Job Description

Post:Personal Assistant to the President and Provost

Grade:Scale 7

Manages:Administrative Secretary

Reporting to:Executive Assistant

Direct liaison with:President and Provost

Job Purpose

To ensure the provision of effective administrative support to the President and Provost and provide a welcome to all visitors and enquirersboth over the telephone and in person. To liaise with colleagues at all levels within UCL and with senior managers across higher education, government departments, research funding bodies, business and representatives of the local community, often acting as the first point of contact for visitors to UCL.

Main Duties

  1. To manage the Provost’s diary, balancing competing priorities and understanding the need for the degree of flexibility that is required within a busy schedule.
  1. To arrange meetings and make travel arrangements, drawing up itineraries, arranging accommodation, liaising with host organisations within the UK and overseas as necessary. To make accommodation arrangements for the Provost’s visitors to UCL, as required.
  1. To research and coordinate briefing notes on specific issues as required.
  1. To ensure the Provost’s office correspondence is processed in a timely manner, balancing the need of both accuracy and speed of production.
  1. To draft correspondence on behalf of the Provost as appropriate, liaising with colleagues across UCL as necessary.
  1. To oversee the office’s incoming and outgoing post, telephone calls and other communication, identifying priorities and dealing directly with a wide range of matters. To cascade information to colleagues across UCL ensuring timely responsesto issuesnot directly involving the Provost.
  1. To develop and maintain office systems to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
  1. To coordinate the storage and efficient retrieval of information relating to higher education policy matters, issues of strategic importance to UCL and committees and meetings attended by the Provost.
  1. To oversee the maintenance and development of administrative systems for tracking and managing incoming mail and other correspondence and for filing.
  1. To take responsibility for the recruitment, induction, probation review, development, training and appraisal of the Secretarial Assistant.
  1. To ensure the smooth running of the office and that secretarial and other administrative work is produced to a high standard and within set deadlines.
  1. To work in harmony with other members of the President and Provost’s team to ensure that consistency and continuity of the standards set are met at all times.
  1. To comply with UCL’s policies at all times and to ensure that the duties of the post are undertaken in accordance with the University’s agreed procedures.
  1. Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post, as requested.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential:

  • An understanding of and an interest in Higher Education; and of UCL’s position and influence in the global marketplace.
  • An understanding of the demands on a Chief Executive in a large and complex organisation such as UCL.
  • An understanding of the need to portray a professional image at all times.
  • An understanding of the principles of performance management and the ability to manage staff.
  • A comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of office systems and procedures.

Skills

Essential:

  • Well developedinterpersonal and influencing skills enabling the post holder to negotiate at all levels and deal withsensitive and confidential matters with tact and discretion.
  • Excellent communication skills and command of the English language.
  • Meticulous proof-reading skills.
  • Strong analytical and organisational skills, the ability to prioritise in the face of competing demands.
  • Advanced Microsoft Word and Outlook. Intermediate Excel. Access and PowerPoint desirable
  • Accurate and fast copy and audio typing.

Experience

Essential:

  • Working within a senior executive office.
  • Drafting correspondence and briefing notes/reports.
  • Proven success in completing tasks to tight deadlines and working without supervision.
  • Internet research to access information.

Personal Qualities

Essential:

  • A friendly, confident and outgoing personality, combined with strong influencing and negotiating skills.
  • Commitment to working collaboratively and as part of a team.
  • Commitment to UCL’s Equality policy and the ability to work harmoniously with colleagues, visitors and students of all cultures and backgrounds.
  • Ability to work in the evening and at weekends, occasionally, if required.