Location: London (minimum of two days a week in London, could be more if business requires)
Reporting to: CEO
Working hours: Full time (9day Fortnight companywide)
Contract type/duration: Permanent
Band: 3.3
Salary: £63,000 to £69,000 (Dependent on proven ability)
Closing date: 13th April 2025
Internal job code: RC322
Our recruitment process:
* Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
* Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team (initial stage with a member of the recruitment team, 2nd stage face to face with the hiring panel in person on 8th May in our London office)
* Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
* If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks
The Role
Responsible for delivering effective and efficient support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Head of CEO Office role is a pivotal and demanding role within the organisation, helping to advise the CEO, coordinate the senior team and maximise the effective use of their time to deliver on strategic objectives and priorities.
You will be a strategic thinker that has a high attention to detail, excellent administrative skills and an ambition to be a future senior leader or CEO. You will be a skilled networker, quickly building an understanding of how the organisation works and who is best approached to get tasks completed quickly and well. You will be responsible for your own periodic special projects.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide high quality advice and support to the CEO and the senior team, driving forward their priorities and supporting the achievement of their objectives.
* Work on a daily basis with the CEO, responding rapidly and effectively to requests.
* Draft correspondence, write speeches, produce PowerPoint presentations and proofread documents with a high attention to detail, instilling the same level of standards across the wider teams.
* Maintain good governance for all supported meetings including preparing agendas, circulating papers and collating feedback in a timely manner, note taking and action tracking.
* Co-ordination of CEO level activities as required.
* Coach colleagues on how to make the best use of the CEO's time where necessary, prioritising what the CEO needs to know and actions to be taken.
* Collaborate with respective colleagues to share knowledge and ensure consistency of support provided to the respective Business Units, Strategic Unit and Corporate Services.
* Develop and maintain a broad knowledge of the Catapult’s strategy and business plan, policy areas and projects, to ensure the relevant context is maintained to support and prioritise activities. Working very closely with all of the Managing Directors and in particular with the Strategy, Communications, Marketing and Portfolio Strategic Centre.
* Act as a problem-solver/trouble-shooter as requested and under own initiative. Running your own special projects as required.
* Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities.
* You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations.
Requirements
Required skills and experience
* Demonstrable experience of or an aptitude for a similar role in a similar organisation.
* Demonstrable experience of translating and summarising complex information into short, sharp briefs to enable effective decision making. Ability to explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand, taking into account people's individual needs.
* Demonstrable experience of producing accurate and influential written documents in a variety of styles to a high standard.
* Confident in working closely with senior level individuals internally and externally, with an ability to persuade and motivate people and teams at all levels.
* Ability to deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required; communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust.
* A continuous improvement mindset, with demonstrable experience in implementing changes resulting in efficiency.
* Strong co-ordination and administrative skills, with high attention to detail.
* Strong analytical, problem solving and collaboration skills.
* Proactive, self-motivated and ability to work without supervision.
* Resilient in juggling multiple demands and requests and able to develop pragmatic responses, resolving problems in a calm manner.
* Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and other office productivity tools, with aptitude to learn new software and systems and advocate to encourage adoption across the Catapult.
Required Competencies
* Provide coaching and feedback that drive development, innovation, creativity, and delivery in team using key metrics and data points, offers challenge and support as required to maintain high performance
* Use emotional intelligence to create an environment where team members feel safe to experiment, challenge and try new things
* Seek, encourage and create the conditions for continuous improvements in processes, systems, behaviours and ways of working
* Build motivation and engagement in the team through understanding of the individual, their aspirations and development needs
* Manage performance through effective goal setting based on business and role objectives and development needs or desires. Complete regular one on one discussions and performance reviews that ensure clarity over performance levels and development areas
* Provide clarity of expectations and takes ownership of wider team performance
* Managing change, navigating the team through the 'transition fog', mitigating resistance, and ensuring everyone's on board with the new direction
* Organise the work and team around multiple simultaneous initiatives, with reference to key policies, practices and procedures, effectively prioritises tasks and delegates effectively
* Use management information to understand trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities and make commercial decisions
* Actively build an inclusive and sustainability focused team culture that celebrates the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, ensures team compliance with policies, and apply equalities impact assessments on all aspects of work at CPC
Benefits
* 9 day fortnight for everyone, we have a full company shutdown every other Friday.
* 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off.
* Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future.
* Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities.
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.
* Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute.
* Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being.
* Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations.
* Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities.
* Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion.
Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.