Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

London SW1A 2BQ

Manchester M2 3AW

About the job

Job summary

This role sits in the fast-paced, high-profile and supportive Strategy and Operations Director General (DG) Private Office, alongside the Head of Office and the Private Secretary. We act as the interface between the DG, the Department, and the rest of government.

Our office is part of the wider Private Office and Ministerial Support & Parliamentary team, within the Corporate Strategy Directorate. We work closely with other Private Offices, which serve the Permanent Secretary, Ministers and Special Advisers, to advance the department’s strategic, operational and delivery agenda. 

Our team is crucial to the successful running of the Department - we help senior officials to deliver ministerial priorities and ensure the effective operation of the Department. Working in our team you will gain a strong understanding of the inner workings of a central government department and gain invaluable experience of how to deliver across multiple government professions and functions.

Job description

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic individual to join the Strategy and Operations DG Private Office as a Diary Manager. You will manage the DG’s diary to ensure it meets their needs and makes effective use of their time to deliver ministerial priorities. You will be a crucial member of the Private Office team, contributing as an equal member and being a core part of making the team a great place to work.

You will need to be proactive in your approach to work, have good judgement and attention to detail, as well as an ability to reach out and build productive relationships. Once settled in the team, there will be the opportunity to take on stretching work to develop within the role and across the portfolio. 

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• lead regular planning meetings with the DG to manage upcoming diary engagements;
• work closely with other Private Offices and officials to ensure effective use of their principal’s time;
• use judgement to prioritise important meetings, suggest appropriate delegation when needed and use clear communication;
• provide administrative support including inbox management, booking travel and accommodation, managing expenses and transparency returns; and
• support the continuous improvement of processes both within and outside of their immediate responsibilities. 

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience: 

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work effectively across a range of tasks and under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to communicate concisely and coherently to a variety of audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact confidently and professionally with a diverse set of senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively to resolve difficult issues.
• Strong judgement, with an understanding of how to handle sensitive information, and the ability to manage situations independently and understand when to escalate and how.

Desirable Skills:

• An understanding of how a Private Office operates.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Abigail Needham, and will take place on:

• Tuesday 18 February, 15:00

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form by Monday 17 February, 15:00 and you will be sent an invitation. 

Please note that the session will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,707, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £8,026 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We’re committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home
• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years’ service
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
• 3 days of paid volunteering leave
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year
• Occupational sick pay
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks
• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work
• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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 : Abigail Needham
• Email : abigail.needham@dcms.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment.team@dcms.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/

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