School Executive Support Administrator

What will the role involve? 

Working as a member of a pooled resource, this role is a unique opportunity to directly support our Senior Leadership Team in the day to day running of a very dynamic office and school using knowledge and data to support decision making. We are looking for a School Executive Support Assistant (ESA) who is resourceful, innovative, proactive and can seamlessly adjust in a changing and challenging environment. An ability to multi-task is essential as no one day will be the same!

The ESA will need the ability to fully understand the school’s business and Senior Leaders objectives to optimise and manage the workflow and productivity, ensuring alignment to priorities and successful delivery of outcomes. The ESA will collaborate with team members and help to establish new ways of working, pioneer change, simplify processes, and be adept at using and exploiting digital technology to achieve results.

You'll have the following responsibilities

(additional responsibilities contained within the Job Description)

Time Management and Meeting Planning - Strategically and autonomously align the diary and personal commitments to priorities; exercising judgement and decision making to resolve conflicts and offer solutions. Lead and prepare for regular office meetings to forward plan and ensure the discharge actions; tasks; meeting preparation; travel requirements and align on priorities. Work with content owners to ensure Senior Leaders are prepared in advance for meetings and able to analyse simple data and produce content, e.g., agendas, slides, spreadsheets, briefing papers. Manage processes for efficiently managing workflow and simplifying Leaders workload by actioning, delegating, and tracking tasks.

Stakeholder Management & Collaboration build trusted and effective relationships with Senior Leaders and their teams to navigate and leverage relationships, actively using and seeking out resources to enable and influence stakeholder decision making. Offering advice and recommendations based on expertise, both proactively and on request. Developing and maintaining a series of internal and external relationships to improve and maximise efficiencies and impact across the school. Act as a positive role model which develops a high performing culture and network across the UoS community, setting high standards for quality of work.

Back-office administration ensuring that school data and information is secure and maintained. 

Primary Point of Contact for the office and virtual office

Safety, Security, Ethics & Compliance – ensure compliance to all UoS processes and policy

Delivers Ad hoc projects as required

You'll have the following skills & experience

Ideally you will have PA/Administration experience in managing high work volumes, complex diaries and travel itineraries.

You will need to be able to demonstrate: -

• Strong skills in planning, organisation and time management
• IT proficiency, with particular emphasis on the use of Excel to store, organise, and analyse data at an intermediate/advanced level
• The ability to create reports, agendas, meeting slides and minutes using Microsoft 365
• An excellent level of accuracy and attention to detail, and the ability to work to very tight timeframes and deadlines
• High standard of written and verbal communications skills
• Continuous improvement by questioning inefficient processes and looks for smarter ways of working. Shares suggestions for improvements, putting forward a clear rationale for any change.
• Problem solving in a structured and methodical way, analysing, and exploring the causes of issues. Uses evidence and available information to shape the best solutions to problems.

Who we are!

The University of Salford (UoS) is ambitious and at the heart of a fast-developing community. Our expertise help transform diverse individuals and communities through teaching, research, innovation, and engagement. Salford is at the forefront of this transformation, leading the way in areas such as health, energy, media, and the built environment. Our 20,000 students contribute enormously to the local economy.

A bit about the School of Science, Engineering & Environment (SEE)… 

The University’s Campus Masterplan includes three new buildings for the SEE School and marks a real step change in our ability to deliver world leading research and innovation.  The SEE School itself will have a brand-new dedicated building that will house many of our colleagues under one roof, a new ERDF funded Robotics Centre, as well as our ‘Energy House 2.0’ – an unrivalled environment to develop future energy saving products.

The School aims to transform the quality of life for society and the well-being of future generations through a better and more sustainable future, offering students programmes from Architecture to Zoology.   

Industry collaboration is at the core of what we do. This is combined with a passion for research and finding solutions to real world problems and those that we may face in the future.  Our work is truly interdisciplinary with a strong focus on developing our knowledge for our colleagues as well as students.  

What’s in it for you?

With over 200 languages spoken across Greater Manchester, we want to create an inspirational, inclusive learning and working environment, celebrating the diversity of our University community in our everyday conversations. Our student population is already incredibly diverse, and we want to ensure this is reflected across our colleague profile as well.

To help you, we have wide ranging colleague support networks, promoting awareness events throughout the year and giving you the opportunity to share your experiences with others. Our extensive faith centre facilities reflect our continuing commitment to support the student and colleague experience and the beliefs and values you bring to our community.

However you identify, whatever your pathway has been to get here, come and join us at the University of Salford where we are all proud to belong - watch us in action here!

There is a varied benefits package available through ‘MySalford’ where you can tailor your benefits to suit your own lifestyle – everything from additional annual leave, savings on High Street shopping, travel discounts as well as health and wellbeing support. To maintain work/life balance (and to help you through this pandemic!) you can connect to work from wherever you are, whether it’s our Peel Park Campus, or your couch at home, the tools are there for you to do your best work from your chosen location. We also offer competitive pay and generous pension scheme, Annual leave starts at 23 days increasing to 27 days, on site car parking (subject to competitive monthly fees) onsite sport facilities and discounted gym membership.

A few more things!

The starting salary for this post is £21,686.

The anticipated interview date is the 17th February 2022.

We look forward to receiving your application