To take up the post as soon as possible
Job Description
Please read in conjunction with the information
for job applicants.
Background to the post
This post is to work with the Principal of St Clare's, Boyd Roberts, who
oversees all the varied activities of St Clare's, throughout the year,
on three sites. This post is to provide first class administrative support
to him, and to assist, more generally, in College administration. This
will most probably also involve providing support to the Bursar, Vice-Principal
and Assistant Principal.
Duties and Responsibilities
The PA to the Principal currently shares the central college office with
the PA to the Bursar. They jointly run the central office, but with distinct
responsibilities. However, each deputises for the other.
The changing nature of the College's activities means that the job description and duties will need to be reviewed periodically.
Overall, the Personal Assistant to the Principal will report directly to the Principal. In areas relating to personnel administration and information retrieval, s/he will liaise closely with the Bursar and his assistant.
Specific duties and responsibilities:
1. Relating directly to assistance of the Principal in his own work:
- handling routine correspondence
- managing paperwork
- overseeing incoming paperwork
- overseeing the opening and distribution of College business (not student) post
- keeping on top of the in-tray, ensuring priorities are met
- completing statistical returns for the DfES and other bodies
- managing the Principal's diary, including arranging travel and meetings
- a certain amount of typing, and setting out of documents
- undertaking specific projects as requested
- working closely with the Principal to improve his effectiveness and efficiency
- providing ICT assistance to the Principal, e.g. regular backing up of files; re-arranging files
2. Relating to cross-college administration:
- establishing and maintaining information storage and retrieval within the central College office, electronically and on paper, including management of central archives
- producing and updating staff lists
- attending and minuting College Co-ordination Group (CCG) meetings
- production of the weekly Staff Bulletin
There will be a number of additional responsibilities within this area. Details will be worked out with the person appointed.
3. Management of college merchandise:
- ordering, pricing and distribution of College merchandise
- extending and developing the range of merchandise
4. Deputising for the PA to the Bursar in areas relating to Personnel administration:
- dealing with administration relating to new staff, from the time of appointment onwards. This will follow agreed procedures, but will include
- checking that necessary checks have been completed
- ensuring that copies of qualifications are filed, when necessary
- establishing personnel files for new staff and ensuring that they are complete
- maintaining the staff database
- notifying the Bursary of all new appointments, following agreed procedures
- devising and producing a basic information pack for starters
- liaising with line managers on induction of new staff, including ensuring line managers are informed of status of new employees with regard to essential checks.
In this area the PA to the Principal will work closely with the PA to the Bursar. Each must be able to complete any area of work related to personnel administration (for recruitment and issuing of contracts) during holidays and absences.
5. Other:
- providing administrative support to the Vice-Principal and Assistant Principal
- covering the work of absent colleagues during holidays and absences, specifically the work of the PA to the Bursar
- other duties as assigned by the Principal
The person appointed will:
- be very highly organised and efficient
- be a person to whom establishing administrative and filing systems and the like comes easily
- be accurate and reliable
- show attention to detail
- follow through jobs to completion with a minimum of supervision
- be able to work independently
- be literate
- have ICT skills of a high order (including knowledge of Word and Excel)
- be a proven and efficient manager of time and information
- work effectively to deadlines
- be able to stand their ground effectively with the Principal
- enjoy taking initiative
- be sympathetic to the ethos of St. Clare's - its charitable educational activities and its international staff and student body
- enjoy contact with young people
- enjoy working to a high standard in a lively and demanding environment.
In addition, as if the above list was not long enough, it is always helpful in our context if people:
- can speak languages other than English
- have experience in an educational organisation.
Terms and conditions
Working hours:
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm with one hour for lunch. Some flexibility
is essential here. On occasions, work will be needed outside these hours
to meet deadlines etc. This may involve occasional weekend work, for which
there is time off in lieu.
Holidays:
22 working days per year and the period over Christmas when the College
is closed (24 December - 1 January inclusive). (Although officially closed
over Christmas we do need to have post checked once or twice by an appropriate
person). The College operates during bank holidays in May and August and
work may be required on one of these days, with time off in lieu.
Salary and benefits:
Starting salary will be negotiable according to qualifications and experience.
Scales are related to those in universities. Once fixed, it will be linked
to the appropriate St. Clare's scale. St. Clare's scales are linked to
those of universities. Free lunches in the College dining room or café/bar
during the academic year and major summer courses.
Pension:
You are entitled to join the College's group personal pension scheme.
Employer pays up to 10% of salary subject to the Employee contributing
5% of salary, the Employer's contribution being double that of the Employee.
Pension entitlement may be backdated to any time from the date of commencement
of employment.
Probationary period:
The first six months will be probationary, within which notice is two
weeks on either side. Thereafter notice is one month on either side.
Applications
Please apply by short letter enclosing a full curriculum
vitae to include names, addresses and telephone numbers of 2 referees
to:
Boyd Roberts
Principal
St. Clare's, Oxford
139 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7AL
Closing date for applications: Monday 1 March 2004
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