Personal Assistant to the Lord Lieutenant
This role has a starting salary of £34,660 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week.
This is a unique opportunity to provide high-quality personal assistant support to the incoming Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, supporting the effective delivery of a varied programme of civic, ceremonial and community engagement activity across the county.
Our Offer to You
- 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
- A generous local government salary related pension
- Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
- Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
- An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
- Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
- A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents
About the Role
Working within Democratic Services and reporting to the Deputy Clerk to the Lieutenancy, you will play a key role in managing the Lord-Lieutenant’s diary and supporting the smooth running of the Lieutenancy Office. This will include coordinating invitations, appointments, visits, engagements and speaking requests; preparing schedules, itineraries and briefing materials; managing correspondence; and supporting wider office administration.
You will act as an important point of contact for the Lord-Lieutenant, Deputy Lieutenants, partner organisations, community representatives, volunteers and members of the public. The role requires professionalism, discretion and diplomacy, as well as excellent organisation and attention to detail, particularly when handling sensitive information and supporting high-profile activity.
In addition to day-to-day diary and administrative support, you will help with the planning and delivery of Lieutenancy events throughout the year and support effective public engagement. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the visibility and smooth delivery of the Lieutenancy’s work across Surrey.
Your Application
In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and confidently with senior stakeholders, community representatives, volunteers and members of the public.
- Proven experience of providing high-quality administrative, business support or personal assistant support in a professional environment.
- Strong organisational skills, including experience of managing diaries, coordinating meetings or events, handling correspondence and prioritising competing demands.
- Good IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to maintain accurate records and support effective office systems.
- A high level of discretion, diplomacy and integrity when handling sensitive or confidential information.
- The ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- A proactive and methodical approach, with strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently using sound judgement.
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout Surrey to support meetings, events and engagements as required.
- Experience of supporting civic, ceremonial or high-profile public events, together with an understanding of protocol, etiquette and formal occasions.
To apply, we request that you submit a CV and personal statement.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on the 2nd August 2026 with interviews planned for Friday 7th August and the possibility of 2nd round interviews on w/b 17th August.
We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.
Contact Us
Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact Caroline Breckell via email at caroline.breckell@surreycc.gov.uk.
We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.
Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council
Our Commitment
We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria, as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.
Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.
Salary range
- £34,660 - £36,943 per year