Private Secretary & Department Office Manager

Job summary

Private Secretary to Black Rod and the Lord Great Chamberlain, and Black Rod Office Manager

House of Lords – Black Rod’s Department

BELONG HERE. TOGETHER, WE MAKE PARLIAMENT HAPPEN.

As a Private Secretary and Office Manager in Black Rod’s Department, you’ll play an important role in supporting the UK’s parliamentary democracy. Your work will help members of the House of Lords carry out their responsibilities effectively — contributing to something bigger than any one role.

You’ll be part of a collaborative community, working alongside colleagues from a wide range of professions. Together, we make Parliament happen.

You’ll be based on the Parliamentary Estate in Westminster — a unique working environment shaped by history and powered by the people who work here today.

Job description

What you’ll be doing

Leading a small secretariat team, you’ll deliver high-quality executive support in a fast-paced, high-profile environment, ensuring Black Rod’s Department operates efficiently across a broad range of House of Lords and bicameral responsibilities.

You’ll work closely with Black Rod to manage competing priorities, respond to evolving demands, and ensure the smooth coordination and delivery of key activities. The role involves regular interaction with Members of the House of Lords and senior leaders across the Administration, as well as engagement with stakeholders across Government, offering valuable insight into parliamentary and cross-government working.

Reporting directly to Black Rod, you will line manage a small team and play a key role in maintaining high standards, ensuring effective delivery, and supporting the smooth running of a diverse and important portfolio.

Person specification

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who can bring their skills and experience to make a meaningful contribution here.

You’ll have:

• Experience of leading a team to deliver agreed organisational and operational objectives.
• Proven experience of managing a high-profile and high-tempo Private Office function, which involves a broad range of disparate and high-level stakeholder interaction.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with contentious issues, demanding leadership, partner and interlocutor assertion, and challenging inter-personal interaction, effectively, appropriately and sensitively.
• Strong executive, PS and Office Management skills with experience of a full range of executive and secretarial skills, including minute taking and the ability to draft concisely and with clarity, and excellent IT skills.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to represent Black Rod and BRO to a wide range of people and organisations internally and externally evidencing tact, discretion and the ability to work quickly under intense pressure.
• The ability to understand and communicate complex procedures and processes relating to high-profile projects and events such as State events, and to assist with their planning and delivery.

It would be even better if you have:

• Experience of dealing with senior leadership of external agencies and organisations, for example in: ministerial offices; the Royal Household; chief executives of public and private sector bodies; and local councils.
• An understanding and experience of budgeting procedures.
• An understanding and experience of event management and related protocol matters.
• An interest and knowledge of the purpose and workings of Parliament.
• A knowledge of BRD and its responsibilities.

For full details, please see the job description.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,500, House of Lords contributes £13,471 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

What you can expect

The Private Secretary and Office Manager primarily ensures effective and efficient executive support within the Black Rod’s Department, undertaking a wide range of responsibilities to do so. You’ll need to be able to keep pace with fast moving events and daily changing, sensitive and high-profile priorities, and deliver consistently professional support in the management and delivery of specified tasks.

You’ll be part of a community that values your wellbeing, supports your development, and recognises the contribution you make.

You’ll benefit from:

• 30 days annual leave (rising to 35 after one year), plus public holidays .

• A generous Civil Service pension

• Access to learning and development across a wide range of roles and professions

• Support for your health and wellbeing

• The opportunity to be at the heart of UK parliamentary democracy

We know flexibility matters. Wherever possible, we’ll support working patterns that work for you — including hybrid working, job share or adjusted hours. We’ll be open about what’s possible for this role.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Ready to apply?

If you’re looking for a role where you can belong, grow and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Please complete your online application by 23:59 on Sunday 02 August 2026.

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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 Liechten