Overview
This is a unique opportunity for the successful applicant to take on a key role in supporting the Senior Leadership Team and overall administration role within the school. The position has come about through a restructuring of administrative positions in the school.
Working as PA to the Head and Senior Deputy Head, you will be responsible for managing their diaries and carrying out general secretarial and administrative duties to support them in their work. We are seeking a unique, first class professional to fulfil this demanding and fast-moving role, who must be sympathetic to the aims of the School and the QM family ethos.
Applicants must have exceptional organisational and literacy skills and the ability to multitask. They must be friendly, personable and warm in their approach and response. The post holder will need to be accommodating of the needs of others and have the ability to work well as part of a team and autonomously.
Given the nature of the role, candidates must be adaptable to rapidly changing circumstances and have the ability to prioritise and re-prioritise throughout the day and work with frequent disruptions. Attention to detail is vital in this highly varied role.
Responsibilities
* Coordinate the calendars of both the Head and Senior Deputy Head, with particular regard to ensuring the Head is available for all visitors to the School, special events and meetings.
* Ensure that all persons wishing to contact the Head receive a professional response and are dealt with by the appropriate person.
* Manage central School and Head email accounts.
* Liaise with staff, parents, OMs and external partners as requested by the Head.
* Oversee the school phone system, managing the menu options to ensure efficient and responsive channels for all incoming calls.
* Manage the SLT office phone during office hours, together with other team members, ensuring calls for the Head are appropriately managed.
* Support the arrival of visitors to Reception as needed.
* Respond to certain routine requests on behalf of the Head.
* Liaise with members of the School’s Senior Leadership Team to enable the Head effectively to plan and delegate as necessary.
* Enable the creation and publication of agendas and the recording and dissemination of minutes for key school meetings, including meetings of the Senior Leadership Team, Welfare, Staff Briefings, Heads of Faculty, Safeguarding and other meetings as required.
* Oversee the timely transmission of communications from the Head to girls, staff and parents.
* Oversee the school’s policy schedule to ensure the relevant members of staff update policies as required, and at least annually, and ensure finalised policies are shared and uploaded.
* Oversee the management of mail and packages in the school, with the support of other team members.
* Support the Deputy Head Pastoral (DSL) in the transfer of safeguarding records for students moving schools.
* Organise the whole school photograph.
* Support the Senior Deputy Head with the organisation of Parent Conferences.
* Support the Senior Deputy Head with all calendar arrangements and keep the central Google staff calendar up to date.
* Show absolute confidentiality and discretion at all times, handling routine events and emergencies with confidence, calmness and professionalism.
* Perform other reasonable duties as required by the Head.
Experience
This is an exciting opportunity for a gifted and motivated individual. The ideal candidate will:
* Be in tune with the School’s aims and QM family ethos
* Support the benefits of an all-girls, all-round education in a boarding environment
* Be a proven professional in communications, customer care and people leadership
* Be experienced in an educational or similar corporate environment
* Be confident in approaching individuals and gather and retain large amounts of information in a friendly manner
* Be a highly credible ambassador for the School
* Work effectively at all levels, bringing about change with vigour, good humour and tact
* Take an active interest in QM life and the girls’ experiences.
This is a full-time role. Normal working hours are 08:15-17:15 (Monday – Friday) year-round and 08:45-2:30 (Saturday: up to 22 Saturdays per year, as agreed with the Head in QM term time). However, some degree of flexibility can be arranged for the right candidate.
All applicants must complete the school’s official application form, available via this link to our website providing a full career history and names and contact details for two referees. Completed application forms should be returned to: recruitment@queenmargarets.comby Monday 17th March.