Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer

About the role

The University of the Built Environment is recruiting a permanent, full-time Executive Assistant to its Chief Operating Officer (COO), a member of the Executive team. The role sits in the COO's department within the Executive Support team, reporting to David Balme, Chief Operating Officer. It is a high-level, fast-paced position supporting the COO, the Executive team, the Senior Leadership Team and wider departments, and helping run the Vice Chancellor's Office together with fellow Executive Assistants.

Most of the week is spent at the office in Reading, with three days a week in Horizons (ideally Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday); the rest of the week is worked from home, provided the environment is suitable. Hours are 35 per week, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00, with some flexibility in start and finish times.

Key responsibilities

• Support the COO in diary management and meeting management, keeping schedules balanced and effective
• Provide documentation and project support for strategies, policies and project planning, including research, drafting and collating sources
• Advise the COO of internal and external deadlines and prepare reports, data reports and presentations
• Track and progress actions assigned to other managers in the COO's departments
• Organise and support meetings chaired by the COO, including meeting packs, minutes and follow-up
• Liaise with external stakeholders and follow up with contacts after meetings and events
• Handle incoming post and email, including draft responses, and diarise deadlines
• Maintain file management and an actions log for COO activities
• Manage purchase orders and invoices, digital expense claims and SharePoint content, and book UK and international travel
• Ghostwrite communications, proofread documents, support event organisation and handle information requests with discretion

Required profile

• GCSE Maths and English at grade C/4 or above, and further education level qualifications
• Secretarial or administration training or qualification
• Direct executive support experience, and experience in higher education or another regulated environment
• Experience creating project plans, reviewing papers and preparing reports for senior managers
• Desirable: arranging UK and international travel

Required skills

• Strong literacy and numeracy, with report writing and minute-taking
• Verbal and written communication, business acumen and a professional approach