Ministry of Justice UK
Situational Judgement Task
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Private Secretary and Head of Office to Justice Minister
Job Description
Grade 7
Private Office and Parliament Directorate
The MoJ Private Office is recruiting permanently for a Grade 7 Private Secretary role. This campaign is open to current civil servants on level transfer and suitable candidates on promotion.
Location:
Successful candidates will be based at: 102 Petty France, London
Ways of Working
Due to the nature of PS roles, which involve a significant amount of interaction with ministers, the successful candidate will need to be able to work in the office when the minister is present. Unfortunately, the role is unsuitable for part-time or flexible working, but full-time Jobsharers are welcome to apply. When the minister is out (for example during parliamentary recess, or when on a visit), there are opportunities for flexible working such as working from home.
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
Salary
Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
Please note that these roles may require working extended hours for which a Private Secretary allowance is payable.
Security Clearance
This role requires National Security Vetting given the access to sensitive information afforded by the job role. You can find more information by reviewing the information held in the following links:
In addition, there is a minimum UK residency requirement set by the Cabinet Office which is dependent on the security level required for the role.
This role requires SC and to be eligible to apply for this role you should have been present in the UK continuously for the past 5 years.
The Work of Private Office and Parliamentary Directorate
The Ministry of Justice’s Private Office and Parliament Directorate is a supportive and collaborative group. It is also a busy and interesting place to work, acting as the interface between the Permanent Secretary, Ministers, the rest of the Department and Whitehall. The Department is at the forefront of the Government’s programme to tackle serious crime and support victims. You will play a key role in turning ministerial priorities into delivery, working across the Department to maintain momentum, resolve problems and ensure agreed actions are followed through. You will gain invaluable experience at the heart of decision-making, working directly with Ministers, Special Advisers, senior officials and external stakeholders on a range of high-profile issues.
Private Secretary - The role
These roles present an exciting opportunity to take on an intellectually and professionally stimulating position at the centre of the Department as Private Secretary to a member of the ministerial team. The successful candidate will be a trusted adviser who can build a strong working relationship with the Minister, understand how they operate and provide the structure, judgement and challenge needed to help them deliver their priorities.
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As a Private Secretary, you will help translate ministerial ambition into clear decisions, actions and outcomes. You will maintain a strong grip across the portfolio, anticipate issues before they become obstacles and ensure the Minister receives concise, timely advice. You will work directly with the Permanent Secretary, Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials, often at pace and where expectations are high.
This post provides unparalleled experience of Departmental business and ministerial decision-making, with direct exposure to senior civil servants, the judiciary, parliamentarians and external stakeholders. You will contribute to the Department’s strategic agenda while ensuring that ministerial decisions are converted into clear ownership and action. This will require you to test whether progress is genuinely on track and intervene early where further grip or senior attention is needed.
Candidates must demonstrate adaptability, initiative, leadership, resilience and drive. They will need excellent judgement and the ability to secure progress amid uncertainty, competing views and changing priorities. The successful candidate will be comfortable providing candid advice, managing expectations and offering constructive challenge, while retaining the confidence of the Minister and senior colleagues. They must also lead and support the wider team, maintaining a welcoming and professional culture during sustained periods of pressure.
Skills and Experience
In particular, the post holder is responsible for:
- Responsibility for substantial areas of a Minister’s policy portfolio and/or the running of their Private Office, ensuring a high-quality service that is responsive to ministerial priorities while maintaining clear and realistic expectations of the Department.
- Working with the senior leadership team across MoJ to secure timely, high-quality advice, clarify ownership and ensure that decisions and commissions lead to action.
- Developing and maintaining strong working relationships both within the Department and across Whitehall, which could include Number 10, and the Cabinet Office.
- Maintaining a clear view of progress against the Minister’s priorities, identifying slippage and driving practical solutions. You will escalate concerns at the right point and persist with issues until there is a clear route to delivery.
- Working independently with resilience and discretion, adapting your approach to the Minister, the issue and the audience. You will balance urgent and proactive work, make confident judgements about where to focus the Minister’s attention and invest in the development of the wider team.
- Playing a vital part in the directorate’s senior management team by prioritising a demanding portfolio, setting clear standards and coaching the team to deliver high-quality work at pace. You will create clarity when demands compete and ensure urgent work does not displace the Minister’s most important priorities.
- Depending on the post you will line manage a varying number of people and grades.
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Essential skills
- Confidence and credibility when engaging with the Department’s most senior leaders, including Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and Directors General, with the judgement to be direct where necessary and diplomatic at all times.
- Resilience and the ability to absorb pressure, think clearly and project calm in difficult situations, including when priorities change quickly or expectations need to be managed.
- The ability to build strong relationships and deliver through a large and diverse group of stakeholders.
Desirable
- Experience working with Ministers or in policy development / delivery.
Application process
You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.
Experience
During the application process you will be asked to submit a CV in order to assess any demonstrable experience, career history and achievements that are relevant to the role.
You will also be asked to upload a Statement of Suitability (no more than 500 words). Which details an explanation of why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience align with the tasks listed in the job description.
Behaviours
During the application process you will be asked to provide an example of how you have met the following behaviour (see Annex A for more information):
- Leadership (lead behaviour)
Please also refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview.
Candidates invited to Interview
Please note that interviews will be carried out in-person at 102 Petty France.
In addition to the Behaviour listed in the application form, you will be asked a series of experience-based questions and asked to complete a situational judgement task.
The interview will also cover strength-based questions. There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
You can refer to the CS Strengths dictionary for more details: Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK
Interviews are expected to take place in October 2026.
Please be advised that as part of the recruitment campaign we will conduct fireside conversations with the relevant Minister and/or senior member of the Private Office Team.
Annex A - The STAR method
Using the STAR method can help you give examples of relevant experience that you have. It allows you to set the scene, show what you did, and how you did it, and explain the overall outcome.
Situation - Describe the situation you found yourself in. You must describe a specific event or situation. Be sure to give enough detail for the job holder to understand.
- Where are you?
- Who was there with you?
- What had happened?
Task - The job holder will want to understand what you tried to achieve from the situation you found yourself in.
- What was the task that you had to complete and why?
- What did you have to achieve?
Actions - What did you do? The job holder will be looking for
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