12775 - Diary Secretary and Assistant Private Secretary to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
| Posting date: | 11 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £40,014 to £42,859 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Fixed Term for a period of up to 18 months |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 January 2026 |
| Location: | London, UK |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 12775 |
Summary
Background
The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government.
The Northern Ireland Office employs around 170 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives.
Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment.
Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include:
• Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland
• Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities
• Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service.
• Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland
For more information about what we do:
Visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.
About The Role:
This is an exciting, varied role at the very heart of the Northern Ireland Office. You will join a friendly, high achieving private office team, where no two days are the same. We are looking for someone with a positive, can-do attitude who is ready to get stuck in to support the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (PUSS). This is a role that is stretching and will give you a high level of exposure to the inner workings of a Ministerial Private Office.
As the PUSS’ dedicated Diary Secretary, you will have overall responsibility for their diary management. You will be working across the wider team to coordinate their diary, manage invitations, and organise all logistics for visits. As an Assistant Private Secretary in the Office, you will support the Private Office with the production of the PUSS’ daily pack, and take a lead on portfolio areas for the PUSS including Security and Protection, Ceremonial, Governance and External Affairs. You will also support the Correspondence Manager with the correspondence process for the PUSS, including proactively managing incoming and outgoing correspondence for the Department. If needed, you will also provide additional PS and diary support to the NIO’s Lords Spokesperson during busy periods.
This is a role that will be suited to someone organised, communicative, and attentive to detail. Things can change at the last minute so you should be adaptable and patient. The team can be very busy so you will also need to be able to make informed decisions independently and with confidence. That said, you will be supported by two private secretaries and wider colleagues in the Secretary of State’s Private Office, all of whom are working together to deliver the best possible service to Ministers and the Department.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
• Leading on the diary of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, with overall responsibility for all logistics and invites.
• Working with the Private Office to coordinate the Minister’s daily briefing pack, and to submit advice to the box.
• Working with the Correspondence Manager to track and manage the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State’s Correspondence.
• Leading on External Affairs, by working with the Visits and Comms teams to plan and commission strategic visits for PUSS. You would also lead on organising travel and join the rota for taking part in Ministerial visits with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Leading on the Security and Protection portfolio for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, working with the team and security partners to manage all security signing slots and firearms appeals.
• Leading on the Ceremonial aspects of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State’s role.
• Leading on Governance for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Leading on office management for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Provide additional diary and PS support to the NIO Lord’s Spokesperson as required, including making travel arrangements.
Essential Criteria:
The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to work effectively across a range of tasks.
• The ability to manage competing demands and priorities, remaining calm under pressure. An excellent work ethic and positivity, with a can-do, problem-solving mentality;
• The ability to build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders internal and external to Government, including Senior Civil Servants and colleagues in other departments;
• The ability to deliver messages that can be difficult at times, especially when plans change at the last minute, with a range of senior stakeholders.
Desirable Criteria:
• An understanding of the Northern Ireland political system and the work of the Northern Ireland Executive would be advantageous, but is not essential;
• Previous experience of diary management.
Behaviours:
We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at the HEO level during the application sift and interview process:
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
The Northern Ireland Office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in promoting the best interests of Northern Ireland. We make sure that Northern Ireland interests are represented within the UK Government and that UK government responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Northern Ireland. We are the centre of expertise on Northern Ireland issues across Government.
The Northern Ireland Office employs around 170 staff, with offices in Belfast and London. As a small Department, we adopt a flexible project-based approach to ensure that we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place to support the delivery of our key objectives.
Due to our structure and size, we are able to offer extensive exposure to Ministers and the opportunity to work on a far wider portfolio of policy and responsibilities than might be the case in a larger department. This creates an interesting and stimulating work environment.
Our key priorities are set out in our Operational Delivery plan and include:
• Supporting greater inclusion, tolerance and openness in Northern Ireland
• Contributing to a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are less able to cause harm to communities
• Ensuring that governance in Northern Ireland is responsive, transparent and able to deliver effective public service.
• Addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland
For more information about what we do:
Visit:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice.
About The Role:
This is an exciting, varied role at the very heart of the Northern Ireland Office. You will join a friendly, high achieving private office team, where no two days are the same. We are looking for someone with a positive, can-do attitude who is ready to get stuck in to support the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (PUSS). This is a role that is stretching and will give you a high level of exposure to the inner workings of a Ministerial Private Office.
As the PUSS’ dedicated Diary Secretary, you will have overall responsibility for their diary management. You will be working across the wider team to coordinate their diary, manage invitations, and organise all logistics for visits. As an Assistant Private Secretary in the Office, you will support the Private Office with the production of the PUSS’ daily pack, and take a lead on portfolio areas for the PUSS including Security and Protection, Ceremonial, Governance and External Affairs. You will also support the Correspondence Manager with the correspondence process for the PUSS, including proactively managing incoming and outgoing correspondence for the Department. If needed, you will also provide additional PS and diary support to the NIO’s Lords Spokesperson during busy periods.
This is a role that will be suited to someone organised, communicative, and attentive to detail. Things can change at the last minute so you should be adaptable and patient. The team can be very busy so you will also need to be able to make informed decisions independently and with confidence. That said, you will be supported by two private secretaries and wider colleagues in the Secretary of State’s Private Office, all of whom are working together to deliver the best possible service to Ministers and the Department.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The main responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
• Leading on the diary of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, with overall responsibility for all logistics and invites.
• Working with the Private Office to coordinate the Minister’s daily briefing pack, and to submit advice to the box.
• Working with the Correspondence Manager to track and manage the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State’s Correspondence.
• Leading on External Affairs, by working with the Visits and Comms teams to plan and commission strategic visits for PUSS. You would also lead on organising travel and join the rota for taking part in Ministerial visits with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Leading on the Security and Protection portfolio for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, working with the team and security partners to manage all security signing slots and firearms appeals.
• Leading on the Ceremonial aspects of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State’s role.
• Leading on Governance for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Leading on office management for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
• Provide additional diary and PS support to the NIO Lord’s Spokesperson as required, including making travel arrangements.
Essential Criteria:
The post holder will need to demonstrate the following in their application and at interview:
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to work effectively across a range of tasks.
• The ability to manage competing demands and priorities, remaining calm under pressure. An excellent work ethic and positivity, with a can-do, problem-solving mentality;
• The ability to build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders internal and external to Government, including Senior Civil Servants and colleagues in other departments;
• The ability to deliver messages that can be difficult at times, especially when plans change at the last minute, with a range of senior stakeholders.
Desirable Criteria:
• An understanding of the Northern Ireland political system and the work of the Northern Ireland Executive would be advantageous, but is not essential;
• Previous experience of diary management.
Behaviours:
We will assess you against the following Success Profiles behaviours at the HEO level during the application sift and interview process:
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together