Personal Assistant to Executive Director of

**Job Purpose**
This is a new role within the Transformation Team. We are partnering across the University to deliver large and complex projects that improve student experience, staff engagement and ultimately support the University’s strategic goals as a world-leading research institution. We have a new Executive Director, and this role has been created to provide wide-ranging professional and administrative support, contributing to the efficient and effective running of the Transformation Team in a way that enhances its internal and external relationships and reputation.
The role will include:

- taking the lead on administrative support to the Executive Director of Transformation, and wider leadership team as needed, across a wide range of University business;
- proactive management of the Executive Director’s diary and schedule;
- working in a fast paced environment, actioning correspondence on own initiative where appropriate and fielding workflow as tasks arise;
- interacting with a broad range of key internal and external contacts; and
- proactively and independently managing meetings, projects and events.

**Main Duties and Responsibilities**
1. Act as main point of contact for Executive Director of Transformation and utilise knowledge of the University and Higher Education sector to deal sensitively with incoming enquiries to the Transformation Team from a variety of callers including government bodies, other HE institutions, external consultancy partners, staff, students, and other interested parties. Use initiative and experience to deal with the approach personally, initiate action or pass to the appropriate person for action.
2. Extensive electronic diary management for Executive Director of Transformation and other senior colleagues, with a wide variety of staff and external stakeholders. This will often involve negotiation and influencing skills to resolve scheduling conflicts and to delegate commitments to other members of staff.
3. Ensure integration between Transformation and the cadence of the wider University e.g. University Services forums, SMG, the academic year etc
4. Take forward the delivery of actions across the range of office business, with discretion to act independently and on behalf of the Executive Director of Transformation, where appropriate. This will include using own initiative and judgement to respond to correspondence and resolve queries on their behalf.
5. Organisation of team activities for the Transformation Team and our wider stakeholders including Team Away Days, milestone celebrations, community of practice sessions and leadership forums
6. Take the lead in organising and providing administrative support for forums chaired by Executive Director of Transformation, and associated forums as required in order to further the Transformation agenda. This will involve co-ordinating and drafting agendas, collating and reviewing papers, presentations, minutes and actions.
7. Organise Executive Director of Transformation’s travel arrangements - book travel and accommodation as required and ensure relevant paperwork and briefings are provided. Prepare travel itinerary where required.
8. Assist the Executive Director of Transformation in collecting and collating information from various sources to support the preparation of presentations and other materials for internal and external presentation.
9. Prepare agenda and associated papers for boards and committees as required. Clerk meetings if needed and record concise minutes, ensure non-attendees of meetings are made aware of any actions concerning them. Co-ordination and progressing of appropriate follow-up actions and maintenance of case/events schedule.
10. Act as key contact for facilities issues for the Transformation Team office to ensure it remains a comfortable and effective place to work, for example ordering equipment and stationary, and requesting repairs if necessary.
11. Other reasonable administrative and organisational ad-hoc tasks as required.

**Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience**

**Knowledge/Qualifications**

**Essential**:

A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills through personal development and progression in a similar related role(s). Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 7 (Scottish Vocational Qualification level 3, Higher National Diploma) or equivalent, and experience of personal development in a similar role.
A2 Practice-based knowledge of establishing and delivering a comprehensive range of administrative services in busy office or project environment.
A3 Some knowledge of challenges facing HE sector, both nationally and internationally.

**Desirable**:

B1 Degree in a relevant discipline.
B2 Knowledge of Higher Education.

**Skills**

**Essential**:

C1 Excellent administrative skills.
C2 Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skill