Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Posted 4 hours 55 minutes ago by Ministry of Justice
Permanent
Full Time
Temporary Jobs
London, City Of Westminster, United Kingdom, NW1 4
Job Description
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 Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
25-Sep-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Grade 6
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
22155
Descriptions & requirements Job Title: Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Grade: G6
Group: CPPL
Directorate: Private Office and Parliament Directorate
Team: Lord Chancellor's Office
Location: 102 Petty France London
Working Pattern: Full time, Office based
Level of NSV required (applies to CTC/SC/DV only roles) SC (can be applied for by the successful candidate if not already held)
Closing Date: 24 September 2026
The Role
As Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor, you will help deliver the Department's priorities, working in a fast-paced and exciting environment where strong team working is vital. You will gain invaluable experience at the heart of the Department's decision-making process, working directly with the Lord Chancellor, Special Advisers, Senior officials across the department and Whitehall, and external stakeholders.
This role, working to the Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor, will have responsibility for oversight of the Lord Chancellor's Private Office, working closely with the existing Deputy Principal Private Secretary who has oversight of the Junior Minister offices.
You will need to have the personal credibility and experience to build trust and confidence with the Lord Chancellor and the wider Ministerial team, ensuring work that is sent to Ministers is of high quality and that advice, briefings and correspondence on a range of complex and challenging policy and operational issues are clear. You will need to be an excellent leader and manager, ensuring the Lord Chancellor's Private Office team have a high standard of pastoral care in demanding roles and that you promote join up across the team and ensure issues are escalated appropriately. Alongside oversight of the Private Office you will lead on the vitally important finance portfolio for the Lord Chancellor, working closely with key teams across the department in the lead up to next year's Spending Review.
In time you should become the key expert in Private Office on relevant issues. This role demands excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence in order to collaborate in a high-pressured environment with policy, finance, operations and other Private Office colleagues, making sure that the Lord Chancellor and SpAds are looped in on emerging issues in the right way, at the right time.
This is a demanding and high-profile role in Private Office, working on critical priorities for the Lord Chancellor and has regular interaction with Number 10. This role therefore requires the ability to work at pace, navigate complicated political dynamics and engage confidently with key officials and special advisers at the centre of Government. You will be a key go between for the Lord Chancellor and the Department and must be comfortable working with colleagues at all grades.
Please note that this role requires working extended hours for which a Private Secretary allowance is payable.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018: The information provided by you in this application and the supporting documentation will be used to consider your suitability for the post. Following the exercise, the papers will be kept for one year or the period of the appointment, whichever is less and then reviewed and deleted if appropriate.
Skills and Experience
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ's Flexible Working policy.
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
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 Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
. click apply for full job details
General Information Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
Cross Government
Location
London
Region
London
Closing Date
25-Sep-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Grade 6
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
22155
Descriptions & requirements Job Title: Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Grade: G6
Group: CPPL
Directorate: Private Office and Parliament Directorate
Team: Lord Chancellor's Office
Location: 102 Petty France London
Working Pattern: Full time, Office based
Level of NSV required (applies to CTC/SC/DV only roles) SC (can be applied for by the successful candidate if not already held)
Closing Date: 24 September 2026
The Role
As Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor, you will help deliver the Department's priorities, working in a fast-paced and exciting environment where strong team working is vital. You will gain invaluable experience at the heart of the Department's decision-making process, working directly with the Lord Chancellor, Special Advisers, Senior officials across the department and Whitehall, and external stakeholders.
This role, working to the Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor, will have responsibility for oversight of the Lord Chancellor's Private Office, working closely with the existing Deputy Principal Private Secretary who has oversight of the Junior Minister offices.
You will need to have the personal credibility and experience to build trust and confidence with the Lord Chancellor and the wider Ministerial team, ensuring work that is sent to Ministers is of high quality and that advice, briefings and correspondence on a range of complex and challenging policy and operational issues are clear. You will need to be an excellent leader and manager, ensuring the Lord Chancellor's Private Office team have a high standard of pastoral care in demanding roles and that you promote join up across the team and ensure issues are escalated appropriately. Alongside oversight of the Private Office you will lead on the vitally important finance portfolio for the Lord Chancellor, working closely with key teams across the department in the lead up to next year's Spending Review.
In time you should become the key expert in Private Office on relevant issues. This role demands excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence in order to collaborate in a high-pressured environment with policy, finance, operations and other Private Office colleagues, making sure that the Lord Chancellor and SpAds are looped in on emerging issues in the right way, at the right time.
This is a demanding and high-profile role in Private Office, working on critical priorities for the Lord Chancellor and has regular interaction with Number 10. This role therefore requires the ability to work at pace, navigate complicated political dynamics and engage confidently with key officials and special advisers at the centre of Government. You will be a key go between for the Lord Chancellor and the Department and must be comfortable working with colleagues at all grades.
Please note that this role requires working extended hours for which a Private Secretary allowance is payable.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018: The information provided by you in this application and the supporting documentation will be used to consider your suitability for the post. Following the exercise, the papers will be kept for one year or the period of the appointment, whichever is less and then reviewed and deleted if appropriate.
Skills and Experience
- Excellent leadership skills developed through leading teams through difficult, complex and fast paced environments. You should have brilliant interpersonal skills, able to harness your relationships to deliver through others.
- You will be a collaborative, empathetic and inspiring team leader, knowing how to effectively work within a team, escalating issues where appropriate and work together with others to deliver work to a high standard, often delivering at pace.
- You should be a strategic thinker, able to understand complex policy and operational challenges, see the bigger picture and navigate the political environment to engage effectively with spads and ministers.
- You will be an effective communicator, able to distil difficult and complex messages into simple and clear recommendations, communicating in a straightforward and engaging manner, sharing information with colleagues as appropriate and taking into account different opinions and views.
- Experience of building effective professional relationships with others to identify risks and resolve issues efficiently. You will know how to involve a diverse range of colleagues, stakeholders and delivery partners in developing suggestions for improvements and provide an effective channel of communication for the Minister with other private offices, the Department, the rest of Whitehall, Parliament and the public.
- Someone that uses their relationships, judgement and understanding of the wider context to support the Lord Chancellor in their work and to add value to the process and substance of decision making, ensuring financial and ethical probity. You should be engaging, trustworthy and unafraid to challenge peers and senior colleagues.
- Knowledge of the challenges and priorities across relevant policy and ops issues would be advantageous to this role but not essential.
- The following Civil Service behaviours will be assessed at interview:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Working Together
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map . All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ 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 MoJ's Flexible Working policy.
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
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 Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
. click apply for full job details