Executive Assistant

Background

To provide a high level of confidential administrative and planning support directly to the Leader of the Council - through planning and organising the work and ensuring alignment of this work, coordinating diaries and working closely with the Leader to ensure he is updated and his time managed appropriately.

To prioritise the workload using judgement and initiative keeping the Leader informed where appropriate of any decisions made or actions taken in their absence.

The postholder is expected to recognise the high-profile nature of the work and to ensure that all work emanating from these sources is of the highest standard. This includes having a good awareness of local government challenges and the main issues facing the Council and recognising the need to be aware of any particularly sensitive issues and bringing these to the attention of the leader of the Council.

Key Responsibilities

1. Provide effective, proactive, reactive and comprehensive Executive Business Support to the Leader of the Council, including daily management and co-ordination of activities, appointments and meetings, responding to daily changes in priorities, and political sensitivities.


2. Be responsible for managing all casework on behalf of the Leader of the Council including liaison with all internal and external stakeholders. Organising meetings and quality assuring documents required for meetings, maintaining a “forward planning” system to progress reports, papers, correspondence and enquiries together with monitoring and chasing actions.


3. Be responsible for the planning, organising and facilitation of a number of events, conferences and away days as required.


4. Be the contact, on behalf of the Leader for all internal and external enquiries. Exercising excellent judgement and political awareness in the role as gatekeeper to the Leader. Working collaboratively with the Corporate Leadership Team and Cabinet Members, ensuring the highest standards of performance and reporting.


5. Take ownership of all issues that come into the Leader and lead on the preparation of appropriate responses.


6. Co-ordinate all meetings, forward plans, and associated paperwork for meetings. Book and service meetings, dispatching papers; minute taking, recording of decisions and following up actions.


7. Deal sensitively and confidentially with complaints from a wide variety of people across and outside the Borough and make appropriate arrangements for these to be resolved, this includes the logging and processing of enquiries for Members, MPs and the public for the attention of the Leader and within appropriate policy timelines.


8. Manage relationships between the Leader, ensuring all matters are aligned to the corporate plan objectives and timeline and the implementation of new initiatives as directed by the Chief Executive.


9. Be responsible for the production of reports, documents and other relevant business cases as required.