Site Officer

Job summary

About the Government Legal Department

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

About the Operations Team

The Finance, Operations and Digital (FOD) Directorate sits at the heart of the Government Legal Department (GLD), enabling the delivery of high‑quality legal services through effective financial management, strong operational support, and modern digital capability.

FOD works closely with legal teams and corporate partners, alongside the Strategy, People and Culture division, to support GLD’s strategic objectives and day‑to‑day delivery. The Business Management Community provides direct operational support to legal teams, ensuring services are consistent and responsive.

GLD Operations is responsible for key corporate services including finance, planning and performance, HR, facilities management, security, ICT, and business assurance. The directorate also leads on regionalisation, supporting GLD’s offices outside London, including Leeds and Manchester.

FOD plays a central role in delivering GLD’s Strategy 2024–2027, with a focus on digital transformation, hybrid working, and value for money. GLD employs around 3,000 staff across locations including London, Leeds, Manchester, and Bristol, with Operations enabling the department to deliver complex, high‑profile legal work across the UK.

The Role

The Site Officer is responsible for the day-to-day supervision and coordination of on-site operations, ensuring the site operates efficiently and effectively. The role acts as a key point of contact between staff, Senior Leaders, and other government departments, building strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Sitting within the Operations Team, this position is ideally suited to an individual with strong relationship management skills who can ensure smooth office operations and respond effectively to staff needs.

• Acting as a primary point of contact for GLD staff based at the location (Croydon), the wider department, and external stakeholders.
• Providing on‑site operational support, including room bookings and the coordination of hospitality and facilities requirements.

Responding to ad‑hoc building and office needs as required, liaising with relevant teams or suppliers.

• Managing and delivering the site induction process for new starters, temporary staff, and visitors.
• Leading on office communications, including maintaining and managing staff and contact distribution lists.
• Proactively managing a shared inbox, ensuring queries and tasks are actioned efficiently and in a timely manner.
• Arranging meetings and providing support, including welcoming and escorting visitors as required.
• Working with colleagues to support and facilitate office events, meetings, and training sessions.
• Working closely with the teams to deliver a consistent, standardised, and efficient service across sites.
• Providing administrative support to staff forums and meetings, including minute taking when required.
• Ordering and managing stationery and office supplies.
• Travelling to other GLD sites as required and providing cover to support continuity of service.

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application.

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

• Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour)
• Working Together
• Delivering at pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Key Skills & Experience

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven ability to organise workload, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Confident use of IT systems, including email, calendars, document management, and spreadsheets.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels.

Desirable

Desirable criteria will be used when there is a need to distinguish between candidates who are closely tied or the same after the initial consideration of essential criteria, at sift and / or interview.

• Experience in an office support, facilities, or business administration role.
• Experience of supporting meetings, events, or forums.

Technical Skills

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Proficient in Office 360 packages, (Teams, Excel ,Word, Powerpoint) & outlook

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS. If successful for this post, you must hold or be willing to obtain CTC level clearance for this role. You can start this position while obtaining this clearance level, however continued appointment will be conditional upon obtaining the required security clearance. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levelsbefore completing your application.

Sponsorship and Visas

Visa sponsorship will not be given to candidates except where they are existing civil servants employed by GLD and currently sponsored by GLD, who meet the HO/UKVI requirements for sponsorship. If you are an existing civil servant employed by GLD who requires sponsorship or already holds it, you should confirm your eligibility for sponsorship for this role prior to submitting an application. If you have limited leave to remain on any other visa type GLD will not be able to sponsor you for this role

Applicants currently not employed by GLD and who hold limited leave to remain are unable to apply for this role. You will be asked to confirm your visa type as part of the application process. If you do not hold a skilled worker visa currently sponsored by GLD your application will be sifted out of the process and you will be rejected for the role.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,744, Government Legal Department contributes £9,775 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%

Learning and Development

Benefits of working for the Civil Service

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. We also support colleagues through a range of different professional qualifications.

Cross-Functional Professional

We support all Professions with building their careers and capability aligning with the wider Civil Service offerings for each Profession.

There are also talent and development opportunities offered throughout the year these include:

Senior Leaders and Future Leaders Schemes – cross Civil Service accelerated development schemes.

Beyond Boundaries – cross government development programme designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service.

Mentoring and Coaching – we encourage all colleagues to share their knowledge, capability, and experience.

Apprenticeships - We have a range of apprenticeships on offer across all professions with the opportunity for all employees to explore a profession specific apprenticeship to support their development in role.

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, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

The Recruitment Process

Application

To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs, searching the reference below. The deadline for this application is Thursday 14th May 2026 at 12:00 Midday

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

1. An online CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years, as part of the online application form. This will be used to assess Key Skills & Experience. The CV will be scored.
2. A statement of no more than 250 words for each behavior listed below:

• Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour)
• Working Together
• Delivering at pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Civil Service Tests Online

• As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete one Civil Service Online tests: a Verbal Test. You can find out more information and guidance on the tests, including options to take practice tests.
• If you are unsuccessful in passing these tests you will be unable to continue any further in the application process. If you successfully pass the/both test/s, you will then automatically progress to the next stage of completing the full application.
• We suggest you allow enough time to complete the full application online, prior to the closing date and time, Thursday 14th May 2026 at 12:00 Midday as once the application is closed you will no longer have access to the ability tests and the application.

There will be maintenance for online tests on Sunday 3rd May 2026 and Sunday 10th May 2026.

This means you will be unable to access the online tests on Sunday 3rd May 2026 between 4:00pm and 12:00am Midnight and on Sunday 10th May 2026 between 12:00pm Midday to 1:00pm. Your progress will be saved, and you will be able to continue once the tests are available again.

Application Errors

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, please contact us via: activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

• Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – Please re-open my application 460216 & Thursday 14th May 2026 at 12:00 Midday

Selection Process

Please note: We will also conduct a pre-sift to check your eligibility to apply. If we find you are not eligible to apply we will not be able to proceed with your application on this occasion.

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the behaviours and key skills and experience outlined in the person specification.

Please note, if a high number of applications are received, we will sift on CV and Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour) alone.

In the eventuality that there are a high number of applicants successful at sift, GLD may operate a longlist, whereby applicants who have been shortlisted and met the minimum pass mark but are not selected for interview will have their application placed on hold. After the initial interview round candidates on the longlist may be offered an interview, should there still be posts available.

Interview

If you are invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in the criteria listed in the Person Specification and strength-based questions. These criteria are:

• Managing a quality service (Lead Behaviour)
• Working Together
• Delivering at pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Your interview will take place online.

Offer

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

All communications regarding your application will be made through Civil Service Jobs.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list. We may contact you to see if you are interested

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 : Sibongile Tshuma
• Email : sibongile.tshuma@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Further information

What do I do if I have a complaint?
You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application hasn’t been treated in accordance with these Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact recruitment_feedback@governmentlegal.gov.uk in the first instance. Please title your email as follows: Job Reference Number – Job Title – Recruitment Complaint. Complaints must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the incident or the decision which has caused the complaint. To fully engage with the issues raised GLD require that you submit evidence of your complaint.

Attachments

460216 - EO Site Officer Opens in new window (pdf, 724kB)