Senior Executive Officer

Job description

The Principal’s Office is seeking a Senior Executive Officer to support the work of the Principal’s Senior Team (PST). This is a key role, providing a highly effective and confidential executive service that ranges from complex inbox and diary management, committee support and facilitating information exchange and dissemination across a wide portfolio of responsibility. The role requires regular liaison with senior colleagues, Faculties, and professional service directorates throughout the university as well as representing King’s to high profile external visitors and partners. The postholder will have significant executive experience at a very senior level, ideally gained within the higher education sector. Excellent communication and numeracy skills are essential as is an attention to detail. You will be a proactive self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude and able to excel in a complex and fast paced environment.   

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract. 

This is a full-time  post.

Key responsibilities

Executive support

• Provide high level professional executive support for a member of the Principal’s Senior Team at either Senior Vice President or Vice President level (S/VP), including end to end schedule coordination, handling correspondence, appointments, meetings, travel arrangements, communications and other business requirements. 
• Manage multiple, and at time conflicting, demands on the time of the S/VP, effectively prioritising urgent matters for immediate attention. 
• Monitor and act upon incoming email and electronic correspondence, telephone calls and paper-based mail, ensuring responses are relevant and timely. 
• Independently draft correspondence on behalf of the S/VP and provide sensitive and effective articulation of complex issues, both written and verbally. 
• Prepare engaging presentations for internal and external audiences. 
• Make travel arrangements for all national and international engagements, occasionally last-minute and complex.  
• Anticipate and secure information or advice that may be required to make effective and efficient decisions. 
• Ensure briefs are sourced on priority matters in liaison with other functional areas, collating relevant briefing notes, papers and agendas in a timely way, making requests for follow ups or clarifications as necessary. 
• Liaise with key groups and individuals from the Principal’s Senior Team, senior members of Faculty and professional services. 
• Ensure that appropriate follow-up actions are completed following the conclusion of events, meetings or visits. 
• Be a professional first point of contact for internal and external visitors’ enquiries, conducting matters with diplomacy, sensitivity, and tact. 

Governance 

• Ensure direct reports and others in support roles have regular interaction with relevant line managers and that relevant HR procedures are followed. 
• On occasion, coordinate sensitive and confidential processes, e.g. HR. 
• Provide secretariat support for committees as required, driving timelines for preparation of agenda and papers. 
• Support relevant committees by taking minutes, sharing and following up on action logs, and collating papers for discussion. 
• Interact with internal and external contacts who require information, interpret requirements of stakeholders and contacts, signposting and retrieving information as appropriate. 

Business support

• As may be required, undertake task or line management duties for other support staff in the Principal’s Office.  
• Have ownership of administrative processes and systems, to include expertise in certain enterprise systems, ensuring the smooth running of the office.  
• Provide guidance and expertise relative to the smooth and efficient functioning of the office and make suggestions for other functional areas in the Principal’s Office and beyond. 
• Create and manage effective e-filing systems (emails and other electronic documents) that are easily understandable, accessible and secure. 
• Maintain secure and robust record-keeping systems in line with university policy and GDPR.  
• Receive and host visitors to the Principal’s Office. 
• Organise internal meetings and workshops, including arrangement of venues, materials, catering and IT. 
• Undertake monthly financial processes and reporting, including raising purchase orders and processing expenses.  
• Understand and be able to apply compliance and due process in relation to data, people processes, financial management and other internal policies and procedures.  
• Proactively resolve issues with regards to logistics, sensitive matters and processes, applying initiative and referring upwards where required.  
• Participate in the efficient functioning of the Principal’s Office and work seamlessly within the team, providing cover when necessary and contributing to staff development initiatives. 
• Keep appraised of wider university developments and understand how these might impact or benefit the Principal’s Office.  

Communications and events

• Facilitate information exchange and dissemination to internal networks relevant to area of focus. 
• Support King’s profile and reputation-building and lead on the planning and execution of relevant events and meetings, hosting external parties such as visiting experts or government representatives. 
• Liaise with communications colleagues and others to disseminate information to the correct contacts, including independently drafting messaging as required. 

Project support

• Manage special projects and participate in initiatives as directed, participating in or driving key project initiatives as required. 
• Conduct desk research and analysis in accordance with project requirements as needed.  
• Facilitate the delivery of projects in an effective, efficient and confidential manner. 

Other appropriate tasks as may be required

• Support PhD student logistics, vivas, references etc. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria

1.      A first degree or equivalent experience.                          

2.      Previous experience in an administrative and/or executive support role in a higher education environment. 

3.      Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office packages, particularly Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, intermediate Excel, and willingness to advance these skills. 

4.      Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills with high attention to detail. 

5.      Ability to thrive in a fast paced and dynamic environment, with the ability to foresee and proactively act on issues and challenges. 

6.      Impeccable interpersonal skills with an ability to remain cool and composed under pressure. 

7.      Professional and positive attitude with an aptitude for making others feel welcome and comfortable. 

8.      Proactive approach with the ability to work independently and flexibly, but also as part of a team. 

9.      Ability to work confidently and proactively across organisational boundaries.  

10.    Capacity to handle confidential matters with discretion. 

Desirable criteria

1.      Knowledge of the requirements of a governance support function, taking minutes and logging actions and decisions. 

2.      Able to generate new ideas and support change management.  

3.      Experience of managing, mentoring, coaching or guiding others. 

Further information

Interviews will be held on 27th September 2022