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WORKING WITH USThe founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.
We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.
As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.
Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.
To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.


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ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITYWe are seeking an organised, proactive and professional Personal Assistant to provide high-level support to the Director of Secondary Education at the Harris Federation. This 1-year fixed-term maternity cover role is central to ensuring the smooth running of the Director’s day-to-day operations, including diary management, stakeholder communication, meeting coordination and the preparation of key documents.
As part of our Head Office team, you will work closely with senior leaders and colleagues across our secondary academies, playing an important role in supporting the Federation’s mission to deliver an outstanding education for thousands of young people. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, and enjoys building strong, professional relationships.


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MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITYYour responsibilities will include:
*To present the professional and welcoming face of the Harris Federation and all secondary academies, to all visitors, staff and students, in person and on the telephone.
*To ensure that the Director’s diary is managed efficiently and effectively. This will involve liaising with a variety of external and internal stakeholders.
*To provide a daily/weekly diary and documentation and maintain an overview of approaching deadlines.
*To maintain the Director’s contacts.
*To maintain an exemplary professional environment for the Director at all times.
*To ensure that all visitors are welcomed and catered for in a professional manner, organising refreshments as appropriate.
*To exercise complete discretion when dealing with issues of confidentiality and sensitivity.
*To take all telephone calls, in the first instance, dealing with queries, passing on calls if necessary.
*To keep the Director’s meetings file and retrieve necessary paperwork as and when meetings arise.
*To be responsible for organising meetings and passing on messages between all stakeholders, parents/carers, external agencies and students and the Director.
*To liaise with clerks to Governors to ensure that all relevant paperwork and correspondence is efficiently managed for all the secondary academies.
*To support the Director with the preparation of paperwork and presentations for a range of meetings including interviews, disciplinary hearings, grievances, performance management, presentations, training sessions etc.
*To liaise with Federation admin teams, Data, HR, IT and Finance Business Managers, as well as PAs and Principals across the Federation as appropriate.
For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWe would like to hear from you if you have:
*Appropriate degree or equivalent experience in previous roles
*Trained in the use of a variety of ICT packages
*Knowledge of personal assistant roles and responsibilities
*Training in typing and formatting of a variety of documents including spreadsheets
*Experience of managing staff in relation to the PA role
*Some experience of human resources e.g. recruitment and/or monitoring attendance
*Experience of working to targets and deadlines
*Experience of managing meetings including preparation and circulation of papers, minutes and ensuring information is circulated as required
*Ability to communicate well both orally and in writing
*Ability to work to deadlines
*Ability to be flexible
*Ability to communicate exceptionally well with parents and carers as well as other stakeholders in the academy
For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.


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APPLYING FOR THIS POSITIONIf you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.
Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.
When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.
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OUR VISION & VALUESOur vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services neede...