Executive Assistant

University Secretary's Office

Grade 6: - £26,715 - £32,817 per annum
Open-Ended/Permanent - Full Time
Contract Duration: Permanent
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 29-Jul-2021, 6:59:00 AM 

Job Family: Business Process and People Services

Our Characteristics: We are welcoming, collegiate and inclusive.

Our Values: We are motivated, inquisitive, challenging, rigorous and innovative.

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide a comprehensive service and deliver the efficient administration and governance of the University.

Overall family purpose

• Deliver direct and indirect services to stakeholders.
• Provide advice and answer queries as part of an enquiry-desk/help-desk function.
• Respond to and manage requests for information and resources.
• Deliver services to meet regulatory requirements and procedures.
• Plan and deliver a joined-up approach to University business and people services.
• Align business processes and services to meet operational and strategic policy objectives. 
• Deliver business processes to ensure effective management, governance and the economic viability of the University.
• Encourage, collaborate and participate in the development of productive cross-institution relationships and working.
• Provide excellent professional services that meet strategic and operational goals and business needs.
• Carry out monitoring, analysis, development and planning to design new services and service updates for continuous improvement whilst meeting changes in regulations.
• Engage with specialist professionals, consultants, and suppliers to exchange knowledge and facilitate partnership working.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically sustainable approach to delivering Professional Services across the University;
• A joined-up approach to University professional services, regardless of location or line management;
• A culture and practice of continuous improvement;
• Design services that meet business need;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Support and facilitate programmes that offer intellectual challenge, cohesiveness and a strong sense of progression;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

The Department and role purpose

The University Secretary’s Office (USO) is responsible for oversight of the University’s overall governance, assurance and compliance framework and processes and provides independent advice to the University governing body (the Council), Senate and the Vice Chancellor.  This post therefore works at the highest level of University Governance and management.  The University Secretary’s Office (USO) comprises four professional services sections; Governance Support Services (GGS), Information Governance, Legal Services (LS) and the University Assurance Service (UAS).

The Executive Assistant will be responsible for providing a high level, comprehensive and confidential administrative support service to the University Secretary and to members of Council.  The post holder will also work closely with the Directors/Heads of the four PS sections within the USO and with all Executive Assistants to members of the Executive.

Working in a challenging and fast-paced environment, the post holder will demonstrate a mature and flexible approach, working both independently and as part of the USO senior support team.  The post holder will provide urgent absence cover and support to Governance Officers when required in the event of unplanned periods of absence and will oversee the practical operational aspects of the USO.

Core responsibilities:

• Experienced service practitioner, planning and co-ordinating of projects and work streams with inter-related activities.
• Plan and organise own workload with or without involvement with project work streams.
• Specialist support with problem solving and query handling; ensuring a high degree of discretion and confidentiality when dealing with highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Reactive and proactive service provision with others to deliver an excellent stakeholder experience.
• Relationship building, network participation internally and externally to build and update knowledge and skills.
• Engage with external peers and specialists to exchange knowledge and information.
• Supervises service users and stakeholders undertaking activities, events and project work.
• Interpret, curate, design and present information, data, equipment and resources.
• Implement and monitor protocols, procedures, processes and regulations.
• Monitor and report incidents.
• Carry out more in-depth investigations, searches and research information and data to identify trends and patterns.
• Take responsibility for day to day decision making within own area of responsibility for operational aspects of service delivery, translating external requirements into practical application and advice.
• Implement and monitor recognised procedures to ensure compliance and meet University values of inclusion, diversity and participation.
• Contribute to and support business meetings, working groups and committees to help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations.
• Accountable for managing/maintaining financial and budget records and reconciling consumable expenditure queries.
• Involved in the purchase and return of goods and services.
• Support the capture of business requirements from users and work with colleagues and Council members to translate these into recommendations for future service provision.

Role responsibilities:

• Manage and organise professional business and administrative service processes, activities, events and/or resources to achieve defined targets and outcomes.
• Provide high quality administrative support to Chair of Council and Council members.
• Develop, implement and enforce recognised procedures to ensure compliance, co-ordinate effort and contribute to team goals.
• Provide professional guidance and advice to staff, Council members and students with the operational running of budgets, processes, data and information recording and assessment data.
• Ensure projects, activities, budgets and documents comply with internal University and external regulation, policy and procedures.
• Ensure accuracy by instituting recognised and routine checks, assessment criteria and techniques.
• Record data and information accurately, provide reports and distribute information to key stakeholders in the process or service.
• Use a range of digital media and tools to communicate with a diverse range of key stakeholders, both verbally and in written format who may need to access information across different geographic and time zones.
• Develop, plan and deliver internal and external events and activities for stakeholders.
• Establish, maintain and develop productive and ongoing relationships with stakeholders to influence perception of the University.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

The post holder may be required to work evenings as business events or urgency demands.

Recruiting to this post

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification.

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply

We prefer to receive applications online. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/  that provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What you are required to submit

The Realising Your Potential Approach criteria is for information only, but may be referred to during the interview process.

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details

For further information please contact; Kendra Greaves PA to the University Secretary [email protected]

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent experience).
• Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience of effective working with Senior Executive staff.
• Significant and demonstrable experience of successfully working in an Executive Assistant or Senior Personal Assistant role
• Experience of providing committee and meeting support in a complex, high pressure environment.
• Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.
• Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders and colleagues.
• Experienced service provider with knowledge and expertise used to contribute to the delivery and development of services, events and activities within the organisation.
• Ability to effectively network and exchange advice and information for development purposes. 
• Experience of working in a large, complex and diverse organisation.

Desirable Criteria:

• Educated to degree level.
• Experience of implementing policy and procedures and involvement with future changes for a service area.
• Experience of working in a Further or Higher Education Institution

Realising Your Potential Approach

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here .

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.