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This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
23-Nov-2025
Post Type
Loan
Civil Service Grade
SCS 1
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
11699

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

This is a challenging and demanding role but also a rewarding one. It offers a unique and exciting opportunity to operate at the very heart of the Northern Ireland Office, working closely with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, other Ministers and senior officials. You will gain an unrivalled insight into the workings of the wider Department, Whitehall and the operation of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Key Responsibilities

  • Ensure that the Secretary of State, Ministers and the NIO Senior Leadership Team (SLT) are supported by a highly effective and resilient Private Office team with outreach across the department.
  • Ensure the operational effectiveness and resilience of a Private Office of 20 individuals including an Executive Support Team and Parliamentary Team.  This will entail leading a programme of modernisation and digitalisation within our Private Office as well as prioritising supportive management and personal development across this team.
  • Lead this team to facilitate continuous and effective two-way communication and service between the Secretary of State, Ministers and officials.
  • Work closely with the Permanent Under Secretary and SLT to prioritise and support the delivery of our key departmental objectives, ensuring these are fully aligned with SoS and Ministerial priorities and use of time.
  • Provide oversight and assurance of all Private Office processes to support SoS’s and Ministers’ day to day work and decision making, using data and evidence to monitor and improve these processes.
  • Use your judgement to identify and prioritise issues that need to be brought to the attention of SoS Ministers, working closely with SLT and peers/Team Leaders to manage competing interests in the immediate, short and long-term.
  • Be resilient, accurate and resourceful in providing urgent guidance on difficult issues, identifying and managing risks and opportunities quickly.
  • Have a strong grasp of the priority policies and objectives for the Secretary of State, and the ability to source and use the expertise of policy officials to progress these.
  • Know how to work effectively  with Special Advisers, facilitating their relationships with the wider department and SoS and Ministers to maximise their impact.
  • Have a strong and responsive network with other Ministerial Private Office teams in both Whitehall (including no10 and Cabinet Office) and Northern Ireland departments.
  • Build partnerships with key external stakeholders including officials in the Irish government and the US administration and use these to represent the views of the Secretary of State, Ministers and senior officials credibly and sensitively.
Additional Information

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Essential criteria:

  • Exceptional interpersonal and team management skills, with the ability to provide leadership across a geographically dispersed and multi-faceted Private Office team.
  • Proven experience of working effectively with Ministers and senior officials to deliver policy outcomes.
  • The ability to build and maintain a strong network of internal and external stakeholders with a strong ability to influence at all levels, working collaboratively to resolve difficult issues
  • Excellent judgement, and a good understanding of the political nuances of working on devolved matters as well as within Whitehall.
  • Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work effectively across a range of tasks and under pressure.
  • The ability to think strategically and creatively, and to be able to communicate clearly under pressure in a timely way.

Desirable criteria:

  • An understanding of the Northern Ireland political system and the work of the Northern Ireland Executive would be advantageous, but is not essential.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Contact Information
If you require any assistance please contact us on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.

Application form stage assessments

Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please provide a statement to evidence how you meet the essential criteria
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
w/c 15th December
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace
Level of security checks required
DBS Basic
Developed Vetting (DV)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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.