Professional Assistant to the Chief Executive

Professional Assistant to the Chief Executive

& Central Office Administrator.

Job Description

Purpose of the Role

To act as the Personal & Professional Assistant to the Chief Executive of The Active Learning Trust to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the secretarial clerical and professional assistant support to the CEO.

To support the Trust Business Manager in securing effective administration systems and practices across the central Trust administration and support services.

Responsible to

Trust Business & Governance Manager with regular day to day liaison and direction from the Chief Executive.

Responsible for

The post holder will not have direct line- management responsibilities though may be asked to oversee the work of other clerical/apprenticeship staff as the need arises.

Key Duties & Accountabilities

Professional & Personal Assistant to the CEO

·  Undertake the duties of Professional Assistant under the direction of the CEO. This will include significant self-direction to complete tasks, research projects, and first-point liaison duties for and on behalf of the CEO. To illustrate this level of work the post-holder will, for example;-

o  assist in the analysis in the summary of pupil and school performance trends and outcomes.

o  first draft of Trust-wide promotional materials and strategic plans

o  investigate issues impacting on Multi-Academy Trusts from the national education agenda/priorities

o  research and create data and text sections for the Trusts development and strategic planning.

o  liaison with ALT staff and external communications support services to enhance the profile of the Trust

·  Being well prepared for and attending some school and other off-site based meetings to support the work of the CEO.

·  Provide personal administrative, secretarial and clerical assistance and diary management for the Chief Executive of the Trust. This will include the preparation or reports, minutes, document sets and other preparatory work to ensure that the CEO is equipped to carry out his role effectively.

·  Dealing confidentially and sensitively with communications to the CEO including from media and national educational contacts etc.

·  Provide ad-hoc administrative/personal support for the Chair of the Trust Board as required including professional assistant input for the production of educational advice and guidance, reports and Board documents etc.

Central Trust Administrative Support

·  To work with other colleagues in the central support team such as being the first point of contact via telephone and email for the Trust when responding to general enquiries

·  Act as first point of contact/emergency or cover contact for internal and external communications with and for members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

·  Secure accurate processing and recording of expense and other payments for the central Trust operations using the relevant financial IT systems. The accurate checking and entry of orders and invoices for central finance system

·  Manage and administer bookings and house-keeping for meetings at HQ and any other venue or internal/external events attended and/or organised by members of the Senior Leadership Team or school leadership staff of the Trust.

·  Undertake event / meeting organisational duties across the Trust.

·  Maintain the Trust website, ensuring this is kept up-to-date and to legal requirements, including job vacancy management for the vacancies across the Trust.

·  Maintain central database of school governors and membership liaison with the Trust’s external partners

·  General task and administrative support for Trust Business & Governance Manager. Including the set- up and maintenance of central records and systems.

Other Duties

·  To work flexibly across the range of duties of the central administrative support team, including alongside the HR Administrator on identified urgent project work.

·  To deputise for the Trust Business & governance Manager in the recording and noting of minutes/hearings or conferences as the need arises.

·  Occasional one-to-one administrative/secretarial support to Senior Leadership Team members of the Trust.

·  To undertake any other duties within the nature and remit of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Microsoft Office certified user

Desirable

Degree or other Higher education qualification

Educated to NVQ Level 4 (Further) or equivalent

A Business Administration qualification

Project Management training/qualification

Skills, Knowledge and Aptitudes

Essential

·  Demonstrate knowledge of sound administrative procedures that support an effective operation.

·  Demonstrate strong and adaptable ICT skills particularly in the daily use of the Microsoft Office suite and in particular the use of Word and PowerPoint applications.

·  Personal support skills working with senior management support – ideally on a one to one basis.

·  Provide evidence of strong and accurate record keeping practices and be experienced in the compilation and the dissemination of accurate documentation to formal audiences or settings

·  Enjoy and apply attention to detail in the production of accurate records and notes

·  Understand the importance of confidentiality and applying it in practice

·  Have a logical and thorough approach to record keeping and data management

·  Demonstrate strong organisational and multi-tasking skills and the ability to work to tight deadlines and to competing priorities.

Desirable

·  Knowledge of the general school sector – ideally of the working of Academies and Multi-Academy Trusts

·  Project Management methodologies

·  An aptitude for creating concise and accurate records and documents.

·  Skilled in dealing with personal enquiries of a sensitive or financial nature.

In addition, the post-holder should be able to demonstrate a willingness to attend appropriate personal training and development to keep up with developments in the field of PA and administration.

Experience

Essential

Experience of delivering wide-ranging and high quality administrative support in an office environment.

Implementing and maintaining fit for purpose administration and record-keeping methods – preferably in a context where these are auditable functions.

Experienced user of IT systems including use for reporting and monitoring purposes

Experience of following processes and procedures in a staged and organised manner.

Experience of producing accurate and high- quality documents

Organisation of smaller-sized meetings, events, conferences and – hearings etc.

Desirable

Processing of financial records and payments – ideally via an IT package.

Experience of acting as a personal or professional assistant to a senior manager/managers – ideally in an education setting

Experience of working in a school office environment or knowledge of the usual systems/requirements present in schools.

Complaints or issues- handling experience.

Acting as Professional/Personal assistant to a senior member of staff, or experience in supporting senior managers and leaders with professionalism and credibility.