Personal Assistant

Personal Assistant Central Business Support Team – Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship

Are you looking to start or develop a career in business administration and personal assistant support within the UK Civil Service?

The Department for Education (DfE) is recruiting three Personal Assistants to join its Central Business Support Team within the Strategy & Operations Group, Estates and Security.

This is a permanent Business Administrator Level 3 apprenticeship offering a salary of £32,581 per year, Civil Service pension benefits and professional development opportunities.

The roles are based in Coventry, Manchester and Sheffield, with full-time, part-time, flexible and job-share arrangements available.

Important eligibility requirement: Applicants must have lived in the UK for the three years immediately before the apprenticeship start date and must not already have substantial skills, knowledge or experience covered by the apprenticeship standard.

Job Details

Job title: Personal Assistant – Central Business Support Team
Department: Department for Education
Reference: 480813
Grade: Executive Officer
Salary: £32,581 per year
Contract: Permanent apprenticeship
Apprenticeship: Business Administrator Level 3
Locations: Coventry, Manchester and Sheffield
Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, flexible and job share
Minimum hours: 30 hours per week over 4 days
Vacancies: 3
Closing date: 11:55 pm, Sunday 27 September 2026

About the Role

The Department for Education is seeking enthusiastic and organised people to join its Central Business Support Team.

Successful candidates will provide administrative and personal assistant support to senior colleagues and business areas. The work involves managing competing priorities, coordinating activities, working with stakeholders and helping ensure that important business tasks are delivered effectively.

The apprenticeship is designed for people who want to develop professional administrative, organisational and communication skills while gaining practical workplace experience and working towards a recognised Level 3 Business Administrator qualification.

Key Responsibilities

Depending on business requirements, duties may include:

Managing complex diaries and arranging appointments.
Coordinating meetings involving multiple stakeholders.
Making travel arrangements and supporting business travel.
Preparing correspondence, documents and briefing materials.
Managing inboxes and directing enquiries.
Supporting senior leadership teams and board-level secretariat activity.
Taking meeting minutes and monitoring agreed actions.
Supporting ministerial correspondence where required.
Handling confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
Building effective relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
Helping teams coordinate priorities and meet deadlines.
Using Microsoft 365 applications for business administration.
Supporting improvements to administrative processes.
Adapting to changing business requirements and working flexibly as part of a team.

The role requires professionalism, discretion, initiative and sound judgement when dealing with sensitive information.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate:

Complex administrative support: Experience providing complex diary management or administrative support and the ability to organise competing priorities.

Organisation: Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks.

Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with different audiences.

Relationships and collaboration: The ability to build positive relationships and work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders.

Judgement: The ability to identify issues, make appropriate decisions and escalate matters when necessary.

Proactive approach: Initiative, flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing priorities.

Microsoft 365: Confidence using applications including Teams, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.

Desirable Experience

An understanding of emerging issues that could affect the work of the business would be advantageous.

This is desirable rather than essential.

Civil Service Behaviours

The recruitment process will assess:

Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Working Together

Applicants can use examples from employment, volunteering, education, community activities or other relevant experiences.

Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship

The successful candidates will work towards a Business Administrator Level 3 apprenticeship, expected to last approximately 12 to 18 months. The duration may be adjusted on a pro-rata basis for eligible part-time arrangements.

The apprenticeship combines practical workplace experience with structured training and development.

Apprenticeship Eligibility

Applicants must meet the apprenticeship eligibility requirements.

In particular, candidates must have lived in the UK for the three years immediately before the apprenticeship start date.

Applicants must also:

Not already be undertaking another apprenticeship.
Not already possess substantial skills and knowledge covered by the apprenticeship standard.
Not have previous work or learning experience that already covers the apprenticeship standard.
Not have already gained the relevant skills and knowledge through a similar role.
Not already hold a degree or equivalent qualification specifically in Business Administration that provides the relevant skills and knowledge.

Applicants who already possess the relevant skills and knowledge covered by the apprenticeship are advised not to apply.

Location and Working Arrangements

The positions are based at:

Coventry – CV1 2WT
Manchester – M1 2WD
Sheffield – S1 2FJ

The advert states that the role can only be worked in the UK from the advertised locations and cannot be worked overseas.

The minimum contracted hours are 30 hours per week over four days.

Available arrangements include full-time, part-time, flexible working and job share.

The department generally operates a hybrid working approach, with staff usually expected to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office or another appropriate work setting, subject to the role and business requirements.

Visa Sponsorship and Right to Work

The advert does not state that visa sponsorship is available.

Applicants should therefore not assume that Skilled Worker sponsorship or a Certificate of Sponsorship will be provided.

Candidates should check their right-to-work and apprenticeship eligibility before applying.

Salary and Benefits

The salary is £32,581 per year.

The Civil Service employment package includes:

Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years of service.
The King’s Birthday public holiday.
Eight bank and public holidays.
Professional development opportunities.
Apprenticeship training and workplace development.
Flexible and job-share arrangements where applicable.
Hybrid working arrangements.

Application Process

Applications must be completed through the Civil Service Jobs application system.

Applicants must enter their CV details into the application template. Separate CVs attached or sent by email will not be considered.

Candidates must also provide a Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words addressing the essential criteria.

The Civil Service recommends using the STAR approach — Situation, Task, Action and Result — when providing examples.

If there is a high volume of applications, the initial sift may focus on the first three essential criteria.

Interview

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be invited to interview.

The interview is expected to last approximately 60 minutes and will assess the advertised behaviours and strengths.

Interviews are expected to take place through Microsoft Teams, with the recruitment timetable indicating interviews around the middle to end of October 2026.

Name-Blind Recruitment

The recruitment process uses a name-blind approach.

Where instructed, applicants should remove identifying information from their application materials, including name, educational institution names, age, gender, email address, postal address, telephone number, nationality or immigration status.

Security Checks

Successful candidates will be required to complete the relevant pre-employment checks.

The vacancy states that candidates will undergo a Basic criminal record check or equivalent and Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.

Candidates must also meet the applicable Civil Service nationality and right-to-work requirements.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This apprenticeship could suit candidates interested in developing careers in:

Business administration
Personal assistant work
Civil Service administration
Executive support
Office management
Stakeholder coordination
Government operations
Senior leadership support

The position combines paid employment, workplace experience and structured apprenticeship development.

Application Deadline

11:55 pm, Sunday 27 September 2026

Applicants are advised to submit their applications before the deadline to avoid potential technical or submission problems.

How to Apply

Reference: 480813

Full details + Apply: Civil Service Jobs – Personal Assistant Central Business Support Team

Applicants should review the official vacancy carefully before submitting an application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a permanent job?

Yes. The vacancy is advertised as a permanent position combined with a Business Administrator Level 3 apprenticeship.

How many positions are available?

There are 3 vacancies.

Where are the jobs based?

Coventry, Manchester and Sheffield.

What is the salary?

The salary is £32,581 per year, plus the Civil Service benefits package.

Is this a remote job?

No. The position must be worked in the UK from the advertised locations. Hybrid working is available, with staff generally expected to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office or another appropriate work setting.

Can applicants outside the UK apply?

The apprenticeship requires applicants to have lived in the UK for the three years immediately before the apprenticeship start date. The position also cannot be worked overseas.

Does this job offer visa sponsorship?

The advert does not state that visa sponsorship is available. Applicants should not assume that Skilled Worker sponsorship or a Certificate of Sponsorship will be provided.

Do I need a degree?

The role is an apprenticeship, and applicants must not already have substantial skills or knowledge covered by the apprenticeship standard. Candidates who already hold a Business Administration degree or equivalent qualification providing the relevant skills and knowledge may not be eligible.

How many hours must I work?