Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location This position is based at NORTHERN IRELAND OFFICE LONDON, SW1A 2HQ About the job Job summary Please refer to Job Description Job description New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join on the minimum of the pay range. Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Departments pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules. The starting salary for the London based location is £61,201. A Private Office allowance applies for this role. BACKGROUND The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government. The Northern Ireland Office employs around 170 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives. Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment. Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include: Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service. Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland For more information about what we do: Visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice. A BOUT T H E ROLE: This is a challenging but highly rewarding role. 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, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Special Advisers, and senior officials. You will work alongside the Principal Private Secretary and the rest of the Private Office team to deliver a highly effective and resilient Private Office operation, allowing you to gain an unrivalled insight into the workings of the Department, Whitehall and the Northern Ireland Executive. The Senior Private Secretary acts as a key link and channel of communication between Ministers and the Department, as well as managing relationships with wider Government. You will lead on the submission of policy advice to Ministers to support their decision making, and advise on the presentation of their key objectives. You will use your judgement to identify issues that need to be brought to the attention of the Secretary of State and the political team You will work closely with the senior management team on the delivery of Ministers objectives, and in ensuring the department has a clear understanding of Ministers views and priorities. You will represent the Secretary of State around Whitehall, with the Northern Ireland Executive, and with external stakeholders. You will play a leadership role across the private office group and have line management responsibilities, overseeing the performance management of your team to ensure high standards of service. You will have a distinct policy portfolio and provide oversight on the policy areas and operational functions which your direct reports lead on. You will work closely with Special Advisers, Communications and External Relations colleagues within the department. Building effective external networks and relationships with other Ministerial Private Office teams in both Whitehall and Northern Ireland will be critical. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to: Smooth and efficient running of the Private Office team, working alongside the Principal Private Secretary, senior officials, and Special Advisers to deliver the highest quality support and advice for the Secretary of State and the political team. Line management of a team of Private Office staff. You will be responsible for ensuring all staff are managed effectively, that they work as one team across the private office group, with a focus on coaching and development. Ensuring that the Department has a clear understanding of Ministerial views, priorities and objectives, guiding officials in their preparation of briefing for Ministers on key policy issues, engaging with confidence and authority with senior officials to ensure Ministerial steers are taken forward. Playing an active leadership role as part of the Private Office management team. This includes taking ownership of several core private office processes, driving forward efficiencies and bolstering the resilience of the team. Participating in the Private Office network across Whitehall and building partnerships with key external stakeholders. You will have the credibility to represent the views of the Secretary of State and the Department across Whitehall and externally. ESSENTIAL CRITERIA: The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview: Proven experience of working effectively with Ministers and Senior Officials or stakeholders at an equivalent level of seniority with a strong ability to influence at all levels, Strong leadership skills, with a proven ability to provide leadership in high-pressure environments Sound judgement, and an understanding of the political nuances of working with constitutional/devolution issues. Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work calmly and effectively across a range of tasks under pressure. The ability to think strategically and to work collaboratively to resolve difficult issues. DESIRABLE CRITERIA: An understanding of the Northern Ireland political system Experience of working on Parliamentary matters BEHAVIOURS: We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours for the Grade 7 level during the application sift and interview process : Communicating and Influencing Leadership Changing and improving Working together EXPERIENCE: Please provide a CV and statement of suitability no longer than 500 words outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Both will be used in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role. Your statement of suitability needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. If you dont have work-based examples then give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in. Your CV should include details of your education, professional qualifications, previous skills and full employment history. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement. More information on behaviours and success profiles can be found here. Please note that in the event of a large number of applications being received we may run the initial sift on the lead Behaviour Communicating and Influencing. INTERVIEW: You will be assessed against the same behaviours at the interview stage and will be asked to provide examples of how you have demonstrated the behaviours. Top scoring candidates from the interview, will be invited for a fireside chat with the Secretary of State. It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain: WHO- What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or STAR- What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions? All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. OFFER Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful security checks. Additional information received after the closing date will not be considered. Failure to provide sufficient information in support of an application prior to the closing date will not be considered as grounds for an appeal if an applicant is not shortlisted for interview. SECURITY CLEARANCE: This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links: United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role. This role requires SC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 5 years Neither Detached Duty terms nor relocation costs will apply to this post. Further Information: Further information about the post may be obtained from MaryJo McKeever via email to maryjo.mckeevernio.gov.uk All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. This job description should not be taken as constituting conditions of employment. Please note that due to the high interest in NIO opportunities, feedback cannot be given if you are unsuccessful at the sift stage. Feedback is available on request if unsuccessful following the interview. COMPLAINTS: The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. Please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiriessscl.gse.gov.uk) in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/ https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/ RESERVE LISTS: In the event that the advertised post following interview, identifies more appointable applicants than available posts, we may hold applicant details on a merit/reserve list for a period of 12 months from which further future appointments can be made. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiriesgov.sscl.com to be removed from the reserve list. Additional Information Working Arrangements & Further Information The NIO offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different NIO sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity. Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyones circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. Flexible working hours The NIO offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. NIO welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the NIOs Flexible Working policy. Benefits: Access to learning and development A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity A Civil Service pension 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years service. Public Holidays Season Ticket Advance Networks The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Support A range of Family Friendly policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share. Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services. For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave. Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens. Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiriesgov.sscl.com ); To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ( resourcing-management-officejustice.gov.uk ); To the Civil Service Commission (details available here ) As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. We are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please see our Disability Confident Scheme Frequently Asked Questions webpage. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team. 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 & 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. Interview dates Date(s) TBC Closing Date: 28/01/2025, 23:55 hours. Person specification Please refer to Job Description Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Communicating and Influencing Leadership Changing and Improving Working Together Benefits Alongside your salary of £61,201, Northern Ireland Office contributes £17,729 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Access to learning and development A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% Annual Leave Public Holidays Season Ticket Advance For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page. Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ 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. Diversity and 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 (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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiriesgov.sscl.com Telephone : 0845 241 5359 Recruitment team Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiriesgov.sscl.com Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. I you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiriesgov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/ https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/2122?entityId2122 Apply at advertiser's site Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail