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.

Would you embrace the opportunity to work within a high-profile area which is contributing towards transforming connectivity in the North and Midlands?

Do you thrive working within a fast-paced environment whilst collaborating and building relationships with senior stakeholders?

If so, we have a fantastic opportunity available for a Personal Assistant to join our team and would love to hear from you!

Job description

You will join the Rail Infrastructure Midlands, North and Integrated Rail Plan (RIMiNI) Directorate, who sit at the heart of the Rail Infrastructure Group and are responsible for delivering a substantial part of the Integrated Rail Plan Portfolio; a multi-billion-pound investment package for the railways that will transform connectivity in the North and Midlands for generations.

As Personal Assistant for the Director of RIMiNI, you will play a key role in providing comprehensive inbox, diary and business support during a dynamic and exciting period for the team. You will be responsible for drafting correspondence, taking meeting notes, and coordinating various corporate activities such as organising training and team administration.

You will have a crucial role within a high-profile area, requiring you to quickly establish positive relationships and extensive networks across the department, including working collaboratively with senior stakeholders and fellow Personal Assistants across the directorate.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Proactively managing the Director’s diary, effectively dealing with diary clashes, and attending diary meetings to understand the team’s priorities.
• Overseeing incoming emails, correspondence, letters, briefing papers etc. and highlighting urgent items.
• Arranging all travel arrangements and processing expense claims.
• Working collaboratively with other Personal Assistants, providing cover as necessary.
• Providing Secretariat support, when required, for the various boards within the directorate.
• Processing invoices and monitoring of budgets, as required.

For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About you

You will be an articulate communicator, both verbally and in writing, with the ability to draft correspondence and minutes/meeting notes, with close attention to detail.

You will confidently liaise with a range of senior stakeholders, providing influence and challenge as appropriate.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills which enable you to build positive, trusted relationships with a broad range of contacts.

You will work flexibly with PA colleagues, demonstrating positive teamwork and support for other team members.

You will be adaptable, proactive, and have excellent time management skills, enabling you to identify, prioritise and plan all preparation and follow up necessary.

You can be assertive when required, whilst remaining calm and professional in the face of conflicting and changing priorities.

You will be discreet and respectful of confidentiality, with the ability to recognise and deal appropriately with potentially sensitive issues.

Additional Information

This role is available to individuals who wish to be spending their office time in Leeds or Birmingham, and we would also expect the individual to be willing to travel to visit alternative office locations.

A minimum 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. 

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 complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Within your CV and Personal Statement (maximum 750 words) please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Managing complex diaries and email accounts and improving processes/systems.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to identify, prioritise and plan all preparation and follow up necessary.
• Written and verbal communication skills and ability to draft correspondence and minutes/meeting notes, with close attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to foster productive working relationships with a broad range of internal/external contacts; and be assertive and willing to challenge when needed.

The sift is due to take place from 19/03/2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 04/04/2024.

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 could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. 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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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.