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Job summary

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects.

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 fulfill 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 Private Office and Governance Division

The Private Office and Governance Division directly support the Permanent Secretary, the Executive Team and the Non-Executive Board Members in the effective running of the department.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of government, supporting the work of the Treasury Solicitor and the Executive Team, made up of four Director Generals and two Directors. We benefit from exposure and insight into the key issues across government, supporting a team of high-performing individuals working across stimulating portfolios.

We are a supportive, enthusiastic, and collaborative team made up of colleagues with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. You will be expected to play a leadership role in modelling these behaviours and to contribute to the team environment. You should be engaging, trustworthy, supportive to peers and senior colleagues, and a team player willing to get stuck in.

About the Role

The Private Office act as a key link and channel of communication between Whitehall and the department. You will use your judgement to identify issues and to manage the flow of information and decision making for the Permanent Secretary and the Executive Team.

You will provide a high-quality service, supporting the Executive Team to deliver their personal and departmental priorities. This will include a range of the most sensitive matters of Government, where you will be required to convey views to a range of senior stakeholders. It requires discretion, excellent judgement, grip, and strong people skills.

You will have a good understanding and experience of the interaction between legal and policy work, and will be familiar with the legal profession, although you are not expected to be an expert in the field. You will need to deliver under pressure, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and understand new information quickly, so good communication and coordination skills are essential requirements. The need to prioritise and pivot at pace due to competing priorities is crucial to the role.

This is a high-profile role requiring excellent organisational inter-personal and communication skills. You will work closely with the most senior officials in GLD and across the department and this requires proactivity, the ability to show Initiative and a can-do approach.

It will be essential to think strategically in order to make important connections between key meetings, their inputs and outputs and have the confidence to influence at all levels.

While this role will initially focus on management of diaries, there is scope to support with briefing, notetaking, and strategic work for the Executive Team.

Key responsibilities:

• Delivering a high-quality service for your principal, driving forward their priorities. A good working relationship with your principal is key to this role.
• Managing the diary, ensuring it is up to date and accurate. Proactively identifying conflicts in various schedules and taking initiative to resolve these.
• Supporting engagement with the wider legal profession, working with high-profile organisations such as the Law Society, Bar Council and senior judiciary externally.
• Developing and maintaining influential working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across Whitehall, including senior officials’ private offices, and GLD’s senior leadership team.
• Responding to requests promptly, working at pace to resolve emerging issues and manage competing priorities. Flagging potential issues to the DG and proactively working with teams to identify solutions.
• Proactively horizon scanning to ensure effective management of time sensitive tasks.
• Assisting with the management of inboxes, and other tasks such as transparency returns and commissioning reports.

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:

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

Key skills and Experience

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Experience of communicating effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior colleagues.
• Capability to work effectively under pressure and at pace.
• Excellent time management, organisational and planning skills.
• Experience of having to navigating multiple and conflicting priorities to achieve the best outcome.

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 of working in a Private Office setting (within government), or in a role with similar transferable skills supporting seniors.
• An understanding of legal policy and legislation.

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS. If successful for this post you must hold or be willing to obtain SC level clearance for this role. You cannot start this position until you have obtained the higher 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, who meet the HO/UKVI requirements for sponsorship. If you are an existing civil servant employed by GLD who requires sponsorship, you should confirm your eligibility for sponsorship for this role prior to application. Individuals should seek Home Office guidance on how new positions with the organisation impact on changes to sponsorship eligibility.

Candidates with Limited Leave to Remain can apply but must have at least 12 months remaining on an existing visa which allows them to work for GLD when employment commences. Candidates must ensure that their current visa dates cover the entire period of employment or that they are eligible for non-sponsored immigration routes, to allow their employment with GLD to continue for the duration of this role. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the right to work in the UK and hold an appropriate visa or are on an alternative route that covers the entire period of your employment. Please note, GLD will not be able to provide sponsorship for this role when your current visa arrangements expire and you will not be able to continue in your employment with GLD via sponsorship. Please allow three months for the onboarding process from the point of offer.

Candidates with Indefinite Leave to Remain can apply.

You will be asked to confirm your immigration status and visa type as part of the application process. If you do not meet the above requirements 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:

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

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 (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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

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 Monday 10 August 2026 at 12:00 Midday.

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

• A 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. The CV will be scored and assessed on Key skills and Experience.
• A statement of no more than 250 words for each behaviour listed below:
  • Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Managing a Quality Service

AI Usage

Civil Service Jobs states that 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

In addition to this please note the use of AI is strictly prohibited during tests, written exercises and interviews.

Civil Service Tests Online

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete 2 Civil Service Online tests: a Verbal Test and a Judgement 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 both tests, 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, Monday 10 August at 12:00 Midday as once the application is closed you will no longer have access to the ability tests and the application.

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 – 473527 & vacancy closing date 10 August 2026’.

Selection Process

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 Keys Skills and Experience outlined in the person specification.

Please note, if a high number of applications are received, we will sift on Delivering at Pace 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:

• Delivering at Pace (Lead Behaviour)
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Experience

Your interview will take place in –person in 102 Petty France, Westminster, London, SW1H 9GL

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 in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

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 : Maysie Lewis
• Email : Maysie.Lewis@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Further information

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

473527 2 x Assistant Private Secretary Opens in new window (pdf, 624kB)