Executive Assistant

This role manages the Executive Support function - a most valued ‘engine room’ that

enables so much to happen, often from behind the scenes from governance to key

meetings and events. It requires an experienced, organised individual to provide

advanced administrative, secretarial and practical support to The Reader’s nonexecutive

Boards (Board of Trustees, it’s sub committees and the Calderstones Mansion

House Community Interest Company Board of Directors) and The Reader’s senior

management team - the directors group.

The role is responsible for ensuring all governance requirements are complied with and

The Reader’s Boards are supported to fulfill their duties. It also fulfills the Company

Secretary role. The role also provides diary management support to the Managing

Director, line manages the Administrative Assistant with whom it works to provide

broader internal administrative duties for the senior management team.

The role requires someone who enjoys supporting others and working with a variety of

people; it is comfortable acting on their own initiative, works with discretion and a high

attention to detail and can juggle and prioritise competing deadlines and requests.

In return, you will work with a great variety of creative, passionate people and

volunteers; you’ll be part of key conversations and meetings that ensure the smooth

running and strategic development of The Reader as an organisation. You will

participate regularly in Shared Reading and have the opportunity to work both flexibly

but also in The Reader’s HQ in the beautiful Calderstones Park.

Please note that this role provides dedicated support to our Board and Directors. As a

result, there will be occasions where attendance is required to support Board meetings,

Directors' Group meetings, and related events. These dates are planned in advance and

flexibility will be required to ensure appropriate support is available. Further details on

the frequency and scheduling of these commitments will be discussed during the

recruitment process.

We recognise that flexibility is important and would welcome conversations with

candidates about how this working pattern could be accommodated, while ensuring the

needs of the role are met.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strong working knowledge of legislative and regulatory requirements affecting the charity and it’s activities, including ensuring all actions are in line with the organisations governing documents.
• In collaboration with the Director of Finance, Governance and Commercial Planning, continually review good governance procedures.
• Knowledge of the organisation’s governing documents, containing the detail of what the charity can do and how it must conduct itself.
• Execution of legal documents for the charity as authorised by the Board.
• Experience of Board and Committee servicing.
• Understand the necessity of dealing carefully, and within data protection
• legislation, with confidential matters, including handling both personal and business-critical information.
• Ability to maintain electronic filing systems and help ensure key data records are up to date.
• Strong IT skills and ability to use a range of software including Microsoft Office and video conferencing options such as Zoom
• Line management of the Administrative Assistant, delegating tasks, monitoring progress, reviewing team workload, completing regular 1:1 support meetings
• Responsible for liaising with the Chair of The Reader Board, the Chair of the Calderstones Mansion House Community Interest Company (CIC) Board and Chairs of all sub committees, the Managing Director and Director of Finance, Governance and Commercial Planning to plan, arrange and produce Board agendas and supporting papers for Board and Committee meetings and for drafting/circulating the subsequent minutes and updating the Board action log.
• Ongoing, regular communication and support for Trustees and CIC Directors to support in the fulfilling of their duties. Including responsibility for organising Board and Director inductions and ongoing training.
• Be an active conduit for communication between the Boards, the Executive Team and staff within the organisation.
• You will use your strong, communication skills to liaise with external stakeholders to set up external meetings and visits
• Maintain proactive regular dialogue with Directors Group, and wider colleagues where necessary, to ensure they are aware of reporting deadlines and actions outstanding from a range of meetings
• Ability to organize others, including diary and mailbox management. Holds responsibility for diary management specifically for the Managing Director.
• Managing all correspondence required for an effective Board, including managing updates and background information required by the Boards, keeping records of membership, and other similar administrative responsibilities.
• Various administrative tasks including scheduling meetings, minute taking, booking travel and accommodation arrangements for Reader Trustees, CIC Board Directors and Directors Group.
• Work with the Administrative Assistant to arrange a range of internal meetings, balancing multiple diaries and colleagues requirements.
• Maintaining current essential paperwork on Trustees and Board Directors, such as Conflicts of Interest declarations, DBS checks, and safeguarding training.

Person Specification:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience of Board and Committee servicing, ideally as Company Secretary and experience of minute-taking across a range of committees, such as Audit and Risk
• Experience of complex diary and mailbox management
• Knowledge of charity governance
• High levels of organisation in their work and able to organize others
• Self-motivated, proactive, resourceful, able to work under pressure, adhering to tight deadlines, manage conflicting priorities and demonstrate high levels of emotional resilience
• Able to bring a positive approach to work, finding creative solutions to problems
• Able to work flexibly to get the job done
• Able to work collaboratively with staff at all levels of seniority
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and Adobe Editing software and willingness to learn new skills as they arise

Please visit https://www.thereader.org.uk/job/executive-assistant/ to view a full job description and application form. Please send all completed application forms to [email protected]

Pay: £28,419.15 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Work from home

Work Location: In person