Private Secretary - Director of Estates & Locations

Job summary

Explore the world of HMRC Estates & Locations, where we lead the way in government property transformation. As a key player in one of the UK's largest property programmes, HMRC Estates & Locations offers safe, inclusive workplaces and exceptional career development opportunities. Our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, user-friendly services that enable our colleagues to thrive in an environment where they truly belong. Watch the video below to meet some of our team and come and discover a career in your hands at HMRC.

Build a Career in Property with HMRC Estates

Estates & Locations is at the forefront of delivering the biggest property programme in the UK. We are the leading edge of Government property transformation. The purpose of Estates & Locations is to provide HMRC with an estate which is the right size and shape to meet both the current and future needs of our customers in HMRCs business areas. We are a customer service organisation which exists to offer high quality, easy to use services to enable our colleagues to perform at their best by providing working environments in which they want to work.

Job description

The Private Secretary role offers a pivotal opportunity to support the Director of Estates & Locations, working within the Private Office to lead activity across the directorate and ensure alignment with other Private Offices across HMRC and wider government.

The role requires a highly motivated and adaptable individual who has the drive and capability to deliver high quality work to strict deadlines and manage demanding and often complex strategic priorities, collaborating with a range of senior leaders and other Private Offices across the Civil Service.

You will be required to display high levels of judgement often dealing with senior leaders on high profile and critical matters, frequently working closely with the Senior Leadership Team and their Personal Assistants to drive key deliverables and ensure alignment and consistency.

While diary management experience is valuable, this role requires broader private office capability, including inbox leadership, commissioning and briefing, action tracking, directorate planning coordination, and influencing senior stakeholders.

As the Private Secretary, you will take the lead in managing the daily activities of the Director’s private office, including—but not limited to—the following:

• Exercising full ownership of the inbox and information‑management systems, undertaking initial triage of all correspondence to determine the correct course of action (including issuing readouts, commissioning activity, or progressing actions to completion on the Director’s behalf). This includes prioritising and advancing high‑priority tasks and delegating work appropriately to Deputy Directors and their offices.
• Supporting the Director by maintaining strong oversight of key and emerging issues, including the effective management and tracking of actions and objectives as required.
• Attending meetings alongside the Director, capturing clear and accurate action notes, and providing timely readouts, making effective use of new technologies.
• Showing a strong understanding the Director’s priorities and using initiative to maintain a broad view across the directorate—taking action on emails, resolving issues at pace, and prioritising workload appropriately.
• Applying strong knowledge of the directorate and its portfolio to make informed decisions on delegation and sign‑off, ensuring products are directed to Deputy Directors appropriately and supporting them to empower their SLTs.
• Directing requests to the right individuals and acting as a recognised point of escalation across the directorate.
• Drafting email responses, confidently challenging assumptions where needed, and handling sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Oversight of the Diary Managers duties, ensuring all papers and reports are prepared, they are quality‑checking these, and have scheduled review time, and that colleagues across the office provide well‑organised briefing and documentation for meetings.
• Providing direct line management to the Office Diary Manager, offering guidance, support, and clear direction.
• Working closely with the Chief of Staff to maintain and strengthen processes that support consistent, sustainable ways of working across the private office and wider directorate.
• Drafting clear, accurate, and timely communications on behalf of the Director.
• Ensuring all performance reporting requirements are met, including providing support on recruitment activity where needed.
• Deputising for the Chief of Staff as required, providing leadership and continuity across the team.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be 5pm cover, primarily picked up by the Private Secretary to maintain full ownership of the director’s busy inbox. There will also be the need for overnight travel and occasional out of hours working as the business needs dictate.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who:

• Thrives in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment with tight high- priority shifting deadlines, taking ownership for prioritising work to deliver high‑quality results where no two days are the same.
• Is a confident communicator, able to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, on the Director’s behalf.
• Demonstrates the ability to manage and influence upwards when delegating work, commissioning briefings, and following up on actions.
• Has proven experience of problem‑solving at pace and ensuring deadlines are consistently met.
• Shows a strong eye for detail and delivers high‑quality outputs.
• Can, when required, manage a portfolio of work or specific projects, as agreed with the Chief of Staff and the Director.
• Understands the wider strategic context when commissioning briefings and delegating tasks.
• Works effectively within a small private office team environment.
• Provides leadership across the wider directorate PA community, building strong and collaborative relationships.
• Demonstrates excellent organisational skills; resourceful, resilient, and calm under pressure.
• Has strong working knowledge of Office 365 and effective management of SharePoint sites.
• Shows a clear willingness to learn and to support the development of others.
• Makes a meaningful impact through high levels of autonomy, frequently working with senior stakeholders on high‑profile and critical matters, and collaborating closely with the Senior Leadership Team and their Private Offices to drive key work and maintain alignment.

In return we will invest in your development and give you access to some exciting activities that will help progress your career to new heights.

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of running a Senior Private Office function, that includes complex inbox management and action tracking, supporting senior leaders, at a director level (SCS level if applying internally within Civil Service) in a large or complex team.
• Proven experience of working in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment with tight deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with Senior Directors and key stakeholders.
• Confident in preparing presentations, reports, and other materials, demonstrating strong attention to detail and creativity.

Leeds Locations

Moves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague in Bradford and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRC’s Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.

Working Pattern

Due to operational needs, these posts are full-time; however, applicants who need to work a more flexible arrangement are welcome to apply. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly as any agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate. Any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,544, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £13,194 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRChear from our insiders or visitThinking of joining the Civil Service

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 Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences.
• A 750-word Personal Statement, describing how your skills and experience would make you suitable for the role, and how you meet the Essential Criteria and Person Specification.

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

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.

At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement, will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, your experience will be assessed and you will also be asked strength-based questions to explore your motivations relevant to the job role.

[This is an example of a strengths-based question]:

“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Face to Face interviews are expected to take place in Leeds on Tuesday 3rd March 2026. Sift dates to be confirmed.

For HMRC staff - HMRC will usually meet the necessary travel costs for HMRC colleagues who need to attend an interview as part of application for a new post within HMRC. Please see the guidance and discuss any queries with your current line manager, as funding will come from their budgets.

For non-HMRC staff(OGD) travel expenses will not be paid by HMRC.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

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

• Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.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 interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Additional Security Information

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

From 1 April 2026, applicants will be required to meet updated nationality and residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. If this affects you, we will give you more information at the appropriate time.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

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.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

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

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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.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 : Nicki Scott
• Email : nicki.scott@hmrc.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07342 020637

Recruitment team

• Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. If 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 website.