Personal Assistant (PA) to a House of Lords Government Whip

Job summary

This vacancy offers an excellent opportunity to work at the heart of both Government and Parliament. The Government Whips’ Office is responsible for delivering the Government’s legislative programme in the House of Lords. The Whips will often act as lead Minister in the Chamber on behalf of a department.

As part of the House of Lords Business Manager’s Office, the team supports the Leader of the House and Chief Whip in securing the passage of Government Bills through the upper chamber. It acts as a channel of communication between the Government and the Opposition parties on parliamentary matters and coordinates Lords parliamentary business. The office provides support, advice and guidance on House business to Ministers, Government Departments and back-bench Peers.

The Office directly supports a Ministerial Team of Whips in their roles as spokespersons for various Government Departments and in their duties as Lords and Baronesses-in-Waiting to HM The King.

Job description

The PA is essential to the effective functioning of the team of Whips. The post holder will be responsible for making the most effective use of the Whip’s time and provide them with effective support, including ensuring they have clearly identified priorities and high quality briefing to enable them to successfully carry out their duties. As the Whips may need to deputise for other Ministers, you will need to be able to manage a diary and relationships with numerous Government Departments, particularly in coordinating briefing for business.

The post holder needs to be very well organised, flexible and able to prioritise. They must be able to work well with others, to communicate effectively and to be confident. The post holder will also need to remain calm and reliable under pressure. Previous
experience of diary management would be helpful but is not a prerequisite.

The successful candidate will form part of a small team of four, working closely with the team of six government Whips. They will have contact with the Chief Whip, Whips, Ministers and officials in both Houses and offices across government, as well as with external organisations. The post reports directly to one of the Private Secretaries.

Depending on business needs, hours can exceed standard contracted hours, for which overtime is paid. The post holder will need to be willing to work flexibly across their time and brief as necessary.

The role requires excellent organisational skills; a high level of interpersonal skills with an emphasis on discretion and tact; and the ability to work well as a team member.

Main Duties

• Managing the diaries of members of the Lords Whips’ team to ensure that they have clearly identified priorities and make the most effective use of their time;
• Anticipating points of pressure on the diary and acting proactively to identify solutions;
• Helping to coordinate the overall Whips’ rota, to ensure your Whips are rota’d appropriately for duty across the Chamber and Grand Committee as required;
• Advising the Whips on their HR requests and coordinating responses to ensure appropriate declaration of interests;
• Managing requests for meetings from internal and external stakeholders;
• Commissioning relevant and targeted briefing from officials for meetings;
• Organising travel for the Whips: to and from the House and for off-site meetings and government engagements;
• Responding to correspondence and invitations;
• Preparing folders and briefing packs;
• Working with other colleagues in the Whips’ Office team, supporting others and contributing to decisions where support is needed in busy periods;
• Maintaining and developing good working relationships with all offices of the House of Lords and relevant Government Departments;
• General other office duties as needed.

Person specification

Essential skills criteria

• Adaptable written and verbal communication
• Delivery at pace - managing ‘’crisis’’ situations
• Calm under pressure - able to build relationships and manage difficult conversations
• Excellent organisation skills - able to meet competing demands and manage a busy portfolio

Desirable skills criteria

• Experience working with ministers / members of the Houses of Parliament and / or senior stakeholders

Additional information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,479, Cabinet Office contributes £10,278 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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 process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and behavioural statements.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

• A CV
• A 500 word Statement of Suitability
• 250 word statements to the behaviours listed.

Please base your personal statement (max: 500 words) on past skills and experience relating to the essential skills criteria.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Statement of Suitability and the lead Behaviour, Delivering at Pace.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Selection process

Written applications will be selected based on the evidence provided in the Statement of Suitability and Behaviours, followed by an interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – 22 and 23 October

Expected interview date/s – w/c 26th October

Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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 at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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.

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.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 : Florence Clemence
• Email : florence.clemence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)