Head of Private Office

The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government’s office estate.

We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.

Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading significant transformational programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme. We are also delivering cost-effective property services such as asset management, lifecycle replacement and workplace services.

Innovation and progress underpin our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. Our four core values are at the heart of everything we do. They shape our culture and guide how we work, lead and grow together:

• Striving for excellence - We always aim to deliver great results
• Empowering through respect - We insist on fair treatment for all, always
• Acting with integrity - We consistently do the right thing
• Succeeding together - We rely on each other to achieve success

The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do.

To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.

To act as the strategic engine and trusted advisor to the Director and the guardian of the Directorate’s delivery. You are responsible for ensuring the Director’s priorities are driven forward, integrating business operations, advising on sensitive issues and ensuring consistent join up across the wider business ensuring digital tools are optimised across the organisation. This role requires you to provide independent advice, challenge assumptions and manage the interface between the director, their executive team and external stakeholders.

We are looking for an experienced Business Integrator who understands how a complex organisation functions and how digital tools can support these functions. You will bring broad experience in operations, strategy and finance to act as the Director’s Critical Friend.

This is a recruitment for multiple vacancies across our directorates - Strategy, Investment, capital projects, Workplace Services, finance and COO. Upon appointment, successful candidates will be mapped to the role that best aligns with their individual skills, experience, and professional strengths. See the attached overview of our GPA structure and how the CEO Business Support function connects across our Directorates.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic advice and decision support

• Act as a sounding board and independent challenger to the Director. You are expected to "provide input and challenge" on complex issues, testing the Director's thinking before ideas are presented to ExCo or the Board.
• Provide "high-quality, timely, and accurate advice" on sensitive issues. You must anticipate how the Director's decisions will land with Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, and the CEO, navigating conflicting views and priorities on the Director's behalf.
• Operate with the trust of the Director. You will attend meetings and make decisions in their absence, ensuring the Directorate’s momentum is maintained without the Director needing to be in every room.
• Responsible for briefing the director on problems before they become crises, working with other heads of office to solve issues laterally.
• You will implement consistent and contemporary data collaboration tools across the directorate to facilitate agile cross directorate collaboration.

Strategic Alignment

• Understand, articulate and drive forward GPA priorities within the Directorate. Ensuring the strategic priorities are clearly translated into the Directorate’s plans.
• You act as the "bridge," preventing the Directorate from operating in a silo.
• Act as the final quality gate for all submissions and papers. You ensure they meet the corporate standards.
• Maintain a 6-12 month forward look, anticipating emerging risks or cross-cutting issues that the Director and CEO’s office needs to be aware of, and briefing the team proactively.

Functional Leadership & Standards

• Implement the private office standards within your Directorate. This includes enforcing consistent processes for commissioning, correspondence, and reporting to ensure that the directorate operates with organisational and management excellence
• Work with the CEO’s Chief of Staff to manage resources across the wider function. If another area is under pressure, you facilitate the "flexing" of your office’s resources to support the wider agency.
• Lead the professional development of the Directorate’s support staff, ensuring the SEO and EOs have clear development plans and ensure staff are proactive.

Operational Delivery & Digital Optimisation

• Drive forward and improve the standard agility behind information gathering and report writing through the agency’s Digital Ecosystem within the Directorate. You ensure the Director and the support teams are utilising consistent and agreed AI tools, shared CRMs, and automated trackers to drive efficiency.
• Oversee the Directorate’s operational machinery, including budget management, workforce planning, and gift/hospitality compliance, ensuring full adherence to central governance.
• Leading any special projects, the Director may wish for you to undertake on their behalf.
• Actively participate in business planning on behalf of the Director.

Stakeholder Management & Decision Making

• Act as the primary point of communication between the director and the wider agency, ensuring information moves smoothly and accurately.
• Represent the Director in internal working groups and with senior stakeholders. You are empowered to make decisions within parameters agreed with the Director.
• Actively collaborate with other Heads of Office to resolve friction between Directorates without needing to escalate to the Directors.

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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and well-being and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued. 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 and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

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).

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 (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Please note - At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.

Sift

The sift is due to take place after the 15th September 2026.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement.

The personal statement should align with the person specification.

Interview

GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. Interviews are due to take place in either the London or Birmingham office. You must be willing to travel to one of the GPA locations for the interview. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact recruitment@gpa.gov.uk to discuss prior to submitting your application.

At interview, applicants will be scored against 5 behaviours - Seeing The Bigger Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Leadership, and Developing Self and Others.

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions.

Please also come prepared to give a short presentation on: The presentation will be scored as Technical skill 5, there will not be an additional question for this score.

As the Head of Private Office, you are the final quality gate for all submissions leaving the Directorate. Present a 5-minute briefing aimed at your Directorate's Senior Leadership Team on 'How to Draft an ExCo/Board-Ready Paper.' What are your non-negotiable standards for content, tone, and strategic alignment?

Please note that a reserve list will be maintained for this campaign. Successful candidates not appointed to this specific role may be considered for similar opportunities across the wider Cabinet Office family should they arise.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to GPA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Reasonable Adjustment

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 Government Recruitment Service via gparecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.