We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and well-being and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued. 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 D&I Strategy.
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 (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
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).
Please note - At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.
Sift
The sift is due to take place after the 15th September 2026.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement.
The personal statement should align with the person specification.
Interview
GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. Interviews are due to take place in either the London or Birmingham office. You must be willing to travel to one of the GPA locations for the interview. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact [email protected] to discuss prior to submitting your application.
At interview, applicants will be scored against 5 behaviours - Seeing The Bigger Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Leadership, and Developing Self and Others.
Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions.
Please also come prepared to give a short presentation on: The presentation will be scored as Technical skill 5, there will not be an additional question for this score.
As the Head of Private Office, you are the final quality gate for all submissions leaving the Directorate. Present a 5-minute briefing aimed at your Directorate's Senior Leadership Team on 'How to Draft an ExCo/Board-Ready Paper.' What are your non-negotiable standards for content, tone, and strategic alignment?
Please note that a reserve list will be maintained for this campaign. Successful candidates not appointed to this specific role may be considered for similar opportunities across the wider Cabinet Office family should they arise.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to GPA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
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 Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as 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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
