Private Secretary, Minister of State

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Can you stay calm under pressure, make smart decisions quickly and deliver high-quality work, even when deadlines are tight and challenges arise?
Are you a natural communicator with the ability to tailor your communication approach to suit your audience?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we’d love to hear from you!
We are looking for a high-performing and collaborative individual to join MHCLG's Ministerial Group as a Private Secretary to our ministerial team. We are initially recruiting for a post in the Minister of State for Homelessness and Local Government’s private office. However, if we consider more than one candidate appointable for the role, we will keep a reserve list for future openings in the Ministerial Group.
This is a fast-paced and stretching role, involving a high level of autonomy, responsibility and profile across the department and wider government. We are looking for self-starters, who are confident in working directly with Ministers, SpAds and senior stakeholders, with excellent judgement and relationship-building skills. Prior experience in Private Office is not required.

Job description

The role of a Private Secretary is varied and fast-paced, with no two days the same.The role is critical to ensuring the Minister can work effectively with the department, wider government, key external stakeholders, and Parliament.

You will form part of a small private office team of c.5, led by a Head of Office and supported by a Deputy Head of Office. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate a can do attitude and will support the wider team and ministerial group.

You will have your own policy portfolio and be a trusted link between the department, Ministers, SpAds, and other Private Offices.
You will be a first point of contact for these stakeholders for strategic policy issues, ministerial meetings, parliamentary business and visits. This will include providing clear and well-judged written and verbal advice to the Minister, ensuring the department’s view is communicated effectively to Ministers, and that the department responds appropriately to their steers.

Person specification

The successful candidate will have the ability to:

• Personal resilience, including the ability to grip and work on multiple complex issues at pace and simultaneously, adapting to new demands and remaining calm under pressure;
• Communicate strategic issues clearly and sensitively, applying careful judgement and identifying and escalating issues as needed;
• The ability to manage a range of competing views and drive progress in the department and across government through exceptional relationship-building, communication and negotiation skills;
• Outstanding judgement underpinning the ability to provide ministers with robust advice with clear recommendations, based on critical analysis of available evidence whilst also being sensitive to wider the political context in which ministers operate;
• Manage core private office responsibilities, including correspondence, Parliamentary business, Ministerial visits and meetings, and smooth day-to-day operations to provide an excellent service to Ministers;
• Get to grips quickly with your policy brief, identifying the most salient elements for Ministers, working constructively with the department and applying strong attention to detail to provide Ministers with high quality products;
• Build strong, trusted relationships with a range of colleagues across the department and beyond – including policy teams, other Ministerial offices, other government departments, Ministers and SpAds;

Given the nature of the role, it will be London-based and require a minimum of 4 days in the office per week. It will require some weekend and evening working, on a duty rota system with the rest of the team. A private office allowance is available for this role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,791, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £11,527 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

Application and Selection

The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Experience , Strengths

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

To apply, please submit: a CV and 600-word personal statement, setting out how you meet the essential skills and experience required. Your personal statement should set out why you are interested in the role.

If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at hello@beapplied.com.

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Delivering at Pace, Working Together, Communicating and Influencing.

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

• Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

Sift and Interview

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 20/05/2026.

Interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

Private office Allowance

This role is eligible for a Private Secretary allowance.

The allowance is currently 15% of basic salary and is payable in recognition of the additional responsibilities and working patterns associated with Private Office roles.

How We Recruit

Find out more about our recruitment processes here.

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database

• Appeals and Complaints

Security Clearance Requirements

London Office: + SC

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

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 : Victoria Peace
• Email : victoria.peace@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:

a procedural irregularity

an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy

exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.

It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at recruitment@communities.gov.uk.

If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk