Diary Officer - £37,456 - £42,084 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Diary Officer to join our Governance/Private Office Function within the Enablement group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Private Office sits within the Enablement Group at the MHRA and plays a key role in supporting the Agency’s senior leadership. It works closely with internal governance teams to enable the smooth operation of the Agency by supporting the Board, Executive Committee, and other expert and independent bodies. The team also contributes to corporate governance, risk management, and assurance, ensuring the Agency operates with transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness.

The Private Office plays a central role in supporting the Chief Executive in leading the Agency. It manages high-level correspondence, prepares for meetings, coordinates briefings, and ensures clear and effective communication between the CEO and both internal and external stakeholders. By enabling timely, accurate, and strategically aligned information flow, the Private Office underpins effective leadership and decision-making at the highest level.

As a small, high-performing team, the Private Office also ensures professional, high-quality engagement with key stakeholders including ministers, MPs, industry leaders, and the public. Operating at the heart of the Agency, it is a fast-paced and dynamic environment, responding to shifting priorities and working closely with senior colleagues across the organisation.

Job description

This is a pivotal, high-impact role at the very heart of the Agency, demanding an exceptional individual with outstanding diary management and executive support capabilities. The Diary Officer will be the trusted gatekeeper to the Chief Executive expertly navigating a packed and fast-moving schedule, coordinating competing priorities, and ensuring every minute of the CEO’s time delivers maximum strategic value. We are looking for a consummate professional who thrives under pressure, excels at managing complexity, and brings sharp judgement, first-class organisational skills, and excellent attention to detail to one of the most visible roles in the organisation.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the evolution of the Private Office at a time of strategic change, offering strong potential for personal and professional growth.

Key responsibilities:

• Strategic Diary Management: Proactively manage the Chief Executive’s diary by liaising with internal and external stakeholders, making high-quality scheduling decisions that reflect the CEO’s strategic priorities and time constraints.
• Briefing and Meeting Preparation: Coordinate, collate and quality-assure briefing packs and related documentation for all CEO engagements to ensure they are fully informed and prepared for every meeting and event.
• Travel and Itinerary Planning: Arrange travel, logistics, and itineraries for engagements, ensuring reliability, value for money, and minimal disruption to the CEO’s schedule.
• Support to Private Office: Provide wider administrative and diary support across the Executive Office, including collaboration with the Chair’s Office, contribution to Board operations, and ongoing improvement of systems and processes.

Person specification

Our successful candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Exceptional Organisational and Planning Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and live issues simultaneously, ensuring the right people, information, and preparation are in place for every engagement.
• Outstanding Communication and Stakeholder Management: Skilled in building strong relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, acting as a professional and authoritative representative of the Chief Executive.
• Resilience and Flexibility Under Pressure: Demonstrates composure, agility, and decision-making ability in high-pressure environments, often reacting to shifting priorities with speed and confidence.
• Attention to Detail and Professionalism: Maintains meticulous standards of accuracy, quality, and discretion when handling sensitive information, documentation, and scheduling matters.
• Experience Supporting Senior Leaders: A track record of successfully supporting C-suite or executive-level leaders in fast-paced and complex organisations, with the judgement to act on their behalf and protect their time effectively.

Person Specification:

Method of assessment: A=Application, T=Test, I=Interview, P=Presentation

Behaviour Criteria:

• Seeing the Big Picture - Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities. Remain alert to emerging issues and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team’s business area. Understand how the strategies and activities of the team create value and meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders. (A, I)
• Delivering at Pace - Able to balance working at pace and manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities. (A, I)

Experience Criteria:

• Experience of working in a Private Office or the office of the CEO (A, I)

Technical Criteria:

• Strong Microsoft Office knowledge, particularly using applications for effective communication in face-to-face and virtual environments with a keen eye for the quality (A, I, T)

Strengths Criteria

• Challenger (I)
• Organiser (I)

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!

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Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,456, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £10,851 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave 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. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• 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/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Motoring Association (CSMA)
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.
• Test, further information will be supplied when you reach this stage.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of candidates demonstrating their experience of working in a Private Office or the office of the CEO.

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.

Use of AI in Job Applications

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Closing date: 1st March 2026

Shortlisting date: from 2nd March 2026

Interview date: from 16th March 2026

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

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.

Any move to the MHRA 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 here.

Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.

Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.

The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

info@csc.gov.uk

Civil Service Commission

Room G/8

1 Horse Guards Road

London

SW1A 2HQ

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 theCivil 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

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Resourcing Team
• Email : careers@mhra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing Team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ