Ministerial Diary Secretary
The Ministerial Diary Secretary or simply Diary Secretary or Diary Manager is a role in the private office of United Kingdom government ministers. The role involves organising a Minister's calendar of meetings and visits and sometimes arranging associated written briefing from relevant officials. The role is differentiated from (and more junior than) a Private Secretary, who is responsible for policy support to the Minister and management of the Private Office.[1]
Key aspects of the role include:
- Diary Management The diary secretary provides a comprehensive diary management service to the Minister.[2] This includes organizing meetings and making travel arrangements when required.[2] They must exercise sound judgment and flexibility when managing potential diary conflicts in a tactful and sensitive manner.[2]
- Coordination and Communication Diary Secretaries attend regular meetings to coordinate diaries, agree on priorities, and monitor workloads.[2] They copy the diary and itineraries to everyone who needs to know, ensuring errors and problems are spotted quickly.[3]
- Information Management They ensure the Minister is shown all important invitations.[3] The diary secretary also keeps a file on each engagement, recording what was communicated to the Minister and officials, and what was agreed upon.[3]
- Distribution of Information The Diary Secretary prepares and circulates a daily diary to relevant individuals, including Ministers, special advisors, the Minister's spouse, and other key personnel.[3]
- Additional Support They work as part of the Private Office team, providing support to the wider office through flexible and effective teamwork.[2] This can include supporting the Private Secretary and handling Freedom of Information requests.[3]
- Considerations for the Minister The Diary Secretary should be aware of the pressures on a Minister's time, including Parliament, constituency, political career, family, and departmental duties.[3] They should prioritize invitations and meetings that will help the Minister pursue their policies.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "How to work with ministers and special advisers | GCNGCN". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-07-01.
- ^ a b c d e "84534 - Diary Manager in the Ministerial Private Office within the Ministry of Justice (Up to 2 posts available) - MoJ". justicejobs.tal.net. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g https://www.civilservant.org.uk/library/1992_private_office_handbook_dti.pdf
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