PRESS RELEASE : FCDO to appoint second Permanent Under-Secretary [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 March 2023.

The FCDO will appoint a second Permanent Under-Secretary to deliver the Government’s development priorities.

A new second Permanent Under-Secretary role will be established in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the department announced today (Thursday, 9 March).

The role will focus on delivering the Government’s international development priorities and will report into the FCDO Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Philip Barton.

This brings the FCDO into line with other large government departments that already have more than one Permanent Secretary, including the Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence and HM Treasury.

Recruitment for the new role will begin shortly, with the successful candidate expected to take up their post later this year.

The FCDO previously had a Second Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Tim Barrow, who took on the role of National Security Adviser in September last year.