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My client is a renowned educational institution, celebrated for its academic excellence both nationally and internationally. They are dedicated to fostering excellence in both academic and personal development, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for staff and students alike. Located in central London, the school benefits from its historic and vibrant surroundings.

The client is seeking a dynamic and proactive Executive Assistant to support their Bursar and COO. This role is pivotal in supporting the Bursar and COO and you will be responsible for providing high quality, confidential and efficient administrative, PA and Executive support in a timely and professional manner.

Duties

* Act as a key point of contact to and on behalf of the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer; managing incoming and drafting outgoing communications (post/ e-mails/ phone calls), showing necessary materials to the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer and making decisions and actions on managing the remainder as appropriate. In doing so, create and maintain a professional image for the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer's Office using tact, discretion, courtesy and diplomacy always.
* Be responsible for effective diary management to ensure productive use of the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer's time. Plan workload and manage extensive diary commitments, including internal and external appointments, invitations and planning permanent meetings for the year ahead for the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer. This includes but is not limited to regular 1-1s, project steering groups and working committees (Governor and Board Committee meetings are organised by other staff). Additionally, support the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer's direct reports with their diaries.
* Proactively follow up on pending issues and gather necessary information and conduct research to provide crucial information to support the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer's decision-making.
* Organise hospitality relating to the Bursar and Chief Operating Officer's responsibilities in leadership and management of the School, and organise all local, national and international travel and accommodation arrangements accordingly.
* Manage the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer's email inbox (including the Bursar email box) on a day-to-day basis, including responding to emails or ensuring that the appropriate individuals are aware of the emails so they can respond accordingly.
* Act as secretary for Support & Admin senior leadership meetings, steering committees and project meetings supporting agenda setting, collection and circulation of papers and taking and transcribing high quality minutes in an appropriate format. Follow-up action points are identified at meetings and ensure they are carried out by the relevant owner prior to the meeting.
* Be proactive, taking responsibility for the preparation of papers and agendas as required in relation to the work of the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer and their team as required, taking the initiative to ensure all deadlines are met, liaising with authors of reports attending meetings to ensure prompt receipt of papers. Produce and maintain action logs, and ensure all documents are formatted to School standards.
* Financial administration including raising purchase orders, processing invoices and expense claims, and managing certain budget items on behalf of the Bursar & Chief Operating Officer.
* Support the Finance Bursar with receiving, processing and screening bursary applications and annual reassessments for 11+, 13+ and 16+, including communicating with parents and organising and attending interviews with parents and other members of staff and providing ongoing support to bursary families.
* Support the Co-Ed Project Director with project administration for our key strategic project to become fully co-educational by 2030. Responsibilities will include management of events, liaison with contractors and external suppliers, and maintenance of project documentation.

Person Specification

* Educated to a degree standard in any discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
* Knowledge of personal finance that can be applied when assisting with bursary applications
* An understanding and empathy for the ethos and objectives of the charity, including the schools, and the bursary foundations.
* Excellent I.T. skills, in particular Word, Excel, Databases and PowerPoint to intermediate level.
* Methodical and thorough approach to work with experience of creating, documenting and implementing a range of organisational systems and processes.
* Highly organised and resilient, with the ability to multitask and meet a range of deadlines within a fast-paced environment.

Benefits
* Generous pension scheme
* Private health insurance (opt-in)
* Use of school gym (restricted hours)
* Free school lunch and drinks facility onsite
* 25 days of leave plus bank holidays, as well as a discretionary two-week Christmas closure
* Cycle to work scheme
* Season ticket loans
* Offer of fee remission for pupils who are awarded a place at the schools through the admission process

What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

The closing date is stated, but please note that applications will be reviewed as they are received and interviews will be conducted prior to the close date for suitable candidates. Please do not wait until the closing date to apply.

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