Senior Executive Support Officer (Grade K)

5-6 months contract with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

• To be responsible for providing responsive, high quality, professional and timely executive support to allocated Chief Executive / Corporate Director and for ensuring the Executive Support Team operates efficiently and effectively in a highly pressured environment.
  
• To provide a responsive, high quality, professional and timely support to the Chief Executive/Directorate Leadership Teams and associated governance including responsibility for all aspects of the smooth running of Statutory Officer and Directorate Leadership Team meetings, from effective forward planning to attending in person to take minutes.
  
• To work collaboratively with the Executive Support Team Leader to ensure that the services provided by the team are strategically aligned with other functional areas to enable a seamless approach to service delivery and to continually improve policies, procedures and processes that meet business needs.
  
• To maximise the use of technology to improve processes and workflow, through the identification of improvement and efficiencies, the deployment of new functionality and system enhancements to improve value for money and service provision to internal users.
  
• To lead the transformational change agenda in support of the Chief Executive / Corporate Director and be the key point of contact to manage and improve the directorate's liaison with the Mayor, Lead Members, Councillors and other internal and external stakeholders.
  

Key duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

• Be responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive executive support provision, ensuring high-quality executive support to the Chief Executive/Corporate Directors which includes dealing with correspondence, handling phone calls and visitors on behalf of the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors, diary management and the planning, organising and servicing of senior management team meetings, the production of reports and effective management information, meeting and event preparation.
  
• Be responsible for the smooth and efficient running of the Statutory Officer and Directorate Leadership Team meetings and associated governance to include all aspects from forward planning, agenda setting, collating agenda items, distributing papers, minuting the meetings and following up actions as required. Ensure complete confidentiality and discretion in the handling of sensitive material on paper and in discussion.
  
• Support the Corporate Leadership Team in translating Members' political vision into action plans and deliverables by co-ordinating engagement between directorates and key stakeholders including the Mayor, Cabinet Members, Scrutiny Lead and partner organisations. Understand the needs of stakeholders, interpret requests (why required, how information will be used and format required) and judge prioritisation level. Monitor and prioritise workloads for Chief Executive/Corporate Directors, including management of emails and control of access via telephone or face to face
  
• Prepare, collate, and check for accuracy, briefing notes and responses to petitions, questions and motions (PQM's). Identify and advise the Chief Executive/Corporate Director on implications (i.e. missing legal/financial/procurement implications and effects on other directorates/partners) and on governance processes (i.e. correct timelines, pathways and decision bodies) in line with the Council's constitution.
  
• Meet service standards with consistent attention to detail across responsibilities and client areas, prioritising high volumes according to organisational and reputational risk and client need.
  
• Liaise with the Executive Support Team Leader and other Senior Executive Support Officers on operational issues, projects and initiatives across the Business Support Hub; liaise with Corporate and Divisional Directors on issues relating to operational provision.
  
• Keep up to date with changes in legislation, statutory and regulatory change. Anticipate and address changes to client requirements, accordingly, adapting to new service needs and maintaining service levels across the council.
  
• Monitor the use of systems and processes; identifying problems, assessing new ways of working to address high volumes and competing client needs and redesigning processes to enhance their effectiveness and ensure that the Executive Support Team meet agreed service standards, key performance indicators and legislative requirements.
  
• Deal with the Chief Executive/Corporate Directors' incoming/outgoing telephone calls, correspondence and emails, using judgement and experience to decide which need personal attention, redirecting or dealing with remainder as appropriate.
  
• Draft correspondence on behalf of the Chief Executive and Divisional Leadership Teams using appropriate discretion and judgement to the content.
  
• Develop, implement, manage and co-ordinate the forward planning cycle, briefings and information flow for the Mayor, Lead Members, Councillors and other internal and external key stakeholders on behalf of Corporate Directors and Directorate Leadership Teams. Provide an early warning to the Corporate Director of any likely slippage meeting scheduled timescales.
  
• Supervise work experience trainees / apprenticeships and other trainee administrators on placement that come to work within the Executive Support Team.
  
• Control within budget the requisition of goods and services as requested, monitoring expenditure against budgets and supervising/initiating payments, ensuring value for money and that financial and procurement regulations are complied with fully. Check operational service budget forecasts and submit on behalf of the Chief Executive/Corporate Director as delegated.
  
• Oversee the administration of transactions involving cash and cash equivalents (payment cards etc.), including receipt and issuing of payments, account reconciliation, receipting and banking of income, ensuring the safe custody of cash and valuables and adhering to cash handling procedures.
  
• Check and authorise items, as delegated by the Chief.
  
• Executive/Corporate Director, complying with policies and regulations, i.e. staff recruitment, sickness/annual leave requests, expense claims, timesheets and invoices.
  
• Ensure full compliance within role holder's area of responsibility with GDPR policy and process ensuring systems and procedures are in place for the correct recording, updating, reviewing and deleting of personal data in all data processing carried out. Retain information in line with data protection regulations and ensure compliance with internal/external audit requirements and gifts/hospitality policies. Check transparency transaction reports, freedom of information requests and subject access requests, and ensure that sensitive and personally identifiable information is redacted as appropriate.
  
• Provide support to, and deputise as required for, the Executive Support Team Leader. Provide absence cover for Executive Support Officers as required.
  
• To undertake project work and ad hoc tasks, including for major projects and Council-wide priorities, as allocated by the Executive Support Team Leader (e.g. statutory and non-statutory inspections, peer reviews, internal/external audits, and operational, workforce and capital infrastructure improvements).
  
• To be flexible in supporting the Borough Emergency Control Centre with log its activities at short notice in respect of civil contingencies.
  
• To maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job and participate in appropriate training/development activities including the council's performance, development and review scheme. To engage and develop all staff in the team to ensure they have clear personal development plans.
  
• Ensure that all duties and responsibilities are discharged in accordance with the Council's policies and procedures, Code of Conduct and relevant regulations and legislation. To comply with the council's equal opportunities and diversity policies ensuring anti-discriminatory practice within the service area.
  
• Be a role model for the Council's TOWER values, demonstrating the appropriate behaviours consistently.
  
• To undertake additional duties that may arise from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.
  

Additional Information:

• Closing Date: 28/11/2024 @16:00.
  
• This is a hybrid role requiring at least three days in the office.