Personal/Facilities Assistant, Cardiff

Who are we?

We are New Directions, a group of companies that provide UK wide services (including recruitment, training, care provision and other support services) within education, social care, domiciliary care and the pharmaceutical sector, from a network of offices across the UK.

Voted Best Employer – Cardiff Life Awards 2024

Job Purpose:

Provides comprehensive administrative, and personal assistance to the Senior Management Team (SMT) and the Group Facilities Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to assist members of the Senior Management Team and support the Facilities department. The role requires a combination of creativity, confidence and communication skills.

The successful applicant will demonstrate their creativity through the organisation and management of events, projects and tasks. The ability to utilise excellent written and verbal communication skills will be crucial for the success of this role, whether this is writing first stage content, reporting for our eco committee or emailing actions from meetings.

Main Duties:

• Implementing and maintaining effective systems to ensure high-level administrative support for the SMT is consistently provided.
• Supporting the SMT with any personal assistance which may be required.
• Supporting the Group Head of Facilities with any facilities related administrative requirements.
• Managing diaries, appointments, calendars, and events.
• Arranging hospitality requirements for SMT meetings.
• Assisting the SMT with coordinating and managing Group based projects, problem solving tasks and monitoring communications, (including drafting and producing letters, spreadsheets, reports, presentations, speeches, and communications).
• Screening telephone calls and handling enquires in a professional and appropriate manner.
• Arranging meetings and managing visitors for the SMT, including coordinating logistics and documentation.
• Following specific instructions to complete associated tasks to required standards.
• Reviewing, collating, and analysing reports.
• Booking and arranging travel, transport and accommodation for the SMT.
• Assisting the SMT with arranging meetings, including producing and circulating agendas, and attending meetings and taking minutes for subsequent distribution.
• Tracking outstanding actions, tasks and information requests within given deadlines and chasing responses and providing updates.
• Collating and distributing reports for monthly business review meetings.
• Managing financial tasks, including record keeping and dealing with invoices, purchase orders and expense claims for SMT
• Carrying out specific projects and conducting research as required.
• Liaising with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and personal contacts.
• Organising and maintain effective filing systems for all relevant documentation/records.

• Managing the administration of any SMT documentation and ensuring its validity (e.g., MOTs, servicing, insurances, passport, driving licence etc).
• Assisting the Group Head of Facilities with project work and ad-hoc duties as required.
• Assisting with the wider Facilities function as and when required, including the requirement to cover Reception.
• Managing the fleet of executive vehicles.
• Actively participating in the Company’s Eco-Committee, in partnership with the Group Head of Facilities.
• Actively involved in conducting research into environmental & sustainability projects.
• Assisting the Brand Engagement Officer with our rented office space; managing tenants and acting as a point of contact.
• Responsible for the maintenance of the Central Reserve for all Company data.
• Assisting in the organisation of internal and external events, alongside the wider facilities team.
• Liaising with contractors to ensure relevant information is received and collated (e.g. liability insurance / NDA’s etc).

• May be required to travel to other business sites across the UK as required

• Liaising with Group Head of Facilities when completing requested tasks from SMT or Facilities.
• Responsible for compliance with all relevant legislation, and processes, policies, and procedures
• Responsible for taking reasonable care of your own health and safety and ensuring that you take reasonable care not to put other people (including fellow employees and members of the public) at risk by what you do or do not do in the course of your job.
• Responsible for safeguarding assets within your control and possession, including but not limited to hardware, software, systems, or information, and to report any suspected breach in security without delay, to the relevant personnel as required.
• Responsible for the non-disclosure of any confidential information and/or trade secrets of the Company to third parties and/or the misuse of any confidential information and/or trade secrets of the Company for your own purpose/benefit.
• Responsible for establishing, maintaining, and developing excellent working relationships with colleagues within your department and the wider Company.
• Responsible for delivering exceptional levels of customer service; both to internal and external customers.
• Responsible for communicating with people in a respectful, courteous, and professional manner always.
• Will be required to be based at and work from the Cardiff office full time (5 days per week).

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• NVQ Business Administration or equivalent
• Valid Full UK Driver’s License and confident to drive Company pool vehicles as required

Knowledge, skills and experience:

• Significant experience in executive assistant or personal assistant role(s)
• Excellent administration skills, with the ability to minute take
• Always portrays a professional image and appearance, and demonstrates professional behaviours
• Clear and fluent writing skills and accurate proofing and editing
• Excellent standards of accuracy, consistency and attention to detail
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Flexibility to adapt to changing demands, and able to think on their feet
• Tact and diplomacy
• Discretion and a strong understanding and respect for confidentiality
• Honesty, trustworthiness and reliability
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to multitask
• Must have superb attention to detail and capable of self-auditing own work
• The ability to use own initiative and judgement and to be pro-active
• The ability to research, digest, analyse and present material clearly and concisely
• The ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines
• The ability to accept constructive feedback, and make improvements as required
• An outstanding level of interpersonal and networking skills, including relationship management skills
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to learn about an individual’s preferences and styles, and ensure these are met
• Ability to use initiative and identify more appropriate solutions to situations/problems as a necessary
• Excellent word processing and IT skills, including knowledge of a range of software packages, including Microsoft Office

Personal Qualities:

• Must like dogs
• Confidence
• Accountability
• Resilience
• Attentiveness
• Intuitiveness
• Positivity
• Approachableness

What we offer:

Fantastic employee benefits including:

• Health Cashback scheme
• Life Assurance of 4 x salary
• Pension Salary Sacrifice Scheme (5% employer matched)
• A generous annual leave entitlement of 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (rising to 27 days holiday after two years’ service)
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave through salary sacrifice
• A day off for your birthday
• A Giving Back day – to offer your services to the local community
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme (subject to qualifying eligibility criteria)
• Cycle to Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme (subject to qualifying eligibility criteria)
• Opportunity to join our 3% interest Christmas savings scheme
• Employee referral scheme; you can earn between £250 and £500 for each successful referral into the business
• Regular social, health and well-being events
• Free on-site parking
• On-site Gym