Public Sector Hiring & Job Grading Assistant

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Role Type:

• Virtual Assistant / Remote Support Role
  
• Temporary Contract: 3 months initially
  
• Working Hours: Minimum 10 hours/week (approximately 2 hours/day), with flexibility to increase up to 3–5 hours/day during busy periods
  
• Time Zone Requirement: Must be able to work aligned with UK business hours
  
• Preferred Location/Profile: Candidates with familiarity with UK public sector processes; UK accent preferred
  
• Payment: To be processed in GBP (£)
  

Role Overview

The client is seeking a highly organised and detail-oriented Public Sector Hiring & Job Grading Assistant to support a regulatory organisation undergoing restructuring and workforce expansion.

The successful candidate will assist with the end-to-end preparation and administration of recruitment activities, including drafting formal job descriptions, benchmarking roles against UK government frameworks, preparing recruitment materials, reviewing applications, and providing administrative support throughout the hiring process.

This role requires someone who understands (or can quickly learn) UK public sector recruitment processes, government job grading frameworks, benchmarking methodologies, and regulatory environments.

The ideal candidate will have strong research, writing, analytical, and administrative skills, with the ability to handle confidential applicant information in accordance with UK data protection requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Job Description Development & Recruitment Documentation
   

• Review initial role outlines provided by the client and transform them into professional job descriptions.
  
• Create structured job profiles including:
  
• Role purpose
  
• Key responsibilities
  
• Required skills and experience
  
• Competency requirements
  
• Person specifications
  
• Draft recruitment advertisements suitable for:
  
• LinkedIn
  
• Government/public sector recruitment channels
  
• Other appropriate job boards
  
• Ensure job descriptions and advertisements align with public sector standards.
  

1. Government Job Benchmarking & Salary Grading Support
   

• Research UK government job grading frameworks and public sector capability standards.
  
• Benchmark roles against relevant government criteria.
  
• Assess appropriate:
  
• Job grade level
  
• Role complexity
  
• Required experience level
  
• Salary range/band
  
• Prepare benchmarking summaries and recommendations for client review.
  
• Conduct research using publicly available government resources.
  

1. Recruitment Administration & Applicant Screening
   

• Support recruitment campaigns from posting through candidate review.
  
• Organise and manage applications received.
  
• Review candidate submissions, including:
  
• CVs
  
• Cover letters
  
• Application forms/pro formas
  
• Compare applicants against approved job descriptions and criteria.
  
• Categorise candidates based on suitability, such as:
  
• Strong fit
  
• Good fit
  
• Moderate fit
  
• Poor fit
  
• Provide initial candidate assessments for client review and final decision-making.
  
• Support shortlisting processes by preparing candidate summaries.
  

1. Interview Support & Recruitment Coordination
   

• Assist with interview scheduling and coordination.
  
• Attend interviews where required to:
  
• Take detailed notes
  
• Capture key discussion points
  
• Summarise candidate responses
  
• Prepare interview notes for review
  
• Maintain organised recruitment records.
  

1. Administrative & Process Improvement Support
   

• Provide general administrative support related to recruitment activities.
  
• Help introduce more digital and efficient processes within the organisation.
  
• Make recommendations on suitable recruitment tracking tools or systems where appropriate.
  
• Support improvements to recruitment workflows.
  

Required Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Strong written English communication skills.
  
• Experience with recruitment administration, HR support, public sector administration, compliance, governance, or similar fields.
  
• Strong research capability and ability to interpret formal frameworks.
  
• Excellent document preparation and professional writing skills.
  
• Ability to analyse information and make structured recommendations.
  
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
  
• Ability to manage confidential information responsibly.
  

Preferred:

• Experience working with UK government/public sector recruitment processes.
  
• Familiarity with UK government grading structures or capability frameworks.
  
• Experience supporting regulatory, compliance, legal, or public sector organisations.
  
• Understanding of UK GDPR and data protection requirements.
  
• Experience screening candidates or supporting recruitment campaigns.
  

Compliance & Confidentiality Requirements

The VA will handle sensitive personal information relating to job applicants.

The successful candidate must demonstrate:

• Understanding of confidentiality requirements.
  
• Awareness of UK GDPR and data protection obligations.
  
• Ability to securely handle CVs, application forms, and personal information.
  
• Professional discretion when handling recruitment data.
  

Tools & Systems

Current systems:

• No dedicated CRM or Applicant Tracking System currently in place.
  

The VA should be comfortable with:

• Microsoft Office / Google Workspace
  
• Document management systems
  
• Online research tools
  
• LinkedIn recruitment platforms
  
• Video conferencing platforms (Zoom/Microsoft Teams)
  

Experience recommending or implementing recruitment systems would be an advantage.

Preferred Candidate Profile

The ideal VA will be:

• Professional and confident communicating with senior stakeholders.
  
• Comfortable working independently.
  
• Highly organised and methodical.
  
• Able to research unfamiliar topics quickly.
  
• Interested in public sector, governance, compliance, or recruitment processes.
  
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and evolving requirements.
  
• Able to provide recommendations while respecting client approval processes.