Senior Private Secretary

Posting date:	22 December 2025
Salary:	£42,665 to £50,495 per year
Additional salary information:	York: £42,665- £46,765 London- £46,060- £50,495 For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	12 January 2026
Location:	York
Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	442105/2

Summary

You will be working in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life from the food we eat, to the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

You will form part of the Ministerial, Growth and Resilience Directorate, providing support on the government’s Growth Mission, as well as working on regulation and regulatory reform. It also includes Defra’s briefing, parliamentary, and ministerial support functions, including Defra’s ministerial and permanent secretary private offices.

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) 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.

Location

These roles are Full-Time Only, Ministerial private office roles will be based in London only, and Permanent Secretary private office roles will be based in London or York.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of Defra, supporting senior leaders including the Permanent Secretary, Special Advisers and Ministers. You will play a key role in shaping priorities and ensuring effective decision-making at the highest levels.

The role involves day-to-day interaction with Ministers, Permanent Secretary, Special Advisers, Director Generals, and senior officials. You will gain a unique insight into decision-making at the highest levels across government and help shape the department’s priorities. This is a high-profile position with significant responsibility, influence, and autonomy.

Every day will be varied, fast-paced, and rewarding. We are looking for organised, proactive, and resilient individuals who thrive in a dynamic environment and enjoy working at the heart of Defra. You will be part of a friendly, high-performing team that values collaboration and professionalism.

As Senior Private Secretary, you will lead on a diverse portfolio of issues, from driving strategic priorities and coordinating cross-government engagement to managing urgent ministerial business and ensuring the smooth operation of the office. Working in Private Office requires a level of autonomy and leadership normally expected of more senior roles. It is therefore a fantastic opportunity for those looking to progress quickly and develop their skillset beyond what many other SEO roles provide.

This role attracts a duty allowance, reflecting the need for on-call hours, which operate on rotation among the team and, in a crisis, some unsociable hours.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.