Head of Private Office

Job summary

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is a new arm’s-length body set up, at unprecedented pace, to administer compensation to people whose lives have been impacted by the infected blood scandal.

IBCA will ensure payment is made in recognition of the wrongs experienced by those who have been infected by HIV, Hepatitis B or C, as well as those who love and care for them. They have been frustrated and distressed by the delays in achieving proper recognition, and we must help put this right.

We are committed to putting the infected and affected blood community at the centre of every decision we make and every step we take to build our organisation to deliver compensation payments.

IBCA employees will be public servants. If successful in this role you will be appointed directly into IBCA, on IBCA terms and conditions as a public servant.

Successful applicants will join the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be fully operational for a period of approximately up to 5 years, after which IBCA will become a smaller residual service. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.

Job description

The Head of Private Office is responsible for embedding, and leading the 'One Private Office' operating model across a 30-person network. Operating in a high-stakes executive environment, this role establishes robust governance, quality assurance, and workforce capability frameworks to drive operational excellence. The postholder provides strategic counsel to Director-level stakeholders, and manages senior staff to foster an inclusive, high-performing team culture.

The role of the IBCA's Private Office is to get their principal to the right place, at the right time, with the right information, to make the right decision. As the Head of the Private Office, you will report directly to the Chief of Staff. Your role will be to ensure the Private Office effectively supports the CoS and CEO, building capability in the Private Secretaries in their role as trusted advisers, ensuring they are focused on the right priorities, equipped to make informed decisions, and able to operate effectively across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Operating Model & Strategy: Embed, and continually refine the 'One Private Office' operating model, driving consistency, efficiency, and alignment across the functional network.
• Governance & Assurance: Establish robust governance and quality assurance frameworks, ensuring clear task ownership, risk mitigation, and protection of organisational reputation.
• Capability Development & Workforce Planning: Lead strategic workforce planning across the 30-person network, identifying capability gaps and delivering targeted development to build a resilient, high-performing team.
• High level counsel & Problem Solving: Provide high-level counsel to SCS and CEO-level stakeholders on cross-organisational risks, mediating structural disputes and handling emotive or complex issues with empathy, integrity, and political sensitivity.
• Leadership & Representation: Line manages senior staff (at Grade 7 level), fostering a collaborative, inclusive 'One Team' culture, and representing the Private Office across senior leadership forums.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the CEO Principal Private Secretary to support the Chief of Staff to align operational delivery with executive priorities, fostering an IBCA-wide perspective and shared strategic focus.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Leadership and management capability: Demonstrable leadership experience including the ability to set direction for others, provide oversight of specialist work, coach and develop colleagues, and build confidence and capability across the wider team. This also includes confidence to balance competing demands, manage ambiguity, maintain momentum across multiple strands of work and remain calm under pressure. (Lead Criteria)
• Private Office: Extensive experience operating at a senior level within a Private Office or executive environment, with a proven ability to provide strategic counsel to Director Level stakeholders.
• Operating Model & Capability Building: Track record of embedding complex operating models, leading workforce planning across a wider network, and identifying capability gaps to build a strong team ethos and culture.
• Systemic Problem Solving & Governance: Success in mediating high-level structural disputes, establishing quality assurance frameworks, and ensuring clear task ownership to maintain organisational alignment and reputation.
• Strategic Leadership & Advisory: Demonstrated ability to evaluate cross-organisational risks and deliver high-level advice—particularly on sensitive or emotive matters—with diplomacy, empathy, and integrity.

Travel

There will be an expectation of weekly travel to the Newcastle office.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,262, Infected Blood Compensation Authority contributes £21,803 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).

• Premium allowance paid monthly after probation
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%
• 32.5 days of paid annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• Family friendly policies to support you and your everyday responsibilities
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave, up to 12 months shared parental leave

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 proces