Are you an experienced and self-sufficient professional ready to apply your advanced administrative skills in a values-based organisation?
We are looking for a Governance and Administration Officer to work alongside our Chief Executive. This position requires a tech-savvy person with administrative maturity and the ability to operate autonomously.
You will be capable of delivering excellence in both governance and operational work, particularly in ensuring that records, policy registers and operating practices are up to date, reliable and upheld. You will be adept at drawing connections across all areas of the charity from finance records and HR processes to board minutes and strategic planning, and you will be able to keep the Chief Executive informed and aware of how the day-to-day work impacts on the broader picture.
You will need to develop knowledge and experience across all aspects of YMCA administration in order to cover for finance, HR and other administrative roles where necessary. Confidentiality and discretion will be key throughout your work.
If you are a methodical person who thrives on doing a great job, even when no-one is watching, and you are ready to take ownership of an interesting and constantly changing workload, we encourage your application.
Pay
£27,482 per annum
Hours of Work
35 hours per week
Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm, or a suitable alternative agreed with the successful candidate, with a half hour unpaid break each day. There will be up to 12 evening meetings per year, scheduled in advance, for which time off in lieu will be given.
Initially on site, with potential for hybrid working following successful conclusion of the probationary period.
Selection Arrangements
You can apply at any time – there is no closing date. We shortlist on the 10th and 25th of each month (deadline 11am) but do look at applications earlier when we can.
All applications are scored against our person specification.
Please note that we are only able to contact shortlisted candidates. If you do not hear from us within three weeks you have unfortunately not been successful on this occasion.
Job Description
* Co-ordinate senior meetings for staff, board and subgroups, including scheduling, co-ordinating agendas, collating and distributing papers and providing high-quality, accurate minute-taking with clear actions.
* Track key deliverables and action points and follow up on outstanding items.
* Co-ordinate interest, visits, recruitment and onboarding for new trustees.
* Act as a key support to the Chief Executive in their capacity as Company Secretary and the senior staff member, taking on regular and ad-hoc duties as they arise.
* Proactively collate and draw together evidence (eg data, policies and internal reports) to demonstrate continuous compliance with the Charity Governance Code, regulatory requirements and relevant sector standards.
* Oversee the organisational policy and procedure registers, ensuring reviews are scheduled and proposals prepared for consideration, and that finalised documents are updated on relevant portals.
* Establish and/or maintain systems for measuring and reporting on performance, quality and impact across the organisation.
* Develop and/or robustly test operating practices and instructions to ensure clarity across a range of roles and responsibilities.
* Draft, proof and format correspondence, presentations and reports, ensuring all documents are on-brand and ready for release.
* Complete information for funding bids based on established cases for support.
* Represent the Chief Executive positively and ensure that they are briefed on relevant matters across the organisation.
* Co-ordinate pricing, booking and liaison with external expertise where necessary from legal, HR, development and similar professionals.
* Maintain strictest confidentiality and use exceptional discretion when handling sensitive or business-critical information (eg staffing changes, commercial discussions, confidential strategy) and ensure that data protection and GDPR is upheld.
* Act as an approver, signatory or authoriser as delegated.
* Provide administrative support for day-to-day finance, HR and organisational administration during periods of absence or vacancies. This may include administering payroll, basic bookkeeping, rent records, staff recruitment and record keeping, ensuring that critical functions are maintained.
* Co-ordinate session and event booking as required.
* Handle delegated relationships, ensuring that all personal and confidential information is shared only in accordance with the association's data protection arrangements.
* Other reasonable duties as required from time to time.
Person Specification – Please ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how you meet each of the criteria below.
* Professional Experience: Proven experience in an Executive Assistant, Governance or strategic administrative role, with experience of supporting people in senior roles.
* Autonomy and Resilience: A highly self-sufficient, focused, and resilient professional with a track record of managing a varied workload effectively. Able to crack on with work, take ownership and operate effectively including where shifting priorities mean that demands may change at short notice.
* Advanced Technical Proficiency: Tech-savvy and proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel to a high standard, with experience of using new technologies to improve efficiency. Experienced in presentation/reporting tools for on-brand document production.
* Finance / Numerical Abilities: Comfortable working with numbers when compiling information for funders, working with data, keeping financial records, operating payroll and calculating or checking entitlements.
* Governance and Compliance Knowledge: Experience in minuting complex meetings. Knowledge of governance and / or compliance requirements in a regulated environment.
* Strategic Insight and Accuracy: Ability to draw connections across different information types and systems, proactively identifying where standards are met or missed. Strong attention to detail, accuracy in all work and high information retention.
* Communication and Integrity: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate formally with people at all levels and host visits for individuals and small groups. High standards of integrity and confidentiality at all times, with a committment to providing trusted support to the Chief Executive.
* Flexibility: Able to plan working hours and leave around scheduled meeting commitments and the need for continuity across payroll and administrative functions.
* Organisational Fit: A genuine interest in charity governance and how it contributes to organisational success. An understanding of key issues for small organisations. Able to work to the Vision and Values of YMCA Doncaster.
Employment in this role is subject to
– a minimum of two references, including all employment during the past three years.
– a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check.
We also ask successful candidates to complete a medical questionnaire.
About YMCA Doncaster – Why Us?
For information about working at YMCA Doncaster, including the benefits we offer to staff, please click through to our main jobs page.
Queries
We aim to make our job information as clear as possible. If you are considering making an application yourself, and have a query that is not answered above, please email your query to
Please note that we accept direct applications only; we do not deal with agencies or other third parties.