22847 - Private Secretary to the Chief Executive
Organisational context
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), created in April 2013.
The primary purpose of the Agency, comprising approximately 1200 staff, is to deliver an efficient and effective legal aid system in collaboration with the rest of the justice system. We are tasked with the sound stewardship of a very large sum of public money (around £1.5bn) to carry out this duty.
The Corporate Centre operates at the heart of the LAA, delivering its core functions, including the office of the Chief Executive, external and internal communications, people and engagement, planning and performance, continuous improvement, governance, data and MI.
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to work at the centre of the organisation, working closely with senior leaders throughout the agency and department on a range of high profile issues. We are looking for an enthusiastic person with strong leadership skills who is committed and takes pride in the work that they do.
As Private Secretary, you will be required to juggle a wide range of tasks that are often urgent, complex and politically sensitive. You must therefore be able to build a sound, high level knowledge of the business as well as be adaptable, calm under pressure, be able to handle a range of issues with diplomacy, discretion and a ‘can do’ attitude. You will enjoy using your strategic thinking skills to think broadly about issues affecting the business, anticipating future needs. You will also need to be able to identify and handle potential risks, knowing when to tackle issues directly and when to escalate to the Chief Executive and the Executive Leadership Team. You will be expected to provide sound advice to the Chief Executive on a range of often sensitive issues.
This is a wide-ranging job involving significant leadership and an extensive range of internal and external relationship management which is crucial to the role. Having excellent interpersonal skills is therefore essential, as you will need to be able to communicate effectively on behalf of the senior team and negotiate and influence others to get the task done.
In addition to managing the CEO’s office, the role also includes oversight of the Corporate Correspondence Team (two members of staff). This will require good use of the skills identified above but you will also need to be able to build an excellent understanding of corporate issues and priorities; attention to detail and excellent drafting skills, experience of leading and motivating others; being able to set the direction and support others to make things happen.
The PS to the CEO is also a member of the Corporate Centre Senior Management Team. SMT members take an active interest in the corporate life of the directorate, leading on small projects and contributing to the wider leadership of the directorate. This could also involve taking on greater responsibilities for other functions within the corporate centre family in future, if appropriate and dependent on the skills of the successful applicant.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Key aspects of the Private Secretary to the Chief Executive role include, but are not limited to:
- managing the office of Chief Executive, supporting him in executing his duties as CEO of the LAA;
- managing the Chief Executive’s inbox, commissioning briefings, submissions and other work on his behalf;
- managing the Corporate Correspondence Team, responsible for overseeing the most complex correspondence on behalf of the CEO;
- supporting the Chief Executive in his cross-Whitehall work, building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders across Government and providing sound advice on a range of issues.
- supporting the Chief Executive in discharging his corporate responsibilities including his role as Head of Operational Delivery profession, Departmental lead for apprenticeships and social mobility champion.
Person Specification
Essential criteria
- Experience of working closely with Private Offices.
- Calm and efficient way of working
- Confidence in decision-making, exercising sound judgement, and the ability to challenge others in a constructive manner appropriate to the situation;
- Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven track record of successful internal and external relationship management, particularly at senior management and Executive Leadership Team levels;
- Excellent written and oral skills
- Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to understand and present information and data from a wide range of sources in a succinct manner.
- Experience of leadership, either directly leading a team or showing leadership qualities in other contexts.
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working in a private office will be an asset, but is not essential.
- Knowledge of the legal aid landscape or wider justice environment will be an advantage.
Assessment approach
Please provide evidence against the following five key competencies as part of your application.
Seeing the Big Picture
- Anticipate economic, social, political, environmental and technological developments to keep activity relevant and targeted.
- identify implications of Departmental and political priorities and strategy on own area to ensure plans and activities reflect these.
- Bring together views and perspectives of stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding activities and policies.
Making Effective Decisions
- Push decision making to the right level within their teams, not allow unnecessary bureaucracy and structure to suppress innovation and delivery.
- Analyse and evaluate pros and cons and identify risks in order to make decisions that take account of the wider context, including diversity and sustainability.
- Draw together and present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and complex evidence and data - able to act or decide even when details are not clear.
Leading and Communicating
- Confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals.
- Clarifies strategies and plans, giving clear sense of direction and purpose for self and team.
- Stand by, promote or defend own team's actions and decisions when needed.
Collaborating and Partnering
- Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.
- Effectively manage team dynamics when working across Departmental and other boundaries
Delivering at Pace
- Act as a role model in supporting and energising teams to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes.
- Maintain effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encouraging others to do the same.
- Review, challenge and adjust performance levels to ensure quality outcomes are delivered on time, rewarding success.
The sift is anticipated to take place on Friday 21 December. Following that, strengths-based interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing Monday 7 January.
Our LAA commitment
The LAA is committed to diversity and inclusion and we positively promote flexible working, including job shares.
We will consider all applications on merit regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, ethnicity, preferred working pattern and except for exceptional circumstances your working location.
As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview please ensure that you attach the Guaranteed Interview Form when you return your application. You can use the same form to let the recruiting manager know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
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.
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 equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
28/12/2018, 23:55 hours.
Closing Date: 28th December 2018 at 23.55 hours
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference.
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Candidate Information
You may be required to provide statements describing your skills and experience relevant to each of the selection criteria. We recommend that you structure any examples as Situation, Task, Action and Result. For more information about the recruitment process 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
In the event of a large number of applications, we reserve the right to undertake the following processes:
- An automated online test where a benchmark must be passed to progress;
- A sift on the lead selection criteria. If this happens, the lead criteria will be the first one listed in the advert.
During the selection process, you may be asked to undertake an additional assessment (such as written test). If this is applicable you will be notified of this when you are invited to interview.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.