22146 - Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary in London

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Ministry of Justice

22146 - Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary

22146 - Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary in London

London Full-Time No working from home possible

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General Information

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

London

Region

London

Closing Date

27-Sep-2026

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

SCS 1

Number of jobs available

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

22146

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

This is one of the most senior and visible Private Office roles in Government, offering a unique opportunity to work at the centre of Civil Service and ministerial decision-making and support the Permanent Secretary for one of government’s biggest and most complex departments.

As Principal Private Secretary, you will play a pivotal role in enabling the Permanent Secretary to fulfil a wide-ranging portfolio of responsibilities spanning justice policy, constitutional matters and cross-government priorities.

You will help her provide high quality advice to the Lord Chancellor and ministerial team, oversee the running complex operational agencies and play a leading role with other Heads of Department across government.

You will be trusted advisor to the Permanent Secretary and lead two Heads of Office who manage the Private Offices for the Permanent Secretary and Second Permanent Secretary. You will provide effective leadership to ensure that they receive the right advice, briefing and support at the right time.

The role sits at the centre of a complex network of relationships across the department, Whitehall and the wider justice system. You will work closely with Executive Team members and their teams,, the Cabinet Office, No10, HM Treasury and ministerial Private Office, ensuring that emerging issues, strategic priorities and sensitive matters are managed effectively.

You will have a close working relationship with your counterpart Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

This is a demanding but highly rewarding leadership role that requires exceptional judgement, political awareness, resilience and the ability to operate confidently in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment. It offers unparalleled exposure to the workings of government at the highest levels and the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the delivery of ministerial priorities and the effective functioning of the justice system.

Additional Information

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Diversity & 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.

Contact Information

If you require any assistance please contact us on scsrecruitment@justice.gov.uk. Please quote the job reference in your email to enable us to support you more quickly.

Allowance

This role attracts an annual Private Office allowance of £11,400

Job Description Attachment

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Application form stage assessments

Experience

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Statement of Suitability

Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

Ensure you read through the role information thoroughly and identify the essential criteria for each area. You should ensure you provide evidence for each of the essential experience which are required for the role in your Statement and CV. You may not be progressed to the next stage of the assessment process if you do not provide this evidence.
When structuring your Statements try to:
• Group evidence of the same experience skills together by using subheadings and paragraphs. This will help to ensure you are writing about the experience that is directly relevant for the role you are applying for.
• You should ensure that you detail recent and relevant examples of the essential experience required for the role and describe the outcome that came from this.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

TBA but expected early November 2026

Behaviours

Delivering at Pace

Managing a Quality Service

Working Together

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?

SEE

Level of security checks required

Developed Vetting (DV)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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.