About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

Every Minister at DHSC has a private office. This is a team of civil servants dedicated to supporting ministerial duties and decisions, acting as communication channel between the Minister and officials in the department.

We are looking for a Private Secretary to our Minister of State for Health who can hit the ground running as part of high-performing and collaborative teams, in our Parliamentary Intelligence and Private Office (PIP) team.

This is an exciting and stretching role with a high level of responsibility and profile across the department and wider government. The role is fast-paced and rewarding, offering regular interaction with Ministers and senior colleagues.

Once you become a member of our team, we are not only interested in what you can bring to Private Office, but also our values, including commitments to a collaborative working environment, wellbeing and diversity & inclusion.

We particularly invite applications from ethnic minority candidates, those with disabilities or caring responsibilities and other underrepresented groups. If you are interested in a role but not sure if it is for you, please do get in touch and the recruiting manager will be happy to discuss further. We will ensure that candidates who apply through the Disability Confident Scheme requiring adjustments are supported during the process.

Job description

This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a private office as a Private Secretary. You will get to play a key part in supporting the Minister of State for Health to drive forward the Minister’s and the department’s priorities. Private office is a fast-paced environment and you can expect every day to be varied, exciting and challenging.

The role involves day-to-day interaction with the Ministers and senior officials in DHSC and across government, including No10, HMT and Cabinet Office. You will also work with external stakeholders in the health and care sector and in Parliament. You will be working as part of close-knit, friendly, and supportive private office team.

Hours will vary throughout the year and are balanced with shorter working days during parliamentary recess. A Private Office allowance on top of basic salary is payable to reflect that out of hours working is sometimes required.

Person specification

• Building and maintaining good working relationships with the Minister, private office team, officials in the department and other stakeholders
• Supporting the smooth and efficient running of the Minister office, delivering the highest quality support to the Minister across their policy responsibilities
• Work closely with colleagues in the Secretary of State and Special Advisers’ offices to effectively communicate decisions and recommendations between Ministers and officials
• Provide strategic advice and join up on the preparation of policy advice from across the Department, representing the Minister’s priorities, views and expectations
• Ensure that the Minister’s engagement with key stakeholders supports the broader engagement strategy of the Department
• Arranging and supporting the Ministers on visits and in meetings
• Writing and circulating accurate records of engagements in a timely manner

Key Skills and Experience:

• Confidence of working with senior stakeholders
• Experience of communicating effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Good judgement and the ability to remain calm when situations change at short notice
• Good time-management, organisational and prioritisation skills
• Able to navigate multiple priorities to achieve the best outcome for your principal
• Resilience when working under pressure and at pace
• Experience of private office is desirable but not essential

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,244, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £9,785 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.

Sift date:  22/01/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 01/02/2024

Interview location: By Video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on Behaviours, a CV and Statement of Suitability.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert.  

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

Please complete statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement).

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

An initial sift based on the Lead Behaviour, Seeing the Big Picture, and the CV, may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Further Information

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require CTC clearance. For CTC clearance, candidates must have been a resident in the UK for the past 3 years. 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Any move to DHSC 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 Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put 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 dhscrecruitment.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 successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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.

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. 

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.

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 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.

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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 counter-terrorist 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.