Office Administrative Assistant to Unite The Union Office, Bank of England Branch

The Union office is responsible for formally representing the staff at the Bank of England as part of its Recognition and Procedure Agreement. Unite is the largest union in the UK looking after members’ interests in the finance sector and has sole negotiating rights under collective bargaining arrangements with the Bank.

The vacancy is for an Office Administrative Assistant to support the Branch Secretary who is responsible for the administrative running of the Unite the Union office in the Bank of England.

The job is a high profile, varied and challenging role offering significant opportunities to the successful applicant. The jobholder will need to help the Branch Secretary and Seconded Representative to maintain an effective industrial relations structure between the Bank and Unite the Union. They will also assist the Branch Secretary and Seconded Representative to act as the recognised channel of communication between Union members and the Bank and take on case work in advising members on a wide range of issues arising from all aspects of their employment. They will represent members in connection with the Bank’s disciplinary and grievance procedures and provide information and assistance on terms and conditions of service/contractual obligations, amongst other staff related issues.

The job holder will provide direct Union member support through undertaking casework as well as Secretarial and administrative support to the Branch Secretary and Seconded Representative. This includes:

- Taking on Union casework and representing/supporting members through disciplinaries, sickness, grievances, redundancies, consultations etc
- Handling multiple cases at the same time, and prioritising based on urgency and impact
- Taking Minutes of meetings
- Organising the National Company Committee meetings, Branch meetings, away days and motivational/recruitment events.
- Providing cover for the Branch Secretary when required
- Processing of new members forms and maintaining the membership databaseAd hoc project work

**Role Requirements**

Minimum Criteria
- Good secretarial skills including ability to use Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote and PowerPoint at advanced level and minute-taking skills.
- Strong organisational, prioritisation and time management skills, with the ability to work in a structured way to a high standard against tight deadlines.
- Ability to handle confidential and sensitive data with a high degree of discretion, always maintaining confidentiality.Ability to navigate work related stressful situations involving people issues.

Essential Criteria
- Good communication skills, ability to empathise with members
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and issues quickly and effectively.
- Self-starter who can operate proactively with limited guidance using own initiative.
- Ability to build good working relationships and networks.
- High level of accuracy and a good attention to detail.
- Proven ability to work effectively as a team player.Excellent people skills

Desirable Criteria
- Advanced knowledge and competence in of all Microsoft packages.
- Experience of working in a Trade UnionExperience of working in the Banking or Finance Sector.

**Our Approach to Inclusion**

The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve.

At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we're working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work. We celebrate all forms of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. We believe that it’s by drawing on different perspectives and experiences that we’ll continue to make the best decisions for the public.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

**Salary and Benefits Information**

We encourage flexible working, part time working and job share arrangements. Part time salary and benefits will be on a pro-rated basis as appropriate.

Salary is circa £27,300 - £28,350. In addition, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package as detailed below:

- Currently a non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/80th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/65th) or decrease (to 1/105th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year. The Bank has the discretion to vary standard accrual rates and dial up and dial down rates at any time and