Executive Assistant (Maternity Cover)
Provide an effective professional and confidential executive assistant function primarily to the Principal & CEO and the members of the Senior Leadership Team including the Director of Governance and Chair of Governors as required.
The role will manage business-related tasks for the team such as creating reports, organising travel and accommodation, taking minutes, consulting with all levels of management, staff across the college, students, parents and external agencies.
Supporting the Senior Leadership team to effectively undertake their roles, through an organised and prioritising approach.
A detailed understanding of the full Microsoft Office suite is essential. The role requires excellent problem-solving abilities and customer service skills. Experience in executive or higher-level administration are essential.
This is a fixed term post to cover maternity leave, initially up to 12 months or sooner on return of the substantive post holder
This post is subject to a probationary period of 6 months.
A full enhanced disclosure check via the Disclosure & Barring Service will be required for this post
This job description is a guide to the duties you will be expected to perform immediately on your appointment. These may change in the future in line with the strategic direction and development of the College.
- Be responsible for servicing senior management team meetings, to include minutes, action point follow- up and co-ordination and liaising with the Principal/SLT in a timely manner
- Organise travel and meetings.
- Meticulous diary management and scheduling for the senior team.
- Filing and retrieving corporate records, documents, and reports.
- Researching and conducting data to prepare documents for review and presentation by boards of governors, committees, and executives.
- Greeting visitors / correspondents
- Opening, sorting and distributing incoming post, emails, and other correspondence.
- Ability to operate as a virtual / remote Executive assistant if required.
- Coordinate sensitive issues upon request of the Principal & CEO
- Assist the senior team as appropriate to prepare and edit communications, mails, letters, presentations and other documents.
- Work collaboratively with other relevant departments, including IT, Marketing, MIS and Finance.
- Support as and when required on Freedom of Information and/or GDPR requests, governance issues and the complaints procedure
- Play an active role to support, plan and coordinate various projects within the Executive team.
- Act as trusted Executive Assistant to the senior leadership team.
- Play an active role to support, plan and coordinate various projects within the Senior team.
- Manage the production timelines of the Senior Management Team to ensure that materials are prepared and can be delivered on time, including liaising with relevant external services.
- To support, when necessary, the minuting and co-ordination of Governor meetings.
- Liaise with the Director of Governance to ensure all minutes, reports and information is timely and responsive.
- Coordinate external inspections
- Contribute to the achievement of the SLT targets through the production of high-quality information.
- Liaising and responding with external agencies on a regular basis, where appropriate to ensure deadlines are met and information is produced and shared to the highest quality.
- Contribute to the development of innovative new ways of working for the senior team.
- To reflect the College’s values in working practices with internal and external clients.
- Supporting governance functions
- Contribute to key College events such as student awards ceremonies, open days, enrolment
- You will be expected to be fully conversant with and implement the College's range of equality and diversity and safeguarding policies and procedures, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all learners and staff;
- Any other duties commensurate with grade and status as may be requested.
The person we are hoping to appoint will meet all of the following essential requirements and some or all of the desirable requirements.
Essential Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
- Qualification in Business Administration or equivalent
- Educated to A level or equivalent
- Minimum of Level 2 qualification in English and Maths
EXPERIENCE
- Proven experience as an executive assistant or other relevant administrative support experience.
- Able to demonstrate experience in the production of a high-quality professional standard of work
- Experience of successful Project management
- Proven experience and knowledge of working in a highly confidential environment
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Excellent IT skills including the full Office 365 suite of applications
- Knowledge and experience of financial budget management
- Proven administrative and organisational skills
- Excellent customer service on behalf of the senior team
- Ability to assimilate and present full and accurate information, both written and verbal, in a clear and concise manner
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Proven ability to work with a high level of accuracy in detailed work
- Well organised, capable of working under pressure, meeting deadlines and targets, managing caseloads and with minimal supervision
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Ability to work flexibly, including evening and weekend work as and when required
- A strong commitment to equality and diversity and the ability to recognise the needs of different service users
- Enjoys working collaboratively and seeking collaborative opportunities
- Ability to travel to different sites and providers
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS
- Experience of working in a student-centred environment