Executive Assistant - Strategy, Communications and Advocacy

Job summary

Working in close partnership with the Chief, the role holder will coordinate and support delivery of the Directorate’s senior governance and cross-directorate meetings, ensuring they are well-organised, outcomes-focused and effectively followed up. The role requires the ability to anticipate issues, identify risks and challenges, and provide sound judgement to support decision-making and forward planning.

The role holder will work collaboratively across the SCA Directorate and wider CMA PA/EA network, contributing to a flexible and resilient support model, including providing cover during periods of absence and high demand.

This is a fast-paced and high-pressure environment requiring strong organisational skills, resilience and professionalism. The role holder will be expected to manage multiple priorities, maintain momentum during busy periods, remain calm and effective under pressure.The role is fundamentally focused on delivering high-quality, responsive and visible in-office support at the CMA London office.

In addition, the role holder will take on broader operational and delivery responsibilities across the Directorate, supporting key projects and initiatives as required.

About the CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity. The CMA has a range of powers, which it uses to undertake a wide variety of cutting-edge, high profile and complex work, spanning merger and market inquiries, competition and consumer law enforcement, our role in the digital markets competition regime, subsidy advice, and internal market advice.

Job description

The role holder will act as the senior point of contact within the SCA Support Team, working alongside two Personal Assistants, one Executive Assistant and taking overall responsibility for the effective coordination and delivery of executive and operational support to the Chief and SCA Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Executive Support and Priority Management

• Provide autonomous, responsive and high-quality diary and inbox management, making decisions on priorities, signposting or responding to queries where appropriate.
• Actively track progress on key issues, proactively alerting the Executive Director to emerging risks, deadlines or conflicts.

Governance, Meetings and Committees

• Support the Executive Director in their role as an Executive Board member and as Chair or member of relevant Committees and Boards.
• Arrange and coordinate internal and external meetings, including forward planning, agenda setting, collation of papers, and supporting the production of agendas and minutes.

Diary, Travel and Logistics

• Manage complex and frequently changing diaries, resolving conflicts and balancing competing priorities.
• Coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements in line with organisational policies.

Directorate and Team Support

• Support the Directorate with general administration, including maintaining intranet content, email distribution lists, and shared mailboxes.
• Raise requisitions, purchase orders and engage with corporate systems and processes as required.

Projects, Business Continuity and Corporate Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of projects and initiatives across the Directorate in line with the Executive Director’s priorities.
• Contribute to business continuity planning, incident management and security processes where required.

For full role responsibilities, please review the attached role profile.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role:

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, with significant experience of managing senior-level diaries and inboxes in a fast-paced environment. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across all levels of seniority. (Lead Criteria)
• Proven ability to work autonomously, exercising judgement and discretion while managing competing priorities.
• High level of attention to detail and experience handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong digital skills, including the ability to produce, manage and track documentation and management information.
• Experience of supporting governance processes, senior meetings or committees.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,500, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £11,443 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

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 and Experience.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and a two-stage interview. Arrangements for the interview(s) will be enclosed in the invitation. The interview will include an in-tray exercise.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• An initial sift based on the criteria points listed as 'Lead Criteria' may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be in-person or via Teams. In-person interviews will take place in the London CMA office in Canary Wharf and will be confirmed at the time of interview booking.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours and experience outlined in the advert and attached role profile.
• The first part of the first-stage interview will comprise of an in-tray exercise, details of which you will sent with your interview invitation. You will need to be available for a short time ahead of your interview slot.
• The second part of the first-stage interview will be a 45 minute - one hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience skills (essential criteria) outlined in the role profile.

There will be two interview stages. The first interview will be a 45-60 minute panel interview in which you will be asked Behaviour and Experience questions. The Behaviours that will be assessed during this are;

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Candidates that are successful at the first interview will be invited to a second 20-30 minute interview, in which you will be asked Behaviour and Experience questions. The Behaviours that will be assessed during this are:

• Communicating and Influencing

• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is Monday 22nd June 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 23rd and 30th June 2026.
• Interviews for the first stage will be held from the week commencing 6th July 2026. Interviews will be in-person or via Teams. In-person interviews will take place in the London CMA office in Canary Wharf and will be confirmed at the time of interview booking.
• Interviews for the second stage will be held from the week commencing 13th July 2026. Interviews will be in-person or via Teams. In-person interviews will take place in the London CMA office in Canary Wharf and will be confirmed at the time of interview booking.

Reasonable adjustments

Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments to provide you with the opportunity and support to bring your best self to the recruitment process. This could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments, or receiving interview questions in advance. We will be happy to discuss any person-centred adjustments you’d like us to make to the process and you can contact us by emailing our dedicated mailbox at adjustments@cma.gov.uk.

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

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 : Marc Batt
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.