When looking for jobs in the Civil Service, you may see grades such as G6 or HEO. This article explains the grades, which are:
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Administrative Officer/Administrative Assistant (AO/AA) – the most junior civil service grade. These roles tend to comprise administrative support and operational delivery roles, such as prison officers and caterers.
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Executive Officer (EO) - Civil servants in this grade offer business and policy support and include roles such as executive assistants, finance, HR, IT and communications specialists.
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Senior Executive Officer/Higher Executive Officer (SEO/HEO) - includes policy officers and officials with specific policy responsibilities.
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Grades 6 and 7 - civil servants tend to be experienced officials with significant policy responsibilities.
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Senior Civil Service (SCS) - is the most senior grade of the civil service made up of the senior management team. Generally, directors are ultimately responsible for the policy work of their team and director generals oversee directors and work closely with the department’s ministers. Each department also has a permanent secretary as part of the SCS who supports the minister at the head of the department, acts as the accounting officer and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the department.