Personal Assistant & Operational Support

Job summary

Are you organised, able to prioritise multiple workstreams and build relationships with a range of stakeholders, communicating strongly in written and oral formats? Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced team environment?

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

The CMA is an independent non-ministerial UK government department and is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our Candidate Information Pack

We provide the opportunity to work across all sectors of the UK economy, undertaking objective, evidence-based analysis that can have a direct and substantial impact on the economy and economic prosperity.

Job description

You will be part of the CMA’s Consumer Protection team and play a vital role in organising and co-ordinating schedules for senior stakeholders, supporting on key projects and commercial processes, and building strong relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

You will also help support and develop other professionals working within the directorate’s executive office and work collaboratively with others across the wider CMA. This includes working closely and flexibly with other Executive and Personal Assistants to co-ordinate activity and, where the need arises, to help provide exceptional cover.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, including diary and inbox management, with experience of successfully prioritising multiple work tasks to meet strict deadlines. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong communication skills (both written and oral), with experience of building relationships across various levels of seniority and across different teams and departments including external stakeholders. (Lead Criteria)
• Team working skills - demonstrable ability to work effectively as part of a team in a fast paced environment, as well as working independently and being responsible for managing and prioritising own workload and supporting others with the delivery of work.
• Strong digital literacy skills, in particular Microsoft Office packages and the ability to produce and manage a wide range of documentation (often containing confidential and sensitive information), in a timely and accurate manner and with strict attention to detail.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• 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.
• Access to our benefits platform which includes retail discounts, cycle to work scheme and payroll giving. Employees can also sign up for season ticket loans.
• 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, flu vaccinations and eye tests. We also have flexible working options and family friendly policies.

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 is noted below and will comprise of the sift (CV & application review) and interviews.
• 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 1000 words. You will first be sifted on the first two criteria points (Lead Criteria). If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• 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.

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 (essential criteria) listed in the advert and attached role profile.
• During the interview(s) you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and experience outlined in the role profile.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

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
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Working Together

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

• The advert closing date is 19 March 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 20 and 27 March 2026
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 06 April 2026

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 : Tom Skidmore
• 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.

Attachments

Role Profile - PA & Ops Support Opens in new window (pdf, 132kB)