Executive Assistant to the Transformation Director (Ref: 23326)

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

Role: Executive Assistant to the Transformation Director

Business: Office of Public Guardian (OPG)

Location: National - Based at closest MoJ Hub with some travel to OPG offices in Victoria Square House, Birmingham and/or Embankment House, Nottingham required.

Grade: EO (Executive Officer)

Salary: £29,303 – £31,061 (National), £33,551 – £35,564 (London)

Contract Type: Fixed-term Appointment (18 months)

Minimum Hours: Full-time

Organisational Overview

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

Team Overview

This is a critical, fast-paced role at the heart of the Transformation Directorate in the Office of the Public Guardian, working closely with and providing direct support to the Transformation Director.

We are looking for a confident, proactive and highly organised individual who is comfortable taking ownership, using their initiative and building strong relationships with colleagues at all levels. You will need to be able to anticipate priorities, manage competing demands and exercise sound judgement in a busy and changing environment.

At the core of the role is the effective management of the Transformation Director’s diary, inbox and day-to-day business. You will play an important role in ensuring their time and attention are focused on the right priorities, identifying issues that require action and helping to maintain effective communication and coordination across the Directorate.

You will be trusted to work with a high degree of autonomy, using your judgement to manage and respond to correspondence on behalf of the Transformation Director, prioritise and delegate requests, and make decisions about meeting invitations and diary commitments.

You will work closely with the Directorate Business Manager and build strong relationships across the Transformation Directorate, OPG and wider stakeholder network.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Inbox management: Proactively manage and triage the Transformation Director’s inbox, identifying priorities and ensuring correspondence is actioned, delegated, signposted or responded to promptly. Use judgement to deal with issues where appropriate and ensure the Transformation Director is sighted on key information, decisions and emerging priorities.
• Diary management: Take ownership of the Transformation Director’s diary, confidently managing competing demands and prioritising their time. Schedule and coordinate meetings, organise travel, plan visits and engagements, and prepare daily schedules to ensure they are well prepared and their time is used effectively.
• Business coordination: Anticipate upcoming commitments and requirements, helping to ensure the Transformation Director has the information and materials they need and following up actions with colleagues where required.
• Information and records management: Set up and maintain effective team filing and information-management systems, ensuring records are managed appropriately in line with GDPR and OPG governance requirements.
• Meeting support: Provide occasional secretariat support, including coordinating agendas and papers, recording key actions and decisions, and tracking actions through to completion.
• Directorate support: Provide administrative support for the Directorate’s Reward and Recognition process and other Directorate-wide activity as required.
• Relationships and stakeholder management: Build strong and effective working relationships across the Directorate, with other Private Offices and with colleagues and stakeholders across OPG and MoJ.
• Communications and engagement: Support the Business Manager with Directorate communications, including sharing key updates and messages and supporting Directorate-wide meetings, events and engagement activity. Take an active role in maintenance of the Directorate’s SharePoint.
• Directorate culture and continuous improvement: Play an active role in the wider Directorate, contributing to events, initiatives and resources and identifying opportunities to improve how the team works.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as agreed with your manager.

Agreed Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. Ad hoc travel to Birmingham/Nottingham/London may be required.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Highly organised and proactive: Proven ability to take ownership, anticipate what is needed and manage multiple competing demands effectively in a fast-paced environment. (Lead)
• Sound judgement and initiative: Able to work with a high degree of autonomy, prioritise effectively and make confident, appropriate decisions, knowing when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Confident communicator: Able to communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels across OPG and MoJ.
• Strong relationship-builder: Able to build trusted relationships with a range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, using tact, diplomacy and good judgement.
• High standards and attention to detail: Takes pride in delivering high-quality work, with the ability to manage tasks reliably and follow through on actions.
• Strong digital skills: Confident using Microsoft 365 tools, including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint.
• Discretion and confidentiality: Able to handle sensitive information appropriately and maintain confidentiality at all times.

Desirable Skills

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Prior experience of working in a private office or secretarial/administrative function.

Application Process

This recruitment will follow the Civil Service Success Profile process. Candidates will be expected to complete the following as part of the application:

• A CV (no more than 2 sides of A4) detailing your career history. CV’s will be assessed against the essential and desirable skills above.
• Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential and desirable skills required for this role.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead criteria/Behaviour:

• Highly organised and proactive: Proven ability to take ownership, anticipate what is needed and manage multiple competing demands effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Interview Process

If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will use the Civil Service Success Profiles. At interview, candidates should expect questions on:

• Strengths relevant to the role
• The following Behaviours at Level 2:

• Seeing the Bigger Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

All interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

At OPG we consider all applications on the basis of merit and want you to feel able to demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any reasonable adjustments for any aspect of the selection process, do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. If you are applying for a role within OPG and would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process.

For further information on benefits of working for OPG, such as our Flexible Working Policy and a FAQ, please check the candidate information pack attached to this advert.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, we may offer you an alternative role at the same or lower grade should one be available.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,303, Office of the Public Guardian contributes £8,489 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).

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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, Strengths and Experience.

https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

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.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.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/23326?entityId=23326