Band 4 Assistant Private Secretary to CE​/CNI or DCNI

Job Role / Purpose

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is the United Kingdom’s independent statutory regulator for nuclear safety, civil nuclear security, safeguards, and conventional health and safety on licensed sites.

Working in a fast-paced high-profile environment you will be responsible for providing highly effective executive level support to the CE/CNI (role
1) and DCNI (role
2). You will support the coordination of executive activity across the Private Office, including diaries, senior meetings, briefings, correspondence, governance processes and follow-up actions. Working to the Chief of Staff and with Governance and Private Office colleagues, you will bring together information and activity from across the organisation, maintain oversight of key issues and commitments, and support effective engagement with Board members, senior leaders, government departments and external stakeholders on behalf of the CE/CNI or DCNI.

The postholder will operate at the centre of the Private Office, providing strategic coordination, high‑level judgement and trusted support to the CE/CNI or DCNI. Each role is focused on managing competing priorities, shaping the flow of business into the Private Office and ensuring that corporate priorities, risks and sensitive matters are progressed effectively across the organisation.

• Ensure CE/CNI and DCNI time, focus and engagement are aligned to organisational priorities, emerging risks, external commitments and key decision points.
• Manage the flow of business into and out of the Private Office, applying judgement to prioritise matters, commission follow‑up activity, identify interdependencies and ensure timely handling of sensitive or high‑profile issues.
• Commission high‑quality briefings, drawing together information from across the organisation to ensure the CE/CNI and DCNI are equipped to lead discussions, take decisions and represent ONR effectively with confidence and authority.
• Produce high‑quality briefing materials, including drafting, editing and coordinating inputs to bring together information from across the organisation into clear and accessible outputs, such as presentations, reports and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate corporate business on behalf of the Private Office across the Executive team, Board interfaces and wider organisation, ensuring alignment, visibility of priorities and effective follow‑through on agreed actions and commitments.
• Support the effective operation of governance arrangements by ensuring that meetings, papers, decisions and actions are managed to a high standard and contribute to robust corporate oversight and accountability.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with senior leaders, Board members and key internal and external stakeholders, acting as a credible point of contact and facilitating constructive engagement on behalf of the CE/CNI or DCNI.
• Build and nurture strong, trusted relationships with the ONR Chair’s Executive Assistant, the PAs of other ONR Directors, and external private offices/PAs to key stakeholders, as well as wider networks as necessary.
• Anticipate issues, monitor corporate pressures and identify where intervention, escalation or reprioritisation is required, helping to maintain oversight of a complex and fast‑moving agenda working closely with the Chief of Staff.
• Handle highly confidential, politically sensitive and commercially significant information with discretion, sound judgement and a clear understanding of the broader organisational context.
• Drive continuous improvement in the operation of the Private Office, identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, improve resilience and enhance the overall effectiveness of executive support and coordination.

None currently; however, at this level there could be an expectation to manage staff in the future.

This post may be undertaken from a base at any one of ONR’s office locations (Bootle, Cheltenham, or London).

ONR operates hybrid working (working in the office and/or at home) as part of our flexible working policy. There is an expectation that everyone will…