Senior PA to Chief Information and Digital Officer
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Description
- Job grade: Higher Executive Officer
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: Digital and Technology
- Type of role: Administration / Corporate Support
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
London, London (region), TW9 4DU
About the job
Job summary
The National Archives is looking for a Senior Personal Assistant to provide a full range of professional executive support services to the Chief Digital and Information Officer, an Executive Director at The National Archives.
The Personal Assistant will work proactively to manage the Director’s time, to maximise their ability for focus on leadership and strategic activity. They will use their discretion to manage Director’s diaries, monitoring and respond appropriately to email inboxes, organising meetings and appointments, as well as controlling demands on Director’s time.
We are looking for an exceptionally organised, adaptive and confident communicator, ready to handle all kinds of situations with sound judgment and discretion.
The Personal Assistant will work proactively to manage the Director’s time, to maximise their ability for focus on leadership and strategic activity. They will use their discretion to manage Director’s diaries, monitoring and respond appropriately to email inboxes, organising meetings and appointments, as well as controlling demands on Director’s time.
We are looking for an exceptionally organised, adaptive and confident communicator, ready to handle all kinds of situations with sound judgment and discretion.
Job description
Full job description attached(see below)
Person specification
Essential criteria:
- Strong and confident communication skills – accuracy, attractive phrasing and the ability to adjust tone in both speech and writing to deal with different kinds of people.
- Sound judgement, reputation for discretion, trusted and able to maintain confidentiality. Knowing when and who to communicate sensitive information to.
- Minute taking - the ability to take accurate minutes of meetings, comprehending complex issues including around compliance, ensuring there is a proper record that reflects decisions that have been made and the reasons for decisions, using clear and unambiguous prose.
- Evidenced Organisational skills - demonstrable ability to keep calm, juggle competing demands and adhere to tight deadlines
- Adaptability – readiness to deal with new situations and to persevere in seeking a solution, no matter how challenging circumstances may be, maintaining focus and good humour.
- Record keeping experience – paperwork, filing, keeping diaries and dealing with incoming mail to make sure everything goes to the right place, and can be found quickly.
Desirable criteria:
- Demonstrable experience and success in a similar role
- Experience of collecting information and producing briefing notes
- A positive ‘can do’ attitude with the ability to act and work on own initiative
- The ability to think ahead and pro-actively anticipate Director’s requirements
- The ability to recognise sensitive issues and act accordingly with tact and diplomacy
This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.
A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.
Application Process
• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site, ideally week commencing 16th November.
• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.
Selection for interview will be based on the 6 ‘essential’ requirements in the job description (below) so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements. You may find it helpful to use each criteria as a sub-heading. We also recommend use of the STAR method:
If we receive a large number of applications candidates will initially be assessed on one criteria only: "Sound judgement, reputation for discretion, trusted and able to maintain confidentiality. Knowing when and who to communicate sensitive information to."
Sponsorship:
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £33,000, The National Archives contributes
£9,560 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development.
Any move to The National Archives 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 ;
Any move to The National Archives 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 ;
Things you need to know
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Reasonable adjustments:
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 The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk 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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
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)
- 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window)
and the
Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
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 : The Talent Acquisition Team
- Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
- Telephone : 02039855979
Recruitment team
- Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
nationalarchives.gov.uk
Attachments
| Senior PA to CDIO - JD Oct 2026 Opens in new window (docx, 40kB) |
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