Personal Assistant to The Principal of Brasenose College

**Description**:
Brasenose College has an exciting opportunity for an excellent full
- time PA to support our very busy Principal (Head of House). This is a special role that requires someone who would enjoy juggling demanding workload in a fast-paced office environment, managing the Principal’s diary schedule, and providing full support for business meetings and a wide range of functions including overseas business travel. The PA would deliver a very high
- level administrative service, with sufficient flexibility to respond to the varied demands (and sometimes irregular hours) of the Principal’s Office.

Applicants must possess excellent communication skills, with tact and diplomacy, and the ability to work independently with utmost discretion. Precision and meticulous attention to detail is essential. High level computer skills are required. The post holder would work alongside and have oversight of the Deputy PA, and both report to the Principal.

Prior experience in a senior PA role is essential, and a previous role in University or College administration at senior level is highly desirable.

**Job Purpose**

The efficient administration of the Principal’s office and the personal support of the Principal in their role. Administering the Governing Body of Brasenose College and some of the College’s other committees, supporting the strategy and purposes of the College and being a central point of contact for all College departments.

**Overview**

The Principal’s PA is senior administrator within the Brasenose College community. As well as assisting the Principal, personally and professionally, the PA administers the Governing Body of the College and oversees other key College processes.

The post holder will be highly organised with excellent IT skills. They will be discreet, and an excellent communicator with meticulous attention to detail and an ability to prioritise and multi-task across key areas of responsibility. The Principal’s schedule is full and fast-paced and requires support from an equally motivated PA, who enjoys both being part of a close knit community and substantial work autonomy and individual responsibility.

**Duties**

**Office management and support for the Principal and their office.**
- Providing daily support to the Principal with the complex diary, living and travel arrangements contingent with, and generated by, the role. This may include making personal appointments and arrangements and some out of hours support during term time.
- If the Principal has a partner, or dependents, helping with arrangements for those parties in relation to College business.
- Supporting the Principal with the planning of events, meetings and dinners with external parties. Liaising with their personal guests and planning their accommodation and travel arrangements.
- Assisting the Principal with the IT programmes and technical processes of the College and University of Oxford.
- Supporting the office of the Principal with a good working knowledge of the College policies, processes, By Laws and statutes, and those of the wider University of Oxford.
- Communicating confidently with senior members of the College, the University of Oxford and influential College alumni and donors and responding to internal and external queries in a timely manner and ensuring the confidentiality of sensitive information.

**Managing the Principal’s Office and Lodgings.**
- Line managing the Deputy PA and any other members of the Principal’s team [such as the Events coordinator), providing direction as necessary.
- Providing day-to-day oversight of the Principal’s budget and preparation of the annual budget. To support the Principal in the submission of his expenses.
- Overseeing the College’s services to support the running of the Principal’s Lodgings, liaising with Housekeeping, Maintenance and Security teams.

**Support for Governing Body.**
- Taking responsibility for the preparation of agendas and circulation of papers for Governing Body (and co ordinating Apologies and requests to attend remotely).
- To be responsible for taking minutes at these meetings and to ensure that action points are recorded and actioned.
- Maintaining and circulating College information and lists termly.

**Committee meetings**
- Supplying administrative support to College committees as required for which the Principal is officially or _de facto_ the Convenor (e.g. Honorary Fellows Committee, Nominations Committee) and informal bodies (such as the Coroners Working Group and External Communications Group)
- Working in close liaison with other College departments, such as College Office, HR and the University, to provide administrative support for the recruitment of senior appointments and Honorary Fellows.
- Maintaining the records of the Principal’s office and to prepare and supply copies of those records to the archives of the College.
- Composing communications to the College-wide community including a weekly newsletter during term to