Job Description
- Job Category Administration / Corporate Support
- Posting Date 02/19/2026, 12:07 PM
- Apply Before 03/01/2026, 11:55 PM
- Grade HEO(I)
- Locations London, United Kingdom
- Contract Type Permanent
- Shortlisting Date From 06th March 2026
- Interview Date w/c 16 March 2026
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We are currently looking for a Diary Officer to join our Governance/Private Office Function within the Enablement group.
This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU.
Who are we? The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.
The Private Office sits within the Enablement Group at the MHRA and plays a key role in supporting the Agency's senior leadership. It works closely with internal governance teams to enable the smooth operation of the Agency by supporting the Board, Executive Committee, and other expert and independent bodies. The team also contributes to corporate governance, risk management, and assurance, ensuring the Agency operates with transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness.
The Private Office plays a central role in supporting the Chief Executive in leading the Agency. It manages high-level correspondence, prepares for meetings, coordinates briefings, and ensures clear and effective communication between the CEO and both internal and external stakeholders. By enabling timely, accurate, and strategically aligned information flow, the Private Office underpins effective leadership and decision-making at the highest level.
As a small, high-performing team, the Private Office also ensures professional, high-quality engagement with key stakeholders including ministers, MPs, industry leaders, and the public. Operating at the heart of the Agency, it is a fast-paced and dynamic environment, responding to shifting priorities and working closely with senior colleagues across the organisation.
What's the role? This is a pivotal, high-impact role at the very heart of the Agency, demanding an exceptional individual with outstanding diary management and executive support capabilities. The Diary Officer will be the trusted gatekeeper to the Chief Executive expertly navigating a packed and fast-moving schedule, coordinating competing priorities, and ensuring every minute of the CEO's time delivers maximum strategic value. We are looking for a consummate professional who thrives under pressure, excels at managing complexity, and brings sharp judgement, first-class organisational skills, and excellent attention to detail to one of the most visible roles in the organisation.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the evolution of the Private Office at a time of strategic change, offering strong potential for personal and professional growth.
Key responsibilities Strategic Diary Management: Proactively manage the Chief Executive's diary by liaising with internal and external stakeholders, making high-quality scheduling decisions that reflect the CEO's strategic priorities and time constraints.
Briefing and Meeting Preparation: Coordinate, collate and quality assure briefing packs and related documentation for all CEO engagements to ensure they are fully informed and prepared for every meeting and event.
Travel and Itinerary Planning: Arrange travel, logistics, and itineraries for engagements, ensuring reliability, value for money, and minimal disruption to the CEO's schedule.
Support to Private Office: Provide wider administrative and diary support across the Executive Office, including collaboration with the Chair's Office, contribution to Board operations, and ongoing improvement of systems and processes.
Who are we looking for? Oursuccessful candidatewill demonstrate the following:
Exceptional Organisational and Planning Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and live issues simultaneously, ensuring the right people, information, and preparation are in place for every engagement.
Outstanding Communication and Stakeholder Management: Skilled in building strong relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, acting as a professional and authoritative representative of the Chief Executive.
Resilience and Flexibility Under Pressure: Demonstrates composure, agility, and decision making ability in high pressure environments, often reacting to shifting priorities with speed and confidence.
Attention to Detail and Professionalism: Maintains meticulous standards of accuracy, quality, and discretion when handling sensitive information, documentation, and scheduling matters.
Experience Supporting Senior Leaders: A track record of successfully supporting C suite or executive level leaders in fast paced and complex organisations, with the judgement to act on their behalf and protect their time effectively.
Person Specification Method of assessment: A=Application, T=Test, I=Interview, P=Presentation
Behaviour Criteria Seeing the Big Picture - Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities. Remain alert to emerging issues and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team's business area. Understand how the strategies and activities of the team create value and meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders. (A, I)
Delivering at Pace - Able to balance working at pace and manage a full workload with conflicting short and long term priorities. (A, I)
Experience Criteria Experience of working in a Private Office or the office of the CEO (A, I)
Technical Criteria Strong Microsoft Office knowledge, particularly using applications for effective communication in face to face and virtual environments with a keen eye for the quality (A, I, T)
Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.
Test, further information will be supplied when you reach this stage.
Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.
In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of candidates demonstrating their experience of working in a Private Office or the office of the CEO.
Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allowsufficienttime. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description.
Use of AI in Job Applications 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact as soon as possible.
Shortlisting date: from 6th March 2026
Interview date: from 16th March 2026
If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact
Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.
Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:
- Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
- Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
- Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
- Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.
About MHRA