Assistant Private Secretary and Diary Secretary x3

The Welsh Government operates name-free recruitment. The recruiting panel will not see personal information such as a candidate's name and address during the sifting process. This policy is in line with our commitment to end bias and promote equality and diversity.

Vacancy title

Assistant Private Secretary and Diary Secretary x3 - Welsh Essential

Closing date

05/11/2025, 16:00

Advertising basis

Permanent

Actual starting salary

£29,657

Salary range or pay band

EO £29,657 to £33,748

Allowances

No

Work pattern

Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)

Group

First Minister's Group

Directorate

Cabinet Office

Branch

Private Office

Location (s)

Cardiff

Main office base

Other

Specific Location

Cardiff. Ty Hywel and Cathays Park. To work flexibly as part of a team and to agree office days to support Ministers with line manager.

Purpose of post

As we look ahead to Senedd reform, it's an exciting time to join Welsh Government at the centre of decision-making.

Private Office roles offer a unique opportunity to work directly with Ministers in a fast-paced, high-profile environment. They're a valuable step in any public service career, offering insight into how government operates and how policy is shaped.

Purpose of the Role

To support the effective running of the Private Office, you'll work under the direction of a Private Secretary and take responsibility for one of the following key roles:

• Assistant Private Secretary: the day-to-day handling of advice and briefing to Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers. The role requires real agility and multitasking as it can flex depending on business needs. You need to be someone who can build strong personal relationships, deliver results, demonstrate excellent judgement, show strong attention to detail, and work collaboratively with others.

• Diary Secretary: Ensuring the Cabinet Secretary/Minister's day runs efficiently and their time is effectively managed, as well as being able to co-ordinate their briefing and effectively manage correspondence. This vital role requires outstanding interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise multiple tasks in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Key tasks

Non-comprehensive list of responsibilities below:

Engage and work effectively with the Minister, Senior Officials, lead policy colleagues, Private Office colleagues, Special Advisers, Press Office, Constituency Staff and external contacts;

Provide support to the Minister in the preparation of work for Senedd Business relating to the Ministerial portfolio;

Inbox management – support with managing the incoming mailbox communications and other correspondence. Prioritise matters that require the respective Cabinet Secretary/Minister's attention.

Assist in providing clear and accurate responses to enquiries relating to the Ministerial portfolio;

Accompany the Minister on official engagements, occasionally involving overnight stays;

Attend meetings with the Minister, keeping a note of the meeting and ensuring all relevant action points are followed up;

- Provide effective support to the Diary Secretary when required.

Diary Secretary

• Manage the diary, schedule meetings and appointments, ensuring efficient time management and prioritisation of Cabinet Secretary/Ministers commitments.
• Commissioning material for engagements, ensuring briefing and speeches are received in good time and are fit for purpose;
• Preparing day folders containing everything the Cabinet Secretary/ Minister needs for that day;
• Ensuring the Cabinet Secretary/Minister is appropriately briefed and gets to meetings and engagements on time;
• Organise domestic and international travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, transportation and itinerary planning
• Developing a working relationship with Senior Officials, lead policy colleagues, other Private Offices, Special Advisers, Press Office, the Police Unit, constituency staff and external contacts;
• Providing support to the Cabinet Secretary/Minister whilst out on engagements, when required;
• Greeting external visitors and escorting them to meeting rooms;
• Provide support to the Assistant Private Secretary as required.

Assistant Private Secretaries and Diary Secretaries provide vital direct support to Cabinet Secretary/ Minister and successful candidates will be able to demonstrate an ability to work effectively in a challenging and high-profile environment. Both roles demand excellent organisation and communication skills, and the ability to build relationships across the portfolio more widely. and work confidently with officials at all levels. Key to success will be your ability to remain calm when busy, think quickly on your feet, prioritise and be flexible with your workload, work independently and exercise strong judgement with an eye for detail.

Development opportunities

These posts provide a unique opportunity to work closely with Ministers in an environment which offers an insight on how the centre of Welsh Government operates.

Other vacancy related information

• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
• In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience 1. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.
• Welsh language skills are essential for this role. Candidates may complete their application form in either English or Welsh. However, please ensure your response to the 'Experience 2' criterion is completed in the alternative language to your main application, as the panel requires evidence of written competence in both English and Welsh. Similarly, at interview, the 'Experience 2' question will be asked in the alternative language to assess listening, understanding, and speaking skills.
• Due to the operational requirement of the role, we can accommodate a minimum of 30 hours per week part time working
• In the event of two or more candidates having the same total score at interview the panel will consider : Experience 1, if still tied then revert to highest score on Delivering at pace

Vetting level

CTC - Candidates applying for a role that requires CTC clearance must have normally resided in the UK for a minimum of 3 years out of the last 5

Number of posts

3

Contact point for further information regarding the post