Executive Assistant to CEO

Job summary

FCDO Services
Executive Assistant to the CEO office – 3 month Fixed Term Contract (FTC)
£31,898pa plus location allowance of £1,750pa and excellent benefits
Based in Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes with frequent travel to London and the flexibility of hybrid working depending on business need.
Free shuttle bus available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park

At FCDO Services, we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings, courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech, and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the mission we're on. In our world, it all matters.

Job description

A brilliant organiser with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, you’re the sort of person who gets things done with positive efficiency. And when you join us, you’ll be doing all this and more as you support our vital global mission.

Supporting key stakeholders
Building on your organisational skills
Enabling organisational efficiency

It all matters

Think strategically in a fast paced, focused environment.

Our CEO’s Office is busy, fast paced and highly focused. Building a close working relationship with the CEO, learning about their preferred style of doing things, anticipating questions and responding to feedback, it’ll be your task to manage their time and diary. This will involve meeting requests, organising appointments, preparing agendas, collating briefings and coordinating UK travel logistics, all while thinking strategically and responding to changing priorities. Quickly developing an understanding of the complexity of the work we do, you’ll have a huge range of other tasks, including managing emails, taking minutes for boards and committees, helping to arrange VIP visits to our offices and you may have the opportunity to plan and accompany the CEO on overseas visits.

Use all your communication, planning and organising skills.

You’ll be a superb communicator with plenty of experience in a similar role, and your time and project management skills and attention to detail will make you a stand-out member of the team. It goes without saying that you’ll possess good judgement, tact and diplomacy, and in addition to the ability to deliver difficult messages and maintain the confidence of your colleagues, you’ll be capable of handling sensitive information with discretion. Self-assured, positive and calm under pressure, and ready to meet tight deadlines while working at pace, you should also possess excellent computer skills, with a particular focus on the MS Office suite of software.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further.

But we’re always looking to improve – just like you. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Want to see your future team’s work in action? Step into our Virtual Embassy and select a guide to take you round to see how we deliver for government customers and how you could help. Explore the embassy now at virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk.

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you undergo our vetting process to achieve Security Check (SC) Clearance. You can find out more about vetting on our website: https://www.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk.

Closing date: 16 July 2026

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world.

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Person specification

• Experience as an EA, PA, or in busy administrative role - or development of similar skills through office management, project coordination, or a role supporting senior colleagues and juggling priorities.
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal.
• Highly organised, with excellent time management, attention to detail and ability to apply project management principles.
• Good judgement, tact and diplomatic skills – ability to deliver difficult messages and maintain the confidence of colleagues at all levels, handling sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to stay calm under pressure, and flex priorities and prioritise work effectively to meet tight deadlines under minimal supervision. (This will be tested via a business scenario written task at interview, no preparation required.)
• Understanding of and ability to provide high levels of customer service to internal and external stakeholders. (This will be tested via a business scenario written task at interview, no preparation required.)
• Proficiency with main Microsoft Office applications (including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, OneNote) and AI.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Experience as an EA, PA, or in busy administrative role - or development of similar skills through office management, project coordination, or a role supporting senior colleagues and juggling priorities
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal
• Highly organised, with excellent time management, attention to detail and ability to apply project management principles

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,898, FCDO Services contributes £9,240 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension
• A leave allowance of 25 days per annum
• 9 days per annum public and privilege days

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide your CV, a personal statement, and provide answers to some job specific/technical skills.

Your CV and personal statement will not form part of the assessment they will provide an insight into your work history and experience.

Your CV should include:

• no personal identifying details
• career history with key responsibilities
• achievements
• qualifications

Your personal statement should outline your interest in the role.

Candidates will only be sifted on answers provided to the technical/ job specific questions which are outlined in the application form.

Those that are successful will be invited to a MS Teams interview.

At the interview you will be asked a blend of questions on technical/job specific skills and behaviours and to complete a a written business scenario task.

Candidates who are judged to be close to meeting the criteria may be considered for other positions in FCDO Services which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security 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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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.

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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk
• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact FCDOServices.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from FCDO Services, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For more information, please visit their website.

Attachments

EA to CEO Candidate pack July 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 1863kB)