BEIS UK Jobs – Private Secretary

About the job

Location

London

Job Summary

About the job

Our Mission

At BEIS, we are leading the UK’s recovery from coronavirus and are building a stronger, greener country. Our varied work makes a real difference to people across the UK and internationally. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of the BEIS team and our exciting mission!

We lead on the UK’s commitments to tackle climate change and drive green economic growth. We support businesses to create jobs and increase opportunity in regions across the UK. We also encourage investment and innovation to make the UK a science superpower producing research that will improve lives.

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make BEIS a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

Job Description

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), is at the forefront of the Government’s relationship with business and of its efforts to build an economy that works for everyone.

These positions sit within the Policy, Strategy and Private Office Directorate (PSPO) in BEIS. We are committed to being an inclusive employer with a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates and those with other protected characteristics. Appointments are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

The Private Secretary (PS) roles on offer involve working directly with Ministers, Special Advisers (SpAds) and Senior Officials. These high-profile, exciting and dynamic roles offer unparalleled exposure to the work of the Government. Private Secretaries are the key link between Ministers, SpAds and the Department, ensuring that the steers and priorities of ministers are delivered, whilst ensuring they have considered advice from officials.

You will work in a team led by a Senior Private Secretary, alongside Private Secretaries, Correspondence Facilitators, and Diary Managers. The teams aim to consistently provide an excellent service to Ministers and SpAds; be approachable to officials across BEIS, Whitehall, and beyond; and provide a great environment in which to work, building a diverse and inclusive team of supported, engaged staff.

In this role in the Lords Minister’s Private Office you will:

• Work closely with the Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility, alongside the SPS, other Private Secretaries, a Diary Manager and Correspondence Facilitator
• Have a keen interest in Parliament, and in particular, the legislative agenda and Bill work
• Oversee the passage of the Economic Crime Corporate Transparency Bill within the House of Lords
• Lead on company law, corporate governance and responsibility, and audit reform
• Be responsible for the various energy efficiency schemes. These schemes are targeted at different groups such as low-income individuals, public sector buildings and those off the gas grid to decarbonise their homes and lower their energy bills
• Oversee the various clean heat schemes that the Minister is responsible for such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which is providing capital grants to help people installer Heat Pumps
• Support in Parliament with the passage of energy legislation such as the Energy Prices Bill which will implement the Energy Price Guarantee
• Accompany the Minister to events and on domestic and international trips
• Have an opportunity to take up line management responsibilities

In this role in the Minister for Science & Investment Security Office you will:

• Work closely with the Minister for Science and Investment, alongside the SPS, other Private Secretaries, a Diary Manager and Correspondence Facilitator
• Advise the Minister on the UK’s science and innovation policy and key sectors such as life sciences, space, maritime and critical minerals
• Accompany the Minister on international science visits such as G20, G7 and European Space Agency negotiations
• Support the Minister to deliver her priorities by working with Senior Officials in BEIS and across Whitehall
• Support the Minister with Parliamentary work, including debates, BEIS orals and statements

Minister for Climate’s Private Office

In this role at the heart of BEIS’s energy and climate work, you will:

• Work closely with the Minister for Climate, alongside the SPS, three other Private Secretaries, a Diary Manager and Correspondence Facilitators;
• Advise the Minister on the UK’s climate and energy policy and have scope to shape your policy portfolio in line with your interests;
• Support the Minister to deliver his priorities by working with Senior Officials in BEIS and across Whitehall;
• Support the Minister with Parliamentary work, including Bills, debates, BEIS orals and statements;
• Accompany the Minister to events and on domestic and international trips.

Special Adviser’s Private Office

In this role positioned within the BEIS Secretary of State’s Private Office, you will:

• Be the Special Advisers focal point for engaging with all Enterprise and Innovation policy within the Department.
• Build a thorough overview of over half the Department’s policy areas, which will enable you to identify and resolve emerging issues.
• Develop strong relationships across with all Ministerial Private Offices to deliver cross-cutting and high priority work.
• Be equipped to support the delivery of parliamentary business, including taking ownership of the BEIS Orals Process.
• Have an opportunity to take up line management responsibilities.

Person specification

• Developing a keen understanding of ministers’ priorities, effectively advising on key decisions and communicating priorities and steers effectively.
• Working closely with directors and senior colleagues, using effective negotiation and influencing skills.
• Delivering quality advice to ministers and SpAds and feeding back views accurately and promptly.
• Providing a high standard of customer service in a dynamic and often unpredictable environment, balancing external demands with those of the Department.
• Holding a clear sense of the bigger picture and strategic direction of BEIS, based on the breadth of policy portfolio and your access to ministers, senior officials and stakeholders.
• Building positive relationships with teams throughout the Department and Whitehall.
• Supporting the minister at events, visits and parliamentary business. This will require you to develop a working knowledge of parliamentary protocol.

You will be offered support to develop in your role. These include training and coaching and options such as mentoring and action learning sets. PSPO has an extensive learning and development offer from induction onwards. This includes offers tailored to the interests and demands of our teams. We follow best practice in line management in BEIS through regular performance management discussions and in-year reward rounds to recognise performance. We encourage people of all grades to become leaders in taking forward our corporate action plan. We are currently focused on three areas: Wellbeing, Diversity and Learning and Development.

Please note that applicants with Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) are eligible to apply but need to be willing to undergo Security Check (SC) upon starting the role.

Skills And Experience

We are looking for quick learning, engaged and responsive individuals to fit into close-knit and friendly teams. The roles provide an exciting opportunity to see how high-profile policies are developed and delivered, and how decisions are made.

As a PS to a Junior Minister or the Special Advisers, you would be responsible for managing a portion of the minister’s portfolio. You will develop a wide-ranging and in-depth knowledge of the subject areas, as well as a close and collaborative working relationship with policy officials.

You will be a motivated person eager to learn and looking for exposure to a policy making environment at the highest level.

You will have excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. You are able to function effectively as part of a team, and build strong relationships with colleagues, often at senior levels. You are comfortable working in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. You are capable of effectively prioritising your work and delivering consistently under time pressure. You can display resilience and flexibility in order to respond to these changing circumstances and priorities.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

BEIS offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.

Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.

An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.

Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a number of behavioural statements.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please note – the CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

Applications will be sifted on Behaviours

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Behaviour (Delivering at Pace). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of Behaviour and Strength questions

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 24 /10/2023

Interview dates: w/c 31/10/2023

Interview will be held using Microsoft Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further Information

Please note that the will be one Merit Order created following the conclusion of Interview for the multiple roles. Applicants will be able to offer a preference at interview, but the panel will determine where they are placed based on their applications/interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Any move to Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

BEIS does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

Please note that BEIS does not hold a licence to sponsor visa applications.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

BEIS wants to be accessible for all, and this includes offering assistance to attend interviews. The offer is targeted toward those from a lower socio-economic background, or who struggle to cover the cost of attending an interview. Please see the attached guidance document at the bottom of this Civil Service Jobs advert. Embedded in the document on page 5, are 2 documents that must be completed and returned to the email addresses listed on the forms to claim an expenses payment. If you have any issues accessing these documents please contact us at

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is

People working with government assets must complete

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Working for the Civil Service

The

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Hannah Cowie
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team :

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that youreceive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click