Personal Assistant to Director
Reports To: Director – Digital Technology Services Division
Job Purpose: Responsible for the provision of diverse and confidential administrative support to the Director. The post‑holder will also work flexibly and collaboratively with other administrative staff to cover periods of leave and manage peak workloads.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Providing a high quality, confidential administrative support service across a diverse range of areas.
- Diary management including organising and prioritising diary commitments.
- Organising meetings, including collating papers, briefing delegates, greeting and escorting visitors and making cost‑effective travel arrangements.
- Minute taking as required.
- Answering and vetting all incoming calls, responding to callers or redirecting to appropriate staff.
- Logging, prioritising and tracking all correspondence, drafting responses where appropriate and updating the Director on important issues and target dates.
- Typing, compiling and issuing emails, letters, acknowledgements, minutes, memos and reports; circulating documents on the Director’s behalf and collating inputs into a coordinated response.
- Using sources such as the intranet, Hansard or press articles to research information.
- Maintaining records, ensuring that information is recorded, stored, managed and disposed of appropriately and in line with relevant guidance.
- Supporting the Director in managing senior relationships with education and business partners.
- Any other duties related to the role which may arise from time to time.
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications and experience:
- Have a minimum of five GCSE passes (grades A*–C) or equivalent, and at least two years of paid administrative support experience that includes:
- Using Microsoft Word for compiling letters and reports
- Drafting correspondence
- Diary management
- Preparation and dissemination of papers for meetings
- Maintaining records
- OR have a minimum of five years of paid administrative support experience that includes the same tasks as above.
Additional requirements:
- Access to a suitable vehicle appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business, or evidence of an alternative suitable transport that allows the mobility requirements of the post to be met.
Essential Criteria for Interview
- Knowledge of the functions of the Education Authority and of EA policies and procedures.
- Good organisational skills and ability to manage a busy workload to deliver effective results on time.
- Flexible and adaptable approach to work.
- Ability to communicate and work effectively with others as part of a team.
- Ability to use initiative to solve problems and respond to others.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Excellent ICT skills.
- Ability to research, digest, analyse and present information clearly.
- Evidence that experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values.
Desirable Criteria
- Demonstrable experience in a paid capacity of minute taking at meetings.
- Commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery.
Disclosure of Criminal Background
The Education Authority will require an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background for any post involving regulated activity as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007.
Equal Opportunities
The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
