Flexible working: This is a full-time role (37 hours per week). Depending on your business area and responsibilities, there may be opportunities for flexible or home working. Some roles may require regular on-site attendance at set times. For more information on our flexible working options, please visit our Life at GCHQ page.
About us
GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners, MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that emphasises teamwork.
The role
As Executive Support, you’ll play a central role in enabling some of the organisation’s most senior leaders to operate effectively. Acting as their dedicated first point of contact, you’ll manage diaries, administration and travel, coordinating competing priorities and ensuring they are well prepared for their commitments.
Preparing briefings and essential documentation for a wide range of engagements, you’ll help leaders stay informed and ready for key appointments. The role also includes overseeing UK and overseas travel arrangements, with close attention to itineraries, policy and security requirements. Offering significant variety, responsibilities include organising meetings, managing inboxes, drafting agendas and ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day activity.
Working closely with the wider Executive Support team, you’ll help deliver a professional and consistent service across the organisation. You’ll source key information and materials , contribute to improving ways of working, and support the implementation of new processes where appropriate. Throughout, success will depend on your professionalism, accuracy and reliability.
Please note that some travel within the UK will be required, likely to Manchester or London once or twice a month. Travel expenses will be covered, and any additional approved working hours can be recorded and taken back as accrued time off at a mutually agreed time.
About you
To apply, you’ll hold English language and mathematics GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above, or an equivalent qualification. You’ll also have experience of working in a similar role, such as executive or administrative support, where you’ve developed effective customer service skills.
Importantly, a can-do, proactive attitude is essential, along with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. Being organised, collaborative and able to delegate where needed, the role requires flexibility to changing demands and a quick response to last-minute requests. Building relationships with others to develop effective support networks is also a key part of the role.
Training and development
When you join, you’ll be introduced to the team and have the opportunity to visit key sites. You’ll also take part in GCHQ’s induction programme, alongside an Executive Support-specific induction covering the tools we use, our ways of working, and best practice for delivering high-quality executive support. To help you settle into life at GCHQ, you’ll be assigned two ‘buddies’: one within your team and another from the wider Executive Support community. Your buddies will be on hand to help with role-related queries, as well as any general questions you may have.
You’ll complete practical, role-based training, and we’ll help you access courses to support your career development. This could include concise minute-taking training, to enhance your Microsoft Office skills, or learning opportunities to deepen your understanding of government departments.
Rewards and benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £35,134, plus concessionary payment of £2,758, and other benefits including:
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25 days’ annual leave, automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
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opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
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an interest-free season ticket loan
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an excellent pension scheme
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a cycle-to-work scheme
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facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
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paid parental and adoption leave
Equal opportunities
At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: people with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce, such as women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website.
There is a wide range of additional support available throughout the recruitment process to help you do your best. Please see our website for information on the reasonable adjustments we can offer.
We’re Disability Confident
GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This scheme aims to encourage employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. As a Disability Confident organisation, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. This is known as the Offer of an Interview. To secure an interview for this role, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:
To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:
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You’ll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses criteria important for all roles in our organisation
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You’ll need to achieve the minimum pass mark on the application questions
What to expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent and based on merit. Below is an overview of each stage, in order:
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An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
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Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in which you rate the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios
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Application sift, assessing your motivation for the role and the organisation
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Virtual interview
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If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to complete, including vetting. We therefore advise that you continue in any current employment until you have received a final job offer.
Before you apply
To work at GCHQ, you must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.
This role requires the highest level of security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). This is undertaken by everyone across the UK Intelligence Community. You can find out more about the vetting process here.
Please note that we have a strict drugs policy. Once you start your application, you must not take any recreational drugs, and you’ll be required to declare any previous drug use at the relevant stage.
Before applying, we recommend setting up a separate email address for correspondence with us, to ensure your personal and application-related communications remain separate. You should avoid including identifying features information in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application more securely.
The role is based in Cheltenham, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.
We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in-person appointments during the recruitment and vetting process. Full details will be provided with your interview or assessment invitation.
Reimbursement is discretionary and will only be made in line with the Candidate Expenses Policy, as amended from time to time. Candidates must book their own travel, using the most economical option, and provide original hard copy receipts for reimbursement.
Please note that you should only submit your application from within the UK. If you are currently based overseas, you should wait until you return to the UK before applying. Applications submitted from outside the UK will affect our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application with anyone other than your partner or a close family member.
Right to withdraw statement:
Please be aware that we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.
