Private Secretary to the CEO

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process.
You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm
You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers, The role and our team The UK’s public sector is a thriving source of innovation and the Government Office for Tech Transfer (GOTT) has been set up to deliver a step change in the management and exploitation of public sector Knowledge Assets (KAs). KAs are intangible assets such as inventions, designs, data and information, creative outputs,know-how and expertise. Current guidance on managing and exploiting KAs is summarised in the Rose Book, published in 2024 and is available on GOV.UK. GOTT is based in the Science, Innovation and Growth (SIG) group in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and has a cross-government role.
As a Private Secretary, you will play a crucial role within GOTT, providing high-quality and trusted advice to the CEO, and enabling them to make timely and well-informed decisions. The job will be a fast-paced and varied, giving you an excellent insight into GOTT’s work., + Managing the flow of information to the CEO and helping them to make excellent decisions.
+ Prioritising the CEO's inbox and delegating work to the wider team where appropriate.
+ Arranging travel and accommodation for the CEO.
+ Lead on the logistics for important meetings and visits.
+ Acting as key point of contact for CEO with internal and external stakeholders.
+ Commissioning and tracking briefings and submissions within the team to ensure timely turnaround for the CEO.
+ Providing flexible support to the CEO on ad-hoc and long-term projects.
+ Scheduling and managing the weekly senior management team meetings. Including preparing the agenda, working with the CBM and business partners to ensure that relevant corporate items are included and recording / managing actions.
+ Managing the Advisory Board meetings including scheduling, managing preparation of papers across team, minuting meetings, sending out papers in a timely manner, Board member liaison.
+ Supporting the Corporate Business Manager to deliver initiatives that will make GOTT a phenomenal place for all our colleagues to work.
+ Working with the rest of the CEO office to support operational efficiency., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Working Together, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
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.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain why you think you would be suitable for the role, providing evidence which demonstrates how your skills and experience align with the requirements of this role.
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.
Sift and interview dates
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 04/11/2024
Interview dates: w/c 11/04/2024
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process., Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
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.
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). 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.
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.
Feedback
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.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

You don't need to have a background in policy or private office roles to apply. We'll teach you what you need to know when you join.What's most important is that you are an outstanding teammate who is committed to providing a great service.
The successful candidate will:
+ Be motivated, resilient, and confident, with a positive approach and a focus on delivery.
+ Be collaborative and personable, with an ability to build positive working relationships at varying levels of seniority.
+ Have great organisational skills, and be able to balance multiple priorities to make the biggest impact in the time available for a task.
+ Think differently and find simple solutions to sophisticated problems.
+ Have excellent verbal and written communication skills, showing attention to detail and an ability to adapt their style to suit different audiences.
+ Manage people-sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.

At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment

Alongside your salary of £31,745, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £9,196 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
+ A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
+ Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
+ A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
+ An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
+ Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.