PA and Diary Manager


Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Salary:	£29,715 - £34,435
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	NE4 7AR
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	7 Aug 2026
Closing date:	14 Aug 2026

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Summary

Defra group Property is responsible for providing fit for purpose and value added estates and Facilities Management (FM) services to the Defra Group Network,

This is a key role in Defra Group Property and is responsible for Deputy Directors Diary. This role ensures the DD’s day runs efficiently and their time is effectively managed.

The role involves day to day interaction with a wide range of stakeholders. It is a fast-paced role and the postholder needs to operate with a level of autonomy and be able to effectively prioritise and reprioritise their workload.

Our team is dispersed across the country – we don’t mind where you are, we just care who you are. The successful candidate can request to be based in any Defra or Environment Agency office.

The role will cover the range of activities required to enable the Deputy Directors in their daily activities.

The key responsibilities will be:

• Providing a vital first point of contact for partners, customers, staff and other stakeholders; develop, build and maintain a good working relationship and reputation as a reliable source of informed knowledge and experience and taking responsibility to resolve issues where appropriate to do so.

• Manage the Deputy Director’s inboxes, sorting emails as they are received and flagging up urgent work to the appropriate team members; helping them manage workflow.

• Diary management, general team support, taking into account competing priorities.

• Ensuring that regular meetings, key stakeholder meetings and ad-hoc meetings are scheduled, meeting rooms and catering are booked and travel and accommodation arrangements are in place.

• Delivering secretariat outputs for identified governance boards or key site meetings, if required; including setting agendas, note taking, producing actions and monitoring outputs.

• Handling a range of corporate tasks with discretion, tact and diplomacy and deal appropriately with sensitive information

Please note this vacancy has a flexible location and the successful candidate can choose to be based at any Defra office, subject to space. If the location chosen is Wrotham Heath please note the nearest town is West Malling, and for Threemilestone the nearest town is Truro.

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