Senior Executive Support Manager

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Chief Operating Officer Group works closely with the Home Office’s policy and operational commands to enable us together to deliver the department’s priorities. The group is comprised of different teams and professional functions, including Commercial, Finance, People, Portfolio and Project Delivery, Security, Estates and Information and Digital, Data and Technology.

The Directorate is managed by two Directors:

Strategic Finance & Business Partnering Director: Overseeing the Department’s finance business partnering, financial strategic finance services, financial planning, productivity and efficiency, as well as the fees and income planning team.

Operational Finance & Shared Services Director: Overseeing finance change and shared services agenda, management accounts, financial accounts, transactional functions, portfolio finance. Overseeing the running of the department finances. focusing more upon the ‘finance machine’ that produces the statutory reporting, management information and set the financial controls control environment for the Home Office. We also have a team leading the change, learning and development and continuous improvement within the finance space.

The team is made up of a Chief of Staff, G7 Head of Executive & Business support, SEOs, HEOs & EOs.

As a Senior Executive Support Manager, you will need experience in a fast-paced environment, providing high level administrative and business support.

This is an exciting time to join the FD’s Business Support team, which is a small and friendly team who support the FDs in their day-to-day role as well as assisting them in delivering the organisation’s priorities. We are keen for someone who is willing to learn in this busy atmosphere.

Job description

This role will support the G7 in delivering all aspects of Business Planning, including the Finance Business Plan and Business Continuity for the Directorate. In addition, you will provide the secretariat support for the Quarterly Extended SMT meeting and monitor actions. You will also be responsible for tracking and monitoring Risk and Audit recommendations and ensuring these are regularly updated and for supporting the G7 in managing the KOSI (Finance Managed Service partner). You may be required to prepare first drafts of reports, presentations or briefing papers for senior staff.

The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing is crucial. You’ll be a key point of contact, liaising with a wide range of stakeholders. And work collaboratively as part of a team, offering support and guidance to colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Co-ordination of Directorate Business Plan, liaising with the Senior Management Team to agree prioritises and drafting their business area paragraph. Create and managing the working group to design and draft directorate plan.
• Support the Head of Business & Executive support to plan and organise extended quarterly SMT meetings and FD away days.
• Lead of the Directorate Business Continuity plans, creating a directorate network of BC planners and ensuring plans are up to date and tested on a regular basis.
• Track audit actions, regularly liaise with owners to ensure they have taken action to close outstanding audits and have updated Morgan.
• Co-ordinate Finance response to Assurance, Places of Growth, NAO, GIAA audits ensuring that we provide returns within deadline and to a good quality.
• KPI & Productivity and Efficiency monitoring.
• Support the Directorate’s SMT in delivering on the 5 corporate priorities to ensure that we’re improving as a Directorate in the way we function.
• Support G7 in the management of KOSI contract which will involve tracking requests, liaising with KOSI on requirements, tracking expenditure and working with Management Accountant to journal costs to relevant cost centres.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 3 days / 22.2 hours] per week due to business requirements.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Proven ability to build effective relationships with finance colleagues, senior leaders, and key stakeholders.
• Experience in preparing clear, high-quality briefings and reports for senior management.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to use data to monitor expenditure, track performance, and identify efficiencies.
• Ability to provide accurate, timely information that supports and influences decision-making.
• Collaborative approach to working across teams to commission, coordinate, and deliver tasks effectively.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to take initiative and drive tasks to completion.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and maintain high standards of accuracy.
• Commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality work while fostering a positive team environment.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.

See more of our benefits on our careers website.

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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, Ability and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the followingCivil ServiceVerbal test and Numerical test.

1. Online Test – by Monday 26th January 2026.

If you successfully pass theCivil Service Verbal test and Numerical test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test(s) will be available when you are invited to take the test. The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your test/s, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application – by Monday 26th January 2026.

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

• CV
• Evidence of the Behaviour/s'Communicating and Influencing', 'Working Together', 'Delivering at Pace' and 'Changing and Improving' (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour)

Your CV should consist of your career history, qualifications and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – week commencing Monday 2nd February 2026.

The sift will be held on the Behaviour/s and CV.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of the Behaviours.

4. Presentation Assessment – week commencing Monday 9th February 2026.

Candidates successful at sift will then be invited to a presentation assessment.

The presentation topic/scenario will be disclosed in advance to allow sufficient preparation time.

The presentation assessment take place via MS Teams.

This presentation will be assessed against the Success Profiles framework.

5. Interview – week commencing Monday 23rd February 2026.

If you are successful at both sift and presentation assessment stages, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Experience based questions.

Interviews will be carried out via MS Teams. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location Preferences

You can select up to threelocations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. The level of Criminal Record Check required for this role is Basic. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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 interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

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

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

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 counter-terrorist 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 : Home Office Resourcing Centre
• Email : horccampaignteamcorporateenablers@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)Information for Candidates v5 2025-04-28 Opens in new window (docx, 41kB)