Details
Reference number
436726
Salary
£31,479 London minimum £35,438 A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97% GBP
Job grade
Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Apprenticeship
Business area
DFE - Strategy Group
Type of role
Administration / Corporate Support
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
London SW1P 3BT, Manchester M1 2WD, Nottingham NG2 1AW, Sheffield - S1 2FJ
Please note – Nottingham currently have site controls in place. Therefore, this location option is only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to this office location.
About the job
Job summary
About the Role
Are you ready for a rewarding and dynamic role at the very centre of the Department for Education? We are searching for an enthusiastic and proactive individual to join our Strategy and Delivery Directorate as a Personal Assistant and Business Support Team member.
As a key member of our Directorate Support Team, you will play a pivotal role in helping our Director and Deputy Directors drive forward the department’s most important priorities. You’ll have a unique opportunity to work directly with senior leaders, helping them stay organised, informed and focused on delivering better outcomes for the department and its Sectors.
In this varied position, you will:
- Provide dedicated and high-quality support to three Deputy Directors, managing complex diaries, coordinating travel, and handling confidential correspondence.
- Organise and deliver directorate-wide initiatives, such as staff engagement and wellbeing activities, helping to foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
- Work closely with colleagues at all levels, gaining insight into high-profile policy projects and enjoying opportunities for professional development.
- Take the lead in coordinating key events and supporting smooth communication across the directorate, ensuring everything runs seamlessly day-to-day.
This is a fast-paced role full of learning and networking opportunities – ideal for someone who thrives on variety and enjoys collaborating with others to deliver real change. You will be supported to develop your skills and encouraged to contribute your ideas to shape how we work together.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, individuals with caring responsibilities, and professionals from a range of disciplines. Your unique perspective will help us better serve our colleagues and stakeholders.
If you’re organised, adaptable, and keen to make a difference in a high-profile environment, we would love to hear from you.
About the Strategy and Delivery Directorate
The Strategy and Delivery Directorate helps Ministers and the Department work together on a clear, unified strategy - and turn that strategy into action. It sets the department’s top priorities, monitors progress, and leads external stakeholder engagement.
The directorate includes six divisions
Job description
As a Personal Assistant and Business Support Team member, your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Inbox and Diary management: Organise schedules. Prioritise meetings and email correspondence, and travel arrangements for Directors and Deputy Directors.
- Meeting Coordination: Arrange logistics, prepare agendas, commissioning papers and attending meetings to take minutes and record actions as required.
- Organise directorate or team-level activities Lead and support people-focused initiatives including team development days, capability, and recruitment campaigns.
- Collaboration and innovation: Work with your team to support the maintenance and improvement of internal procedures and systems, identifying opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement
- Communications: Support internal communications and engagement activities across the directorate.
Apprenticeship information:
https://youtu.be/rVaPVTGV3oA
As this role includes completion of the Business Administrator Apprenticeship (Level 3) please check the eligibility requirements below using the apprenticeship standard: Business administrator / Skills England
- You must have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date and not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time.
- You must not already have a substantial amount of the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
- You must not have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.
Please do not apply if:
- You already have all the skills and knowledge that is covered in the contents of the apprenticeship standard.
- You have already worked in a similar role, or your previous learning, and/or work experience covers the contents (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours) of the apprenticeship standard.
- You have a degree (or equivalent) in business administration.
At the enrolment stage, the individual's eligibility will be checked by the training provider.
Person specification
Essential criteria
- Strong organisational and time-management skills.
- Proactive approach and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
- Highly motivated and able to manage a varied workload.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Have good IT skills, including experience in using Microsoft Office.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £31,479, Department for Education contributes £9,119 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Strengths and Experience.
Application
At application you will be asked to provide your CV and a statement of suitability.
- Your CV should include details of previous roles held and responsibilities/ previous skills and experience.
- Your statement of suitability (max word count 750 words) should demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above.
Your CV and statement will be assessed against the listed essential criteria.
To confirm, the maximum word count for the personal statement/ statement of suitability is 750. Please adhere to this limit as anything over 750 words will not be taken into account.
In the event of a large number of applications, the sift will be carried out against the following two key criteria only:
- Strong organisational and time-management skills.
- Proactive approach and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
Interview
Those successful at sift will be invited to attend an interview.
At interview we will ask questions to further assess your experience in relation to the listed essential criteria.
We will also ask you some fast-paced strength questions. Strengths are the things we do regularly, do well and motivate us. There are no right and wrong answers to these questions, we want to find out whether you are a good fit for the role. We don’t advertise which strengths we are going to assess you on as we want to be able to assess your first, natural response to the questions.
Other Information
Interviews will take place virtually on Microsoft teams.
In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.
This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment .
Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:
- name/title
- educational institutions
- age
- gender
- email address
- postal address
- phone number
- nationality/immigration status
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.
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put 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 Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk 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.
Please refer to the attached ‘Reasonable Adjustments Guide 05_2025 – accessible version’ at the bottom of the advert, for further information.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
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)
- 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
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 . 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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Opportunity Mission Hub Team within the Delivery Unit
- Email : opportunity.mission@education.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : Centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk
Further information
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. 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
