This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.
General Information
Salary
The national salary range is £40,783 - £47,361 London salary range is £42,546 - £51,884 salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
London, National
Region
London, National
Closing Date
10-Apr-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
16028
Descriptions & requirements
Job description
Job Title
Head of Private Office and Business Manager to the CEO
Department
Executive office
Team
Executive office
Job Grade
SEO
Number of Posts 1
Reports to Chief of StaffJob Purpose
As Head of Private Office you will manage the CEO office and directly report into the Chief of Staff. You will support the CEO with their day-to-day role, and strategic delivery of projects and tasks. You will understand the work of the Parole Board and be able to advise and brief the CEO confidently and effectively.
You will manage an executive support team consisting of the Business Manager to the Chief Operating Officer, who manages the Executive Support Manager to the Director of Legal and the Performance Analyst.
You will be an advocate on behalf of Parole Board corporate functions when engaging with senior leaders and decision makers. You will need to influence and work effectively with senior colleagues within internal and external departments and will be expected to attend and contribute to Senior Leadership meetings.
The successful post holder will be exposed to sensitive information of which integrity, honesty and an ability to assess the correct action, without consultation will be key.
Scope of Responsibilities:
Activities and actions relating to:
• Managing and protecting the CEO and PB reputation.• Supporting and advising the CEO on priorities and key issues.
• Creating briefings and ensuring the CEO is equipped with the information and resources to do their job effectively.
• Building strong relationships internally and externally.
• Overseeing all data shared by the Board to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Primary Deliverables
• Increase confidence internally and externally in the work of the Board.
• Ensure the CEOs reputation is upheld.• Ensure the organisation is resilient and can respond to developments, reforms and issues.
• Support the Boards transparency agenda.
Person Specification
Essential
• Demonstrable experience of confidently advising senior leaders and providing professional and healthy challenge where needed to senior managers and leaders.
• Operational experience or an in-depth understanding of the Parole Board that allows for accurate knowledge and process information to be disseminated, and advised to the CEO/Chair.• Strategic thinking and planning, and an ability to scan the environment for potential risks and/or opportunities.
• An understanding of the importance of working in a way that supports and protects the reputation of the Parole Board and CEO.
• An ability to navigate PPUD and produce data, or willingness to learn fast.
• Demonstrable attention to detail and working in fast paced environment.
• Experience of highlighting priorities and ensuring a senior manager or leaders finite time is focused where it is needed.
• Independent thinker who is solution focussed and can bring people together for a collective goal.
• Excellent communication skills: written and oral.
• Experience of working within a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with key stakeholders (ALBs; other agencies; private office) and staff.
• Ability to prioritise and manage high volumes of e-mails in multiple inboxes.
• Project management experience.
Desirable
• Experience of supporting a Senior Leader
• Drafting experience (papers and letters)• Excellent IT skills
• Budget management experience
• Line management experience
• Developed Vetting clearance or would be prepared to obtain this
Behaviours
We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Communicating and influencing
• Seeing the big picture
• Working together
Accessibility
The Parole Board is a disability confident recruiter. Accessibility requests will be carefully considered and, where reasonable, actioned.
Whilst the Parole Board office is principally located in London, and, for the purposes of organisational management and administration, it is not required to conduct business in Welsh. However, the Parole Board welcomes applications from candidates who speak Welsh and English as part of its commitment to treat both languages on a basis of equality in the conduct of public business and administration of justice in Wales, as far as is both appropriate and reasonable, and to reflect the community it serves.
Office requirements
This role is hybrid. You will be required to spend 20% of your time in person contact. For some SLT meetings as well as team away days, you will be required to attend in person in London.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
At the interview stage you will be assessed against Behaviours and Strengths.
Additional Information
The Parole Board offers a range of benefits:
For nationally advertised campaigns, candidates will be appointed to their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) on the completion of pre-employment checks.
The Parole Board offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. Parole Board welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the Parole Board’s Flexible Working policy.
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Parole Board is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Civil Service Nationality Rules
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
- 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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
Reserve list
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
Contact Information
MoJ:
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 16028
HMPPS
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 16028
Job Description Attachment
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JD Head of Private Office and Business Manager to the CEO.docx (Job Description Attachment)
Application form stage assessments
Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Can you please provide examples which evidence your suitability for the role based on the essential and desirable criteria?
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability
Interview stage assessments
Interview Dates
20 April 2026 and 27 April 2026
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.