individual preferences. Managing the diary is a balancing act and you will need to be able to spot risks and identify common patterns, such as Parliament’s voting times.

Due to business need, this role is not suitable for part-time or flexible working.

The post involves long and unpredictable hours. This post is office based (London 2MS) and you will need to be in the London office at least 4 days a week, and at times 5 days.

This role attracts a Private Secretary Allowance of £4,236 per annum. This allowance is paid to compensate what can be long working hours at times.

You will be required to have SC security clearance and willing to possibly go through DV security clearance once in post.

Person specification

The main responsibilities will include:

-    Managing the Home Secretary’s complex diary, ensuring that their time is well-used and balances immediate priorities with affording them the time to engage on strategic issues across the broad Home Office portfolio. You will need to liaise with senior contacts across the Department, in No 10, other Government Departments and externally (including overseas), as well as with their constituency office and the Parliamentary Whips’ office. 
-    Working as part of a team to ensure the effective operation of the Home Secretary’s Office, spotting gaps and stepping in to provide solutions as appropriate. 
-    Working with colleagues in the visits team to plan domestic and international visits, ensuring that the Home Secretary’s preferences are met. 
-    Collating monthly information for Cabinet Office transparency returns.  
-    Dealing appropriately with what can be a high volume of invitations and letters, proactively working with colleagues in Private Office and across the Department. 
-    Compiling briefing and day packs for the Home Secretary, ensuring that they are of the highest quality and provide them with everything that they need. 
-    Leading the Home Secretary through the diary at regular diary meetings.
-    Acting as the lead for Freedom of Information requests for the Home Secretary’s Team.

The ideal candidate should:
•    Inspire confidence in the Home Secretary and the Department, behaving in a discrete and professional manner at all times. 

•    Have excellent communication skills in order to liaise effectively with demanding stakeholders inside and outside of the Department. 

•    Be numerate and take particular care when sending emails or other communications on the Home Secretary’s behalf, always paying attention to detail.

•    Have an interest in politics and policy making.

•    Be a team player who works closely with the Private Office to ensure the Home Secretary’s diary always runs smoothly.

•    Be confident working in a fast-paced environment and be able to stay calm under pressure.

•    Ideally have prior experience of diary management. 

This role offers significant developmental opportunities including: 

• Building an extremely close working relationship with the Secretary of State and observing their work first hand daily.
 
• Liaising with the Permanent Secretary, Ministers’ Offices and Senior Officials. 

• Improved knowledge and understanding of the way in which the Department interacts with, advises and serves the Home Secretary. 

• Improved knowledge and understanding of the workings of Government and Parliament, including the legislative process, Parliamentary business and the workings of Cabinet. 

Essential criteria

•    Ability to respond to short notice and urgent requests, reprioritising accordingly.
•    Good time management
•    Good verbal and written communication skills
•    Efficient
•    Organised
•    Problem solving approach

Desirable criteria

•    Previous diary management experience

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete Civil Service numerical and verbal reasoning Tests. If you successfully pass these tests, you will then be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests and full application form is 23:55 on 26/06/2024. If you fail to complete the online tests or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.  

Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.  

Those who successfully pass the Civil Service tests will then be asked to complete: 

•    A CV detailing job history
•    A statement of suitability (maximum 1000 words) 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The statement of suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job description.

The sift will be held on the statement of suitability. The CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be behaviour based questions.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place from 27th June 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 8th July 2024. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be face to face in London 2 Marsham Street, 2MS. Further details will be provided ahead of interview.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

If you are currently an agency member of staff or a contractor working within the Home Office, you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the interview stage.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its 

diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk 

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page 
  • of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

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

  Feedback

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

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.