Senior Executive Assistant

Job summary

As Senior Executive Assistant, you will act as a trusted partner to the CEO and Chair, providing high-level executive, strategic and operational support.

Job description

As Senior Executive Assistant, you will act as a trusted partner to the CEO and Chair, providing high-level executive, strategic and operational support.

You will:

• Manage and prioritise the CEO’s communications, diary, travel, workload and information flow, ensuring their time is focused on the highest-value activity.
• Lead forward planning, coordinating meetings, agendas, papers, briefings and actions.
• Ensure the CEO is fully briefed for key meetings and engagements and follow up on actions.
• Build strong relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders, including the Executive Team, Board members, Defra, regulators.
• Support corporate planning and organisational priorities, including coordinating Exec papers and cross-organisational activity.
• Manage the Chair’s diary and inbox.
• Provide direction, coaching and support to Executive Assistants and Executive Team Assistants.
• Drive continuous improvement within the Executive Assistant function and identify opportunities to introduce best practice.

Please note that occasional travel to other offices or sites is required.

Person specification

THE CANDIDATE

We are looking for a Senior Executive Assistant who is:

• Experienced in supporting senior executives and managing complex diaries, priorities and competing demands
• Confident communicating and influencing at senior level, with strong stakeholder management skills.
• Highly organised, proactive and able to work independently, using sound judgement and initiative.
• Calm, resilient and able to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Comfortable expressing their views and challenging constructively when required.
• A strong communicator with excellent attention to detail and the ability to produce high-quality briefings and correspondence.
• Practical, logical and pragmatic, with strong common sense.
• Experienced in coaching, supporting or influencing others.
• Discreet, professional and trustworthy when handling confidential information.
• Committed to continuous improvement and keeping up to date with best practice within the Executive Assistant profession.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,626, Consumer Council for Water contributes £12,348 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

BENEFITS

• Hybrid working
• 25 days annual leave allowance plus 10½ days’ public and privilege holidays.
• Flexi time is available, with the ability to accrue and take time off in lieu throughout the year.
• Generous Civil Service Pension
• Health & Fitness allowance
• Paid allowance days for voluntary work
• Wellbeing Hour once a month
• Onsite Coffee shop
• Free Eye Test and Flu Jab

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

To be considered for this role, please click on the link provided.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Gi Group
• Email : [email removed]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email removed]