Job summary

This role is based in the European and Global Issues Secretariat (EGIS). EGIS is led by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on European and Global Issues and Second Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office. We provide support to the Prime Minister; the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister; and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in his role as Minister for European Union Relations.

Our core role is to ensure that the UK has a consistent and coherent approach to our relationship with the EU, and to international economic and global issues - in support of the UK’s national interest, its economic stability, secure borders and national security foundations, and the Government’s missions (particularly on growth, health and clean energy), including supporting the integrity of the United Kingdom. We aim to be an excellent, interesting and challenging place to work, which attracts and retains high-performing people from across Government, with a supportive, diverse and inclusive working environment.

We are recruiting for someone who would like to stretch their skills in supporting the Second Permanent Secretary and Director General. We operate a joint private office directly supporting both principals. The job holder will be responsible for providing exceptional customer service on logistics (diary and travel), preparing briefing and daily packs and expenses, with a possibility of wider office tasks, including ad-hoc policy support.

You will need to understand the Second Perm Sec’s and DG’s priorities in order to manage diaries and travel, and ensure that they are in the right place at the right time with the right information. This role requires proactiveness, prioritisation and the ability to look and plan ahead.

Job description

Your responsibilities as Executive Assistant include, but are not limited, to:

Calendar and inbox management.

Acting as a point of contact for the Second Perm Sec and DG.

Triaging of requests and issues where appropriate.

Working closely with the European and Global Issues senior leadership team and wider team members to ensure your principals receive good quality, timely advice and briefing each day.

Working in partnership with members of the Private Office team, jointly leading on communications and managing cross-Group administration and commissions, and stepping in for others as needed.

Office administration, including FOIs and correspondence, expenses and supplies.

You will play an important corporate role in the Group to help make the EGIS an ever-better place for our staff to work.

Person specification

We are looking for someone with an interest in playing a supporting role and is able to work in a fast-paced environment and take on multiple tasks.

Essential skills criteria

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

The ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a range of stakeholders at varying levels of seniority.

The ability to work independently and deliver in a fast-paced environment, balancing competing deadlines and multiple tasks.

Excellent organisational and time management skills.

Have good attention to detail to identify issues quickly and deliver pragmatic solutions.

A team player with the ability to work flexibly to respond to different pressures.

Desirable criteria

Experience managing a diary.

This vacancy is on a loan basis. Please ensure you have sought approval for a loan arrangement and that it has been approved. We may request evidence of this ahead of the interview.

Please note that the successful candidate will require SC vetting at the point of starting of the role, with a willingness to undergo DV once in post.

Additional information:

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. Requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Working Together

Making Effective Decisions

Communicating and Influencing

Delivering at Pace