Private Secretary

• Details
• Reference number
• 474805
• Salary
• £39,130 - £47,370

If the successful candidate is a current Civil Servant joining on level transfer, HM Treasury will honour their current substantive salary if higher.

For more information on pay, please refer to the guidance at https://hmtreasury.pagetiger.com/cjbibw.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

• Job grade
• Higher Executive Officer
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Business area
• HMT - Strategy, Planning and Budget
• Type of role
• Administration / Corporate Support
• Policy
• Working pattern
• Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time
• Number of jobs available
• 1
• Contents

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

Location

This post will be based in London only (1 Horse Guards Road).

About the job

Job summary

Working at HM Treasury puts you at the heart of government, making a difference to the UK economy and ultimately to people’s lives right across the UK.

Jobs at the Treasury are fast-paced, fun and can offer unparalleled perspective – not least the opportunity to advise Ministers on the decisions which directly determine the UK’s prosperity. Deep in our DNA is a commitment to empowering our people: maximising individual and collective impact, with interesting work no matter your role or seniority.

Day-to-day you could be supporting Ministers to decide the right level of a specific tax or line of government spending; helping maintain the stability of financial markets; analysing the long-term trends impacting the future of the economy; or enabling this work as part of our vital corporate functions.

We are a high-performing department and proud to have outstanding staff from a wide range of backgrounds. We are also a friendly, inclusive and sociable workplace that prides itself on fostering great team spirit. Our two largest offices are 1 Horse Guards Road in London, opposite St James’ Park, and the Darlington Economic Campus, which also contains eight other departments. We work seamlessly across all our sites, including Norwich, Birmingham and Leeds, as one Treasury.

We are both a 1,000-year-old institution and dynamic, forward-looking economics and finance ministry, with a strong direction set by our organisational strategy, the Future Treasury Vision. The 21st century offers huge opportunities and poses new challenges for the UK. Working at the Treasury is your chance to help the country chart the right course.

Job description

This is an exciting and challenging role at the heart of our work, helping a busy and fast-paced Group achieve stretching objectives, while providing a high level of support to our staff and the GMT. You will be Private Secretary to the Director of SPB and be a key part of the GMS team helping SPB Group run smoothly. If you are organised, efficient and people-focused, then we would love to hear from you.

As Private Secretary you will link the Director to the GMT, the wider Group, and wider across HMT including EMB, to ensure their steers and priorities are acted on and ensure that they are sighed on priority work at the right time.

The role will include:

• Develop an understanding of the Treasury's most important policy and Budget priorities by supporting the Director in managing advice and correspondence, highlighting key issues and decisions, and helping to ensure priorities are progressed effectively.
• Manage the Director's diary efficiently , proactively planning and using your professional judgement to line up meetings in a well-organised way. Resolve conflicts, negotiate and allocate appropriate time to the Director's priorities. Develop a good understanding of the Group's work and priorities so you can make decisions on behalf of the Director where appropriate, prepare diary and meeting packs in their preferred format, and manage the logistics for engagements as required.
• Inbox oversight – Maintain oversight of the Director's emails and priorities, helping to identify actions, track progress and ensure important issues are highlighted at the right time. Where appropriate, use your judgement to cascade information or coordinate follow up with colleagues across the Group.
• Forward plan against the Director’s priorities to anticipate problems, risks, issues and corporate tasks and proactively propose the best way to take them forward.
• Understand HMT’s processes including finance, correspondence and recruitment to allow you to give robust administrative support to the Director, Head of Group Management and GMS Manager and wider group and to build resilience across the GMS team.
• Take the initiative to develop and build and lead relationships with key internal and external partners and colleagues to effectively do the job.
• Deputise for GMS Manager when required:
• Stepping in for GMS manager in business and corporate information cascade and planning of corporate activities with the Director.
• Knowledge retention and organisation of information on team’s intranet folder including being site owner and overseeing Active Directory updates and liaising with the central team to reflect changes within the Group.
• Work closely with the GMS Manager to assist in ensuring business priorities across the group are managed effectively and corporate activities are carried out to ensure the smooth operation of the group.
• Deputy secretariat of the GMT meetings, which includes working with the GMS Manager to ensure each meeting has a chair, agenda, papers and readout /actions.
• Support the GMS team through providing flexible cover for the GMS team during absences, preparing full handover notes for your own absences and fulfilling commitments under the GMS Service Level Agreement (SLA) – delivering timely, high-quality support.
• Provide flexible cover for GMS team during absences and preparing full handover notes for your own absences.

You may also be asked to help with other ad-hoc or new tasks, in line with your development plan and the business needs.

While this role does not currently include direct line management responsibilities, we are looking for a candidate who demonstrates the potential and flexibility to lead others effectively. As the team evolves, there may be future opportunities to take on leadership and line management responsibilities, and we seek someone who can inspire, support, develop and guide colleagues to deliver high-quality outcomes.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams

The hiring manager will be running a candidate drop-in session for this role on Thursday 20th August at 11.30am click to Join to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact Rebecca Hopper (Rebecca.Hopper @hmtreasury.gov.uk ).

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Application Form

Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 250-word behaviour and experience statements. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.

The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria below for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Behaviours

• Working Together: Establish effective working relationships across a range of stakeholders. Foster a collaborative and engaging approach to meet common objectives.
• Communicating and Influencing: Communicate in an engaging, positive, and varied manner, appropriate for the audience, and taking into account individual’s needs. Deliver difficult and important messages, with clarity and sensitivity.
• Delivering at Pace: Use your strong organisation skills to ensure timely delivery of objectives. Use prioritisation skills to reassess workloads in times of conflicting demands to maintain performance.
• Experience: Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook and OneNote.

The lead criterion is: Working Together If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we’ll first sift using the lead criterion only. Those meeting the minimum score will then be assessed against all remaining criteria.

Interview Stage

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Experience - IT experience in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook and OneNote. Also any Diary management
• Strengths
• Behaviours:
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,130, HM Treasury contributes £11,335 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme - Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Parental Leave Packages - Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working - Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts - Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

You can review HM Treasury’s full offer here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Candidate Guidance

Please review the candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 27th August 2026
• Shortlisting: From 28th August 2026
• Interviews: w/c 7th September 2026

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a role immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to provide your location preference on your application form. Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer.

If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Candidates cannot apply to roles in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Successful candidates will be subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database. This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This also applies to those who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the database will be refused employment.

National Security Vetting

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, successful candidates will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Counter-Terrorist Check .

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years . You will be asked to provide residency information within your application form, and eligibility for national security vetting will be checked once the advert closing date has passed. In certain circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check .

See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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

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 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 to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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).

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 : Rebecca Hopper
• Email : rebecca.hopper@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.