22269 - Private Secretary - Digital Director Office at Ministry of Justice

About this role

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

### Salary
The national salary range is £58,511 - £65,329, London salary range is £63,343 - £70,725. Your salary will be dependent on your base location

Job description

Private Secretary - Digital Director Office

Location: National*

Closing Date: 27th September 2026

Interviews: w/c 12th October 2026

Grade: Grade 7

(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)

Salary**: London: £63,343 - £70,725

National: £58,511 - £65,329

Working pattern : Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Contract Type: Permanent

Number of vacancies: 1

Vacancy number: 22269

*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP
Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.

The Role

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. Please click on the link for details.

We’re recruiting for a Private Secretary - HMPPS Digital Director Office here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative HMPPS Digital team.

The Private Secretary- HMPPS Digital Director Office will play a key role in joining-up Digital, Data and Technology-enabled transformation teams across prisons, probation and electronic monitoring. This role sits within a senior leadership Private Office, providing direct support to a Director. It offers the opportunity to work at the centre of decision-making, enabling a senior leader to deliver their priorities effectively across a complex organisation.

Operating within a high-performing and collaborative environment, the role plays a key part in shaping priorities, maintaining momentum, and ensuring clarity across a wide portfolio of work. It combines strategic oversight with day-to-day coordination,requiring strong judgement, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trusted relationships at all levels.

This role also offers the opportunity to contribute to the leadership and continuous improvement of the Private Office function itself, supporting a culture that values calm delivery, openness, and collective success.

A key part of the role will be to communicate the strategic direction clearly and consistently, helping different audiences understand how individual digital initiatives contribute to wider justice outcomes, service continuity, public protection and long-term transformation.

This is a strategic management role rather than a technical delivery role. The postholder will not need to be a digital specialist but will need sufficient confidence to work credibly with multidisciplinary digital teams, challenge assumptions, understand dependencies, and support effective decision-making.

You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:

- Civil Service Pension Scheme. (https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/memberhub/joining-the-pension-scheme/)
- plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday .
- including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance.
- Coordinating, writing and quality-assuring briefing materials, submissions, and correspondence, ensuring accuracy and alignment with strategic priorities.
- Supporting effective decision-making by ensuring the senior leader is well briefed and prepared for meetings, events, and engagements.
- AI and automation tools to assist with briefings and synthesise complex information while applying strong critical judgement to assure the accuracy, quality and appropriateness of work.
- Managing the flow of information to and from the Private Office, enabling timely and well-informed communication.
- Tracking and progressing commissioned actions, maintaining oversight of delivery and ensuring accountability across teams.
- Supporting effective governance, reporting and assurance.
- Supporting periods of change or transition, helping to provide stability and continuity.
- Line management and development of junior colleagues (e.g. SEO/HEO Level) and supporting a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
- Use financial, commercial, engagement and workforce data to shape the Directorate’s strategy and resolve barriers to delivery and team wellbeing.
- Improve value for money by using central products and services to continuously improve processes, tools and ways of working.

- Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
- A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
- Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!

You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here . To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.

Key Responsibilities:

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!

Person Specification

Essential

- Strong ability to work with autonomy and adapt confidently in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- Well-developed leadership and management skills, including the ability to motivate others, create cohesion, sustain momentum and create an inclusive, learning culture.
- Confidence in engaging senior stakeholders, including the ability to manage upwards constructively and with sensitivity.
- Strong relationship-building skills, with an emphasis on trust, collaboration, and influence.
- Sound judgement, with the ability to navigate complexity, manage risk, and offer practical, well-considered solutions.
- Comfort working with detailed or technical subject matter, including areas such as finance, commercial and supplier activity, or governance processes.
- Experience or awareness of working within a Private Office or similarly fast-paced, senior-facing environment.
- Understanding of organisational strategy, governance, and operating context.

Willingness to be assessed against t he requirements for SC clearance

We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

Our values are Purpose, Humanity, Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

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 D&I Strategy .

Salary Information**

Base salary for this role is from £63,343 - £70,725 ( London ) and from £58,511 - £65,329 ( National ).

- will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
- will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.

How to Apply

In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience, Technical skills and Behaviours during the assessment process.

Stage 1 - Application and sift:

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application:

- A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert.
- (no more than 250 words) giving clear examples of work you have undertaken
- Strong ability to work with autonomy and adapt confidently in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- Confidence in engaging senior stakeholders, including the ability to manage upwards constructively and with sensitivity.
- Strong relationship-building skills, with an emphasis on trust, collaboration, and influence.
- Understanding of organisational strategy, governance, and operating context.

A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and evidence presented to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV does not include your name or any other identifying details.

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements – Experience and the following Behaviours:

- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture

Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the Communicating and Influencing Behaviour will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.

Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

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.

Terms & Conditions

Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact [email protected]

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www. www.GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare) or Childcare Choices (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/) . You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) );
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ( [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) );
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/) )

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .

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 .

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fsettled-status-eu-citizens-families&data=05%7C01%7Cchristopher.jeffery%40soprasteria.com%7C8a2293860362402c15da08dbf4cff146%7C8b87af7d86474dc78df45f69a2011bb5%7C0%7C0%7C638372946312587803%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=s%2BxUsev%2BGeeK%2FLgTUjpjfTJu%2FjpKQZ%2BQPJXNduvik3Q%3D&reserved=0)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected]

Please quote the job reference: 22269

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected]

Please quote the job reference: 22269

A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Your Experience for this role will be assessed at interview. To learn more about Experience and how they are assessed please click here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-experience).

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)