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Private Secretary to the Director General, Rail Services Group

Job details
Posting date: 30 May 2024
Salary: £32,603 per year
Additional salary information: National salary minimum: £32,603: London salary minimum: £36,466
Hours: Full time
Closing date: 12 June 2024
Location: Leeds
Company: Government Recruitment Service
Job type: Permanent
Job reference: 354959/2

Summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Would you relish an opportunity that provides exposure working with senior leaders across the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Rail Industry?

Do you enjoy a varied and interesting workload?

If so, we are looking for a confident and enthusiastic individual to join our Director General’s office, and we would love to hear from you.

Our newly created Rail Services Group (RSG) brings together the Department’s interests in the delivery of major rail enhancement projects and the operational railway into one centralised team. The Group is responsible for taking Britain’s railway into the future – delivering a sustainable and customer-focused railway.

The role of Private Secretary is a critical role at the heart of RSG. You will be part of a dedicated team supporting the Director General (DG) responsible for overseeing work that has a direct impact on millions of people’s lives across the country.

In this role you will have the opportunity to work closely with a range of senior leaders to oversee the planning and delivery of the country’s railway network, as well as one of the biggest infrastructure budgets in Whitehall.

To be successful in this role, you will be someone who enjoys working independently and who thrives in a fast-paced work environment. You will form part of a team of three, made up of our Head of Office and our Diary Manager.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

As Private Secretary, your key responsibilities will include:

  • Proactively identify and managing issues requiring the Director General’s attention, and making links across the portfolio, the wider Department, Government and rail industry.
  • Ensuring the DG is fully briefed on relevant issues and prepared for a range of high-profile meetings, including the Transport Select Committee and Public Accounts Committee.
  • Reviewing briefings on behalf of the DG, acting as a final layer of quality assurance, and subsequently providing feedback to teams on the Director General’s preferences.
  • Attending meetings with the DG and supporting them by taking high-quality minutes, record of actions, and ensuring actions are taken forward and delivered.
  • Managing the DGs inboxes, responding to emails on their behalf, drawing urgent items to their attention and equipping them to respond to requests for comments and clearance to deadlines set.
  • Collaborating with and building high quality and trusting relationships with a variety of internal and external partners, and representing the Director General, Group and Department for Transport.
  • Supporting the Head of Office in the running of the office, delivering a seamless and high-quality service to the DG that is responsive to quickly changing priorities.
  • Taking forward time-bound discrete projects on behalf of the DG, such as corporate priorities, key events, and staff engagement.