Annual Salary
£23,000 to £30,000
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Civil Service executive officers work in government departments that develop policies and provide services to the public.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts
There will be
3% fewer Civil Service executive officer jobs in 2026.
In your local area
What you'll do will depend on your job role and the government department you work in. Typically, in your day to day tasks you could:
You could work in an office.
You can get into this job through:
You could apply to join the Civil Service after doing a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree, although a university qualification is not essential.
Most subjects are accepted but public administration may offer a good general introduction to this area of work.
You'll usually need:
You could do a Civil Service higher or degree apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship qualification you work towards will depend on the role and business area you work in.
You'll usually need:
You could start as an administrative officer. After gaining experience, you could apply for a post as an executive officer when vacancies become available.
You can apply directly for jobs. You'll be expected to have relevant work or life experience to do this.
You'll be assessed on your skills, knowledge and behaviours that fit in with the values of the Civil Service, as part of the application process.
If you're a graduate or in your final year of university, you can apply for a place on the Fast Stream scheme. Competition for places is very strong, so a degree with a higher grade and work experience will help you.
Your degree can be in any subject, though some Civil Service departments may prefer a degree in a subject that is relevant to their work, for example science and engineering.
You'll need to:
The Early Diversity and Summer Diversity Internship Programme help graduates and undergraduates from diverse and under-represented backgrounds to gain experience and an understanding of the Fast Stream scheme.
Movement to Work offers work experience opportunities in the Civil Service for unemployed young people.
You can find out more about the different ways to join at Civil Service Careers.
You can get more details about how to become an executive officer from Civil Service Careers.
With experience, there’s often the opportunity to apply for jobs in different departments.
There is a clear promotion structure in the Civil Service. If you’re on the Fast Stream you can expect to reach senior level in around 5 years.
You'll need: