Job description

The Head of School is seeking a confident, highly proficient, and experienced Executive Assistant to provide broad support. The post holder is a member of the Professional Services team, providing high quality support primarily to the Head of School, along with some support to other Head of Department Managers as required.    

 

The Head of School is the Academic Lead for the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences responsible for the strategic direction of the School and the successful delivery of its internationally renowned education and research activities. The Head of School has a very wide range of responsibilities both within the School, Faculty and University and externally. 

 

They work closely with the School’s Academic and Professional Services Leads, including the School Manager who is the School’s Professional Services Lead with responsibility for the operations and support of the education and research activities and its resource management.  

 

The post holder will have a detailed understanding of methods, systems and procedures gained through significant experience complemented by formal qualifications and/or training. 

 

They must be highly organised and systematic in their approach to work, using their initiative and judgement to address and solve problems. They will set their own short-term priorities, providing a range of support including: 

•        acting as the first point of contact for the Head of School for internal and external colleagues 

•        prioritising and managing the School’s calendar/schedule 

•        reception duties 

•        supporting meetings/room bookings/hospitality – in person as required 

•        dealing with inward and outward mail 

•        dealing efficiently with communications and correspondence, using clear and precise language 

•        manage and maintain School Intranet, web pages and SharePoint including liaising with the Central Communications team and School Operations Officers 

•        establishing clear, well-documented processes and maintaining records to facilitate information retrieval and manipulation 

•        supporting the Head of School in embedding compliance with all regulatory requirements and reporting expectations across the Faculty, liaising with university officers as appropriate 

•        helping the School/Centres excel in education, research, and knowledge transfer activities, through supporting an inclusive, collaborative, enabling approach to work, sharing of best practice, and building consistency of practice and process 

•        acting as Secretary for School/Department committees and other groups as required, setting up meeting dates, preparing, and distributing papers and taking minutes 

•        maintaining modest stationery store for Professional Services team 

•        leading and supporting specific initiatives, including academic probation and promotions  

•        organising travel, purchasing resources, processing non-staff expense claims, and working to find the most environmentally sustainable and financially prudent use of funds and time  

 

The post holder will need to prioritise their workload and juggle a varied range of responsibilities. They will be the primary point of contact for the Head of School and work closely with them to enable him to meet their strategic objectives. 

 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

 

Key responsibilities

The post holder is a member of the Immunology & Microbial Science’s Professional Services team, providing high quality executive assistant support to the Head of School, along with support to specific initiatives and activities agreed with their Line Manager. The post holder will:  

•       The post holder is a member of the Immunology & Microbial Science’s Professional Services team, providing high quality executive assistant support to the Head of School, along with support to specific initiatives and activities agreed with their Line Manager. The post holder will: 

•        Provide an in-depth knowledge of executive support practices, methods and procedures gained through experience and/or formal qualification, acting as the Head of School’s point of contact for Staff, Students, and stakeholders across and outside King’s College London  

•        Engage in Continuing Professional Development and training initiatives for a minimum of 10 days pro rata per year 

•        Manage own workload, pattern of work and resources based on an agreed work plan, to deliver the required support, responding to changing priorities and an evolving environment/context, maximising the efficiency of the support being provided  

•        Use well-developed analytical skills to identify trends and patterns, in order to inform decisions and assist in work prioritisation and planning   

•        Use a systematic and timely approach to solve problems, making decisions independently using agreed guidelines that have an impact of up to a year  

•        Communicate both simple and complicated information, in a clear and precise manner, both orally and in writing 

•        Provide advice/ guidance and, where appropriate, training to colleagues, helping them to make decisions and providing feedback  

•        Work collaboratively with colleagues within and beyond King’s, using networking opportunities to share best practice 

•        Forge relationships with Colleagues in the University and externally to build relationships, disseminate and get information, coordinate, and deliver the required support   

•       Adapt local procedures to improve the support provided to the Head of School 

•        Encourage and adopt environmentally sustainable practice 

•        Be responsible for the compliance with relevant regulations, guidance and legislation governing the area of work and responsibility, including General Data Protection Regulation, supporting the monitoring safe working practice, completing risk assessments where required and adapting the working environment to reduce the level of hazard   

•        Service School/Department committees, including the monthly School Executive Board and DDI Meeting, and other groups as required, organising meetings, preparing, and issuing papers and briefing documents, and taking minutes 

•        Facilitate an inclusive culture and ethos working with Students, Academic Staff and Professional Services colleagues and external contacts 

•        Participate in and/or lead cross-School/Department/Faculty projects and initiatives for 10% FTE e.g. disseminate Power BI Training and Data Management training, Digital Displays etc., 

 

The post holder will report to the School Manager {or someone they have nominated to act in this capacity}.  

 

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.      Minimum level 4 qualification, e.g., higher apprenticeship, HNC or other Level 4 award, plus relevant work experience OR Considerable knowledge and skills gained through work experience in a relevant post, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding work and the completion of professional training  

2.      Evidence of an active commitment to career development   

3.      Extensive executive support, administrative/operations experience with an in-depth knowledge of a range of practices, methods, and procedures  

4.      Accurate and strong spoken and written English 

5.      Clear and precise communication skills, including formal communications such as report/minute writing 

6.      Strong interpersonal and influencing/behavioural skills  

7.      Proficient computer use with knowledge of the full Microsoft package – MS Outlook 365, MS Teams, PowerPoint, Word and Excel, along with the use of a web-publishing software package 

8.      Proactive and responsive to contacts in immediate area, across the organisation and externally, building relationships and a network 

9.      Solutions-focused self-starter, with excellent planning and organisational skills, a good eye for detail and able to manage competing priorities and work with minimal supervision  

10.  Experience of servicing committees  

 

Desirable criteria

11.  Experience of working as part of a wider team 

12.  Have a full working knowledge of GDPR regulations and experience of complying with complex regulations/procedures  

13.  Experience of working in the higher education sector