Serco Plc
Chief of Staff - Armed Forces Recruitment Service
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Chief of Staff – AFRS
Location: Hybrid / Flexible, aligned to AFRS operating requirements
Six figure competitive salary, bonus, PMI, car/car allowance, pension – 10%
About the role
We are seeking an exceptional Chief of Staff to provide senior-level operational leadership, executive coordination and delivery discipline across Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS).
Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, with regular access to the Managing Director, you will operate at the heart of AFRS’ leadership team, providing the strategic grip and executive oversight required to translate priorities into action and ensure delivery remains aligned, connected and on pace.
AFRS is a complex, high-profile transformation spanning multiple workstreams, stakeholders, suppliers and governance forums. This role will act as the central point of integration across that environment ensuring that critical priorities are clearly understood, decisions are translated into delivery, risks and dependencies are visible, and leadership has a clear and consistent view of progress.
It is a senior executive delivery and integration position, requiring the judgement, credibility and influence to operate across the organisation, challenge constructively and ensure that leadership intent is converted into measurable outcomes.
What you’ll be responsible for
Working closely with the MD, COO and senior leadership team, you will establish and maintain the executive operating rhythm across AFRS, creating the conditions for effective decision-making and disciplined execution.
You will:
- Provide senior-level strategic and operational oversight across AFRS, ensuring leadership priorities are clearly defined, sequenced and actively driven through to delivery.
- Own the executive operating rhythm, ensuring the right issues reach the right forum at the right time and that decisions translate into clear actions and accountability.
- Establish a robust and integrated view of priorities, risks, issues, dependencies, decisions and delivery, providing leadership with a genuine single source of truth.
- Drive executive actions and decisions through to closure, challenging slippage and ambiguity and ensuring momentum is maintained.
- Lead the preparation of high-quality executive, Board and Authority-facing materials, ensuring that messaging, evidence, narrative and recommendations are clear, consistent and compelling.
- Provide the MD, COO and senior team with the insight required to anticipate emerging issues, identify areas requiring intervention and maintain a no-surprises approach to leadership and governance.
- Support the leadership team in navigating complex issues, bringing structure and clarity to ambiguity and enabling timely, evidence-based decisions.
- Ensure effective escalation of material risks and issues, using sound judgement to distinguish between matters requiring executive intervention and those that should be resolved within the relevant function.
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What you’ll bring
This role requires an experienced senior leader who has operated successfully within a complex, high-profile and transformational environment and who can combine strategic perspective with exceptional delivery discipline.
You will bring:
- Significant experience in complex operational, transformation, mobilisation or regulated service environments.
- A strong track record of working at senior executive level, providing strategic insight, challenge and delivery oversight.
- Extensive experience of executive governance, programme or transformation delivery, Board preparation and decision management.
- The ability to take complex information from multiple sources, establish the key issues and translate strategic intent into clear priorities and executable actions.
- Exceptional judgement and the confidence to operate effectively in ambiguity, challenge constructively and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling executive briefings and communicate effectively with senior internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of risk, assurance, governance and decision-making within large-scale contracts or complex service environments.
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Experience within Defence, public sector, mobilisation or outsourced service delivery would be highly advantageous.
What we offer:
- A competitive six figure salary
- On target bonus of 15%, with potential for 30%
- Company car or car allowance
- 10% contributory pension
- PMI for you and a partner
- 25 days annual leave
A little bit about us:
At Serco, everyone plays a vital part in delivering essential public services that make a real difference. As a global team of 50,000 people across Defence, Transport, Justice, Immigration, Healthcare, Leisure and Citizen Services, we’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the services that communities rely on. Guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride, our people make meaningful impact, every single day.
Our inclusive recruitment commitment: We prioritise your skills and potential. As a Disability Confident Leader, the Top Great British Employer of Veterans 2026, and a Gold Inclusive Employer Standard holder, we champion equal opportunities for all. We offer flexible and hybrid working where possible and make reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment and employment.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme: Applicants with disabilities, veterans and people with convictions, who meet the minimum job criteria, are guaranteed an interview. Simply opt into the relevant scheme on the application form.
Ban The Box: We also support fair access for those with unspent criminal convictions through our ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some roles may have security exemptions).
For support with your application, please contact recruitmentuk@serco.com.
Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.
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