Chief of Staff

Based in Benton Park View in Newcastle, moving to Newcastle City Centre in Summer 2026 or our Glasgow office currently at Atlantic Square. Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Compressed hours
Salary: £90,169 IBCA Premium Allowance £6,763.

The IBCA premium allowance is an extra payment in addition to the spot rate that will be paid to employees on IBCA terms and conditions at Levels 1-8. The premium allowance rate is set at 7.5% of the spot rate and applies to the spot rate only. It is an annual allowance that will be paid monthly with salary.

On completion of probation, employees will become eligible to receive the allowance which is non-pensionable and non-contractual. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is a new arm’s-length body set up, at unprecedented pace, to administer compensation to people whose lives have been impacted by the infected blood scandal.

They have been frustrated and distressed by the delays in achieving proper recognition, and we must help put this right.

We are committed to putting the infected and affected blood community at the centre of every decision we make and every step we take to build our organisation to deliver compensation payments.

Successful applicants will join the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.

IBCA is established to design, deliver and administer the compensation scheme for those affected by the infected blood tragedy. The organisation is transitioning from startup to a fully embedded public body, with a projected headcount of around 950 FTE over the next 6–12 months. The Chief Executive and Board require high-calibre leadership to steer the Private Office and to drive strategy, governance and delivery at scale, including a substantial compensation budget of £12.5bn. The role involves close collaboration with Ministers offices, Cabinet Office officials and other government partners, along with external stakeholders.

This is a critical role, acting as the head of Private Office and as the principal advisor to the Chief Executive. You will lead a Private Office of around 30 staff, shape and prioritise the team’s work, and provide high-quality strategic counsel to the CEO. You will manage internal and external relationships, support executive decision-making, and ensure timely, informed communications to the Board, Executive Committee and Ministers. You will be responsible for governance, delivery against priorities, and the organisation’s representation externally. You will also play a significant role in IBCA’s strategic and cultural development as part of the Executive Committee, with oversight of a substantial budget.

Principal Advisor to the CEO: provide high-quality strategic guidance across all responsibilities; support critical decision-making and help communicate the CEO’s views to relevant colleagues and external partners.
Private Office leadership: manage and develop the Private Office (approx. set priorities, drive performance and professional standards, recruit and develop capability, and improve efficiency and service excellence.
Strategy, governance and delivery: steer IBCA’s strategy and delivery as a member of the Executive Committee; monitor progress, identify opportunities and risks, and ensure delivery against priorities.
Governance and communications: ensure robust governance, produce timely information for the Board and Executive Committee, and coordinate communications with Ministers, Cabinet Office and other government departments; represent the CEO in appropriate forums.
Stakeholder management: build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including Ministers, Cabinet Office colleagues, other government departments, the Board and external partners.
External representation: brief and equip the CEO for external engagements; represent the CEO at meetings as required; work with other government departments and the infected and affected blood community.
Financial and resource stewardship: oversee the staffing and resources of the Private Office and contribute to the overall financial health of IBCA; ensure value for money and robust governance of resources (including the £12.5bn compensation budget).
Risk, privacy and integrity: make delegated executive decisions on behalf of the CEO when authorised; champion professional development and organisational effectiveness, ensuring IBCA’s values are reflected in day- to-day operations.
Victim-centred delivery and public service ethos: ensure the organisation remains focused on the needs of those eligible for compensation, delivering a fair, transparent and timely process.

Proven ability to provide high-quality strategic advice to Senior officials, distil complex information rapidly, and support critical decision-making at pace.
Deep experience working with senior governance bodies (Board, Executive Committee) and communicating with a variety of stakeholders.
Proven delivery experience in large-scale, complex programmes, with strong risk and issue management.
Demonstrable experience at Chief of Staff, Head of Private Office, or an equivalent senior level role within a large, complex organisation.


To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below via the CS Jobs website. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification. Failure to complete both sections of the online application form (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Shortlist: Week commencing 5th January 2025
Assessment: Week commencing 19th January 2026