21887 - Head of the Ministerial Priorities and Delivery Unit

The Role

This role is one of the most senior in Private Office, offering a unique opportunity to work at the centre of ministerial decision-making and support one of government’s biggest and most complex departments.

Key Responsibilities

The postholder will lead a high performing team in a fast paced and challenging environment, responsible for supporting the

Lord Chancellor to

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Set priorities

leading a 12-month cycle of priority and delegation letters to Junior Ministers. These set out priorities for the Department and policy delegations for Junior Ministers.

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Track delivery

lead across the Department on a quarterly stocktake of the priorities set out in letters. This provides an update on progress and an early warning system for anything that is off track.

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Enhance delivery

overseeing a Delivery Unit function that works directly with policy and operational teams on a small number of priority projects, where delivery is off track.

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Forward Plan

responsibility for a six-month forward look, which brings together all the known events and moments - legislative, parliamentary, policy, operational, statistical releases, internal and external publications. This is designed to reveal crunch points, potential risks and opportunities to articulate key messages.

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Articulate key messages

leading through others to ensure high-quality written briefing for parliamentary-appearances, reflecting key messages and priorities. The postholder will also oversee Ministerial correspondence, as part of this.

Additional Responsibilities

Leadership

this role provides leadership to two Grade 6s, two Grade 7s and the wider Ministerial Correspondence Support Team.

Essential Experience

• A track record of leadership in high profile roles.

• A clear understanding of both political and departmental priorities.

• Confidence in engaging with senior officials, Ministers and external stakeholders.

• A track record of success in service delivery.

• Clear written and verbal communication.

• The ability to thrive and lead in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable Experience

• Prior exposure to ministerial or senior official support roles

• Understanding of parliamentary processes

• Understanding of ministerial correspondence