Diary Manager and Assistant Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary

Government Recruitment Service; City Of London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector recruitment agency in London is seeking a Diary Manager and Assistant Private Secretary to support the Permanent Secretary. This fixed-term role involves managing day-to-day logistics, coordinating travel, overseeing office processes, and collaborating across teams. The ideal candidate will have excellent organizational skills and the ability to work effectively within a dynamic environment. This is a two-year contract position.

Qualifications

• Experience in diary and logistics management.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Permanent Secretary’s day-to-day logistics.
• Coordinate travel arrangements ensuring compliance and cost-effectiveness.
• Oversee core office processes and maintain accurate correspondence.
• Handle advice, briefings, and information management.
• Collaborate within the Permanent Secretary’s office and Private Office group.

Job description

Private Office is one of the most dynamic teams in DCMS involved in all aspects of departmental business, supporting the Department’s Ministers and senior leadership team with a high quality service.

The Permanent Secretary’s office is a close-knit, friendly team working across the whole breadth of the department’s work. Working closely with DCMS senior leaders, ministerial private offices and policy officials, you will be part of a fast paced team, where you will need to engage regularly with the most senior parts of the department and have a good strategic eye.

We are a team of four, with a Head of Office, Senior Private Secretary, a Private Secretary and a Diary Manager and Assistant Private Secretary (this role). We support the Permanent Secretary in everything she does both internally in the Department and across Whitehall, and externally with DCMS’ many stakeholders. Our portfolios shift regularly to reflect key priorities and issues, and we work flexibly across the office to ensure everything is covered.

This is a fixed-term role for two years, which is available on level transfer only.

• Diary management: you will be responsible for the Permanent Secretary’s day to day logistics, working closely with your immediate team, other private offices and external stakeholders to arrange meetings and events.
• Organising travel: you will work closely with the team to coordinate the Permanent Secretary’s travel arrangements, helping organise transport and accommodation while ensuring cost effectiveness and compliance with relevant departmental policies.
• Office processes: you will take responsibility for a set of core office processes, likely to include coordinating invites and correspondence. This will involve working across the team to ensure accurate and timely responses.
• Assistant Private Secretary: as Private Secretary for one of the directorates in DCMS, you will be responsible for the day-to-day handling of advice, briefings and general information management between the Permanent Secretary and the directorate.
• Cross team work: we operate as one private office team, so as part of your role you will work collaboratively both within the Permanent Secretary’s office and more broadly across the Private Office group.