Location
Central London

Hours
37 hours per week (net) for full-time staff, pro rata for part-time

Salary
£75,585 - £84,840 per annum plus benefits

About the Role
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK’s sovereign regulator for medicines, including biological medicines, medical devices, and blood products. Our primary purpose is to ensure that products intended for the UK market are safe and effective and to monitor the ongoing safety of licensed products.

The Chief of Staff leads the CEO/Chair Private Office within the Strategy Group, working closely with other teams to support the effective management and control of the Agency. This involves delivering high-quality support to the Board, Executive, expert and independent committees, and ensuring the highest standards of corporate governance, risk, and assurance.

The role is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the Chief Executive’s and Chair’s Private Office. The postholder will plan and prioritise across the CEO’s and Chair’s remit, ensuring appropriate delegation of requests and decisions, escalating only those requiring personal attention. They will represent the CEO/Chair at internal and external meetings, making decisions on their behalf when necessary, and manage their time to focus on strategic priorities.

The Chief of Staff will oversee support for Executive Committee (ExCo), associated Boards and Committees, and the Agency’s Board and Board Assurance Committees. Leading the wider Private Office team, they will work closely with the Director of Strategy to support delivery of the CEO’s and Chair’s priorities and contribute to the wider work of the Strategy Group.

The role requires national and international travel with overnight stays as needed.

Key responsibilities include leading and managing the Private Office team to deliver an efficient, high-quality service; managing incoming requests; commissioning briefings and reports; preparing speaking notes and slides; accompanying the CEO to meetings; managing stakeholder relationships; supporting strategic priorities through partnership and collaboration; exercising delegated authority on behalf of the CEO/Chair; negotiating outcomes and deadlines; representing the CEO in sensitive situations; and overseeing the CEO budget in conjunction with the Finance Business Partner.

The job description is not exhaustive and duties may change in light of evolving circumstances.

Experience
- Significant experience leading a highly visible team, motivating and developing members to consistently deliver excellence.
- Experience providing Private Office or similar support to an executive leader or Chair.
- Experience and understanding of the life science or healthcare sectors.

About you
- Able to deliver complex and difficult messages with clarity, sensitivity, and persuasion.
- Capable of balancing a full workload with conflicting short- and long-term priorities, ensuring timely delivery of quality outcomes.
- Skilled in decision making at the appropriate level, analysing complex and sometimes incomplete information confidently.
- Able to develop and maintain an understanding of economic, social, political, environmental, and technological developments to ensure relevance and alignment with wider strategic priorities.
- Effective communicator with senior leaders to influence future strategies and adopt a government-wide perspective.

Qualifications
- Relevant Masters qualification or equivalent professional experience.
- Project management qualification or equivalent experience.
- Demonstrated knowledge of public sector governance and assurance requirements.
- Strong understanding of the wider political landscape.