Job Title:Executive Assistant (Engagement)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Division:Engagement

Department: Engagement

Salary Band:Executive Assistant

Reporting to:Director of Engagement

Location: Head Office:18 Avonmore Road, London, W14 8RR

Job Purpose

To be responsible and accountable for providing high-level and proactive executive support to the Director of Engagement, identifying and addressing the support needs of the Engagement Leadership Team and undertaking administrative tasks and projects which help support the successful delivery of strategies and plans across the Engagement Division.

The Executive Assistant (Engagement) will provide executive support to the Director and Assistant Directors of Engagement (including workflow planning, co-ordination and administration, scheduling, correspondence, financial administration, recruitment and development, project management, deadline compliance and documentation management) and support the Engagement Management Team to ensure that we maintain our focus on effectively and efficiently delivering sustainable public profile, customer and income growth.

This role will provide critical management support in building an internal culture of compelling customer engagement which inspires key audiences (service users, supporters, volunteers, campaigners) to give and get support through Independent Age.

Main Duties:

Senior Administrative Support & Project Management:

To be responsible for managing the Director of Engagement’s diary and commitments, helping ensure a prioritised, aligned, well-managed and balanced approach, reactive to change.
To proactively ensure that the Director of Engagement is fully prepared (including development of presentations and reports), accurately briefed and has timely access to relevant information ahead of internal and external meetings (e.g. Engagement Leadership Team, Engagement Management Team, Senior Management Team and Board meetings).
To provide diary management and meetings support to the Assistant Directors of Engagement and Engagement Management Team.
To be responsible for managing cross-divisional projects as required (e.g. to improve efficiency and effectiveness of processes and working practices across the division).
To support projects and initiatives that promote the effectiveness, capacity and growth of the Engagement Division.
To ensure upmost confidentiality and discretion at all times when handling or working on sensitive documents for the Director or Assistant Directors of Engagement.

Administrative & Logistical support:

●To provide administrative support to enable the Director of Engagement and Assistant Directors of Engagement to lead the Engagement Division smoothly, including dealing with payments and invoices,regular reporting, expenses, annual leave (and other leave) management, updating structural charts, individual provides, email distribution lists, intranet pages etc. To take a flexible approach and be available at short notice to deal with unexpected matters and tasks.

To be responsible for arranging meetings with internal colleagues and external stakeholders on behalf of the Director of Engagement, Assistant Directors of Engagement and Engagement Management Team, capturing meeting notes, compiling documents and reports and dispatching as required.
To prioritise and action the Director of Engagement’s incoming correspondence, phone calls and written queries and to deal with enquiries that do not require the attention of the Director of Engagement or Assistant Directors of Engagement.
To take a lead on developing and managing an effective electronic document management system (and offline) across the Engagement Division, ensuring correspondence and documentation is filed, archived or shredded as appropriate, and stakeholder engagement records and tracking of meetings are overseen and updated.
To support the Director of Engagement and Assistant Directors of Engagement in the management of personnel records for direct reports (e.g. reviews, PDRs, contract amends etc), liaising with members of the People & OD department as required.
To support the Director of Engagement, Assistant Directors of Engagement and Engagement Management Team in the recruitment, induction and development of staff, including liaison with People & OD department, supporting the development of recruitment assets, scheduling and logistical management of recruitment timetables and subsequent interviews, ensuring that interview panel members are fully prepared, accurately briefed and have timely access to relevant information ahead of interviews, managing the induction process and timetable etc.
To liaise with relevant members of the Resources Division in the setting up and management of supplier contracts.
To be responsible for organizing and managing all travel and accommodation requirement for theDirector of Engagement, Assistant Directors of Engagement and Engagement Management Team, including budget management and producing clear and concise schedules.
To provide administrative and logistical support in organization key Engagement Division meetings (e.g. Engagement Leadership Team, Engagement Management Team, Engagement Division, Fundraising Management Team and Marketing & Communication Management Team etc) including venue, equipment, communications, refreshments etc.
To provide administrative support to departments across the Engagement Division as and when required (e.g. room bookings, refreshment orders etc)

Relationship Development & Communications:

To build and maintain effective relationships with internal teams and stakeholders, facilitate internal communication and develop understanding of the wider context of Independent Age’s work and varying priorities, in order to ensure smooth and efficient diary management and the flow of information, briefs and correspondence.
To support the Engagement Management Team in building internal awareness, support and understanding of the work of the Engagement Division, working across departments to build personal understanding of the work of key Engagement functions and communicate our work (internally and externally) with knowledge, enthusiasm and passion.
To be responsible for helping champion cross-divisional initiatives and ensuring internal support and buy-in.
To be a highly professional and approachable first point of contact for the Director of Engagement, using initiative and good judgment to take necessary action.
To support the Director of Engagement and Assistant Directors of Engagement in the development and delivery of internal and external communications. To develop an understanding of working styles, written communications and lines taken on specific issues to inform content of correspondence.
To work in partnership with key internal roles responsible for providing executive support and thereby collectively support the work of the Senior Management Team (SMT), providing cover and ad hoc support as required.

Other Duties

●To have a strong working knowledge of the strategies and plans across the Engagement Division and how they ladder up to our organizational strategy.

●To observe and comply with all Independent Age Policies, including the key policies and procedures on Confidentiality, Data Protection, Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Information Technology.

●To undertake other reasonable duties as directed by the Director of Engagement as the division’s work develops and new needs emerge.

Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and so the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities. Independent Age is committed to equality of opportunity and of eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to adhere to the principles set out in its Equal Opportunities Policy and all other relevant guidance/practice frameworks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

●Educated to degree level, or to have equivalent experience

Desirable

●Suitable accredited PA/EA qualification and/or training

●Membership(s) of relevant professional organisation

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essentialevidence of:

●A strong personal track record of providing effective and proactive executive support (including workflow planning, co-ordination and administration, scheduling, correspondence, recruitment and development, project management, deadline compliance, documentation management, travel and accommodation management) to a Director(s) and/or senior staff in a busy and complex public-facing charity, prioritising multiple tasks and deadlines.

●Managing a busy and varied workload including often complex and competing priorities whilst remaining organised, calm and professional.

●Building and maintaining effective relationships with key internal (including senior staff) and external stakeholders, and helping champion key initiatives to ensure internal support.

●Proven experience exercising discretion and confidentiality with sensitive organizational information.

●Providing executive support in the recruitment, induction and development of staff.

●Developing and managing projects to improve efficiency and effectiveness of processes and working practices.

●Developing and managing effective electronic document management systems

●Effectively using key office management systems and related technology, including online calendars, cloud systems, office equipment and an advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

●Working in partnership with key executive support staff to provide collective executive support.

Desirableevidence of:

●Understanding of the voluntary sector (and related governance)

●Building a personal strong working knowledge of strategies and plans to help ensure smooth delivery.

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Essential

●Ability to understand an organisation quickly, its different operational/business strategies and cultures.

●A passion and enthusiasm for inspiring key audiences to get or give support through Independent Age.

●Ability to provide executive support to ensure successful delivery of key strategies, plans and activities, including effectively planning ahead.

●Highly developed interpersonal and diplomatic skills, adept at building and managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

●Exceptional organizational, analytical and project management skills with an ability to think proactively, prioritisea diverse and busy workload, maintain good attention to detail, remain calm under pressure and produce work of a high standard to tight deadline.

●Ability to inspire trust, build credibility and operate with upmost discretion, tact, diplomacy and integrity, particularly when dealing with sensitive or confidential information

●Outstanding communication skills (via phone, email and in-person)

●Highly professional, approachable and open, with ability to use initiative and good judgment to take necessary action.

●Ability to proactively and positively meet commitments, identify and deal with potential issues and take personal responsibility for finding solutions and delivering results and to develop and establish your own high professional standards.

●Strong team player whilst also being able to work independently and with initiative.

●Adaptable and flexible with a positive, “can do” attitude, prepared to take on a variety of tasks.

●Experience of reviewing and developing effective administration systems and processes

●Advanced user of IT packages, software, and online information sharing e.g. Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Project)

Desirable

●Strong affinity with our cause and knowledge of older people’s issues.

Senior Philanthropy Manager 2018