This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.
The national salary range is £58,511 - £65,329, London salary range is £63,343 - £70,725. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
London
Region
London
Closing Date
14-Oct-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 7
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
22889
Job description
Private Secretary and Head of Office to Justice Minister
Grade 7
Private Office and Parliament Directorate
The MoJ Private Office is recruiting permanently for a Grade 7 Private Secretary role. This campaign is open to current civil servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.
Successful candidates will be based at:
102 Petty France, London
Due to the nature of PS roles, which involve a significant amount of interaction with ministers, the successful candidate will need to be able to work in the office when the minister is present. Unfortunately, the role is unsuitable for part-time or flexible working, but full-time Jobsharers are welcome to apply. When the minister is out (for example during parliamentary recess, or when on a visit), there are opportunities for flexible working such as working from home.
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
Please note that these roles may require working extended hours for which a Private Secretary allowance is payable.
This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links:
United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The vetting charter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role.
This role requires SC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 5 years.
MOJ is one of the largest government departments, employing over 90,000 people (including those in the Probation Service), with a budget of approximately £9.5 billion. Each year, millions of people use our services across the UK - including at 500 courts and tribunals, and 133 prisons in England and Wales.
Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
The Ministry of Justice’s Private Office and Parliament Directorate is a supportive and collaborative group. It is also a busy and interesting place to work, acting as the interface between the Permanent Secretary, Ministers, the rest of the Department and Whitehall. The Department is at the forefront of the Government’s programme to tackle serious crime and support victims. You will play a key role in turning ministerial priorities into delivery, working across the Department to maintain momentum, resolve problems and ensure agreed actions are followed through. You will gain invaluable experience at the heart of decision-making, working directly with Ministers, Special Advisers, senior officials and external stakeholders on a range of high-profile issues.
These roles present an exciting opportunity to take on an intellectually and professionally stimulating position at the centre of the Department as Private Secretary to a member of the ministerial team. The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser who can build a strong working relationship with the Minister, understand how they operate and provide the structure, judgement and challenge needed to help them deliver their priorities.
As a Private Secretary, you will help translate ministerial ambition into clear decisions, actions and outcomes. You will maintain a strong grip across the portfolio, anticipate issues before they become obstacles and ensure the Minister receives concise, timely advice. You will work directly with the Permanent Secretary, Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials, often at pace and where expectations are high.
This post provides unparalleled experience of Departmental business and ministerial decision-making, with direct exposure to senior civil servants, the judiciary, parliamentarians and external stakeholders. You will contribute to the Department’s strategic agenda while ensuring that ministerial decisions are converted into clear ownership and action. This will require you to test whether progress is genuinely on track and intervene early where further grip or senior attention is needed.
Candidates must demonstrate adaptability, initiative, leadership, resilience and drive. They will need excellent judgement and the ability to secure progress amid uncertainty, competing views and changing priorities. The successful candidate will be comfortable providing candid advice, managing expectations and offering constructive challenge, while retaining the confidence of the Minister and senior colleagues. They must also lead and support the wider team, maintaining a welcoming and professional culture during sustained periods of pressure.
In particular, the post holder is responsible for:
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
During the application process you will be asked to submit a CV in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.
You will also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability (no more than 500 words). Which details an explanation of why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience align with the tasks listed in the job description.
Behaviours
During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:
Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview.
Please note that interviews will be carried out in-person at 102 Petty France.
In addition to the Behaviour listed in the application form, you will be asked a series of experience-based questions and asked to complete a situational judgement task.
The interview will also cover strength-based questions. There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK
Interviews are expected to take place in October 2026.
Please be advised that as part of the recruitment campaign we will conduct fireside conversations with the relevant Minister and/or senior member of the Private Office Team.
Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.
Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
· Where are you?
· Who was there with you?
· What had happened?
Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
· What was the task that you had to complete and why?
· What did you have to achieve?
Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for information on what you did, how you did it and why. Keep the focus on you. What specific steps did you take and what was your contribution? Remember to include how you did it, and the behaviours you used. Try to use “I” rather than “we” to explain your actions that lead to the result. Be careful not to take credit for something that you did not do.
Results - Don’t be shy about taking credit for your behaviour. Quote specific facts and figures. Explain how the outcome benefitted the organisation or your area. Make the outcomes easily understandable.
· What results did the actions produce?
· What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your goals?
· Was it a successful outcome? If not, what did you learn from the experience?
Keep the situation and task parts brief. Concentrate on the action and the result. If the result was not entirely successful describe what you learned from this and what you would do differently next time. Make sure you focus on your strengths.
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.
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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.
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.
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
Contact Information
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 22889
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference
Please do get in touch if you would like to know more about the role or what it is like working in our team. Charlotte.Hewitt3@justice.gov.uk or Emily.Brougham@justice.gov.uk
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Leadership
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Interview Dates
To be confirmed
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Which assessment methods will be used?
Other 1
Other - Assessment Title 1
Situational Judgement Task
DBS Basic
Security Clearance (SC)
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.
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