23326 - Executive Assistant to the Transformation Director

Role: Executive Assistant to the Transformation Director

Business: Office of Public Guardian (OPG)

Location: National - Based at closest MoJ Hub with some travel to OPG offices in Victoria Square House, Birmingham and/or Embankment House, Nottingham required.

Grade: EO (Executive Officer)

Salary: £29,303 – £31,061 (National), £33,551 – £35,564 (London)

Contract Type: Fixed-term Appointment (18 months)

Minimum Hours: Full-time

Organisational Overview

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.

OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve.

OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable.

Team Overview

This is a critical, fast-paced role at the heart of the Transformation Directorate in the Office of the Public Guardian, working closely with and providing direct support to the Transformation Director.

We are looking for a confident, proactive and highly organised individual who is comfortable taking ownership, using their initiative and building strong relationships with colleagues at all levels. You will need to be able to anticipate priorities, manage competing demands and exercise sound judgement in a busy and changing environment.

At the core of the role is the effective management of the Transformation Director’s diary, inbox and day-to-day business. You will play an important role in ensuring their time and attention are focused on the right priorities, identifying issues that require action and helping to maintain effective communication and coordination across the Directorate.

You will be trusted to work with a high degree of autonomy, using your judgement to manage and respond to correspondence on behalf of the Transformation Director, prioritise and delegate requests, and make decisions about meeting invitations and diary commitments.

You will work closely with the Directorate Business Manager and build strong relationships across the Transformation Directorate, OPG and wider stakeholder network.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Inbox management: Proactively manage and triage the Transformation Director’s inbox, identifying priorities and ensuring correspondence is actioned, delegated, signposted or responded to promptly. Use judgement to deal with issues where appropriate and ensure the Transformation Director is sighted on key information, decisions and emerging priorities.
• Diary management: Take ownership of the Transformation Director’s diary, confidently managing competing demands and prioritising their time. Schedule and coordinate meetings, organise travel, plan visits and engagements, and prepare daily schedules to ensure they are well prepared and their time is used effectively.
• Business coordination: Anticipate upcoming commitments and requirements, helping to ensure the Transformation Director has the information and materials they need and following up actions with colleagues where required.
• Information and records management: Set up and maintain effective team filing and information-management systems, ensuring records are managed appropriately in line with GDPR and OPG governance requirements.
• Meeting support: Provide occasional secretariat support, including coordinating agendas and papers, recording key actions and decisions, and tracking actions through to completion.
• Directorate support: Provide administrative support for the Directorate’s Reward and Recognition process and other Directorate-wide activity as required.
• Relationships and stakeholder management: Build strong and effective working relationships across the Directorate, with other Private Offices and with colleagues and stakeholders across OPG and MoJ.
• Communications and engagement: Support the Business Manager with Directorate communications, including sharing key updates and messages and supporting Directorate-wide meetings, events and engagement activity. Take an active role in maintenance of the Directorate’s SharePoint.
• Directorate culture and continuous improvement: Play an active role in the wider Directorate, contributing to events, initiatives and resources and identifying opportunities to improve how the team works.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as agreed with your manager.

Agreed Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. Ad hoc travel to Birmingham/Nottingham/London may be required.

Skills & Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Highly organised and proactive: Proven ability to take ownership, anticipate what is needed and manage multiple competing demands effectively in a fast-paced environment. (Lead)
• Sound judgement and initiative: Able to work with a high degree of autonomy, prioritise effectively and make confident, appropriate decisions, knowing when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Confident communicator: Able to communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels across OPG and MoJ.
• Strong relationship-builder: Able to build trusted relationships with a range of stakeholders, including senior leaders, using tact, diplomacy and good judgement.
• High standards and attention to detail: Takes pride in delivering high-quality work, with the ability to manage tasks reliably and follow through on actions.
• Strong digital skills: Confident using Microsoft 365 tools, including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint.
• Discretion and confidentiality: Able to handle sensitive information appropriately and maintain confidentiality at all times.

Desirable Skills

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Prior experience of working in a private office or secretarial/administrative function.

Application Process

This recruitment will follow the Civil Service Success Profile process. Candidates will be expected to complete the following as part of the application:

• A CV (no more than 2 sides of A4) detailing your career history. CV’s will be assessed against the essential and desirable skills above.
• Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential and desirable skills required for this role.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead criteria/Behaviour:

• Highly organised and proactive: Proven ability to take ownership, anticipate what is needed and manage multiple competing demands effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Interview Process

If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will use the Civil Service Success Profiles. At interview, candidates should expect questions on:

• Strengths relevant to the role
• The following Behaviours at Level 2:

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

All interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

At OPG we consider all applications on the basis of merit and want you to feel able to demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. If you require any reasonable adjustments for any aspect of the selection process, do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. If you are applying for a role within OPG and would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the selection process.

For further information on benefits of working for OPG, such as our Flexible Working Policy and a FAQ, please check the candidate information pack attached to this advert.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, we may offer you an alternative role at the same or lower grade should one be available.