Freelands Foundation
Executive Assistant
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About the role
Freelands Foundation is looking for an Executive Assistant to support our Artistic Director and Executive Director. This role will play a pivotal part in supporting the scaling of the Foundation over the next few years, including a major capital project for our Errol Street building, a significant expansion of key programmes and reaching new audiences for our work.
The Executive Assistant will enable the smooth running of the organisation, supporting the executive leadership team in their day-to-day management of the charity, planning national and international travel, and delivering effective communications. This role will also be pivotal in ensuring the effective governance of the charity, facilitating the decision-making processes of our trustees.
We are looking for someone who has substantial experience of supporting executive teams within a small- to medium-sized organisation, excellent interpersonal communication and influencing skills, and strong support for our mission to champion art education.
Job Description
Role purpose
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Executive Assistant will support the executive leadership (Artistic Director and Executive Director) in managing daily operations, coordinating strategic priorities and acting as a bridge between the executive leadership, the board of trustees and external stakeholders. In addition, the role will organise and support the effective running of the charity’s governance processes, including quarterly trustees’ meetings.
Role Responsibilities
Executive support and diary management
- Manage the calendar of the Artistic Director, prioritising high-impact meetings and ringfencing time for strategic work; in addition to arranging meetings for the Executive Director under direction.
- Monitor and file the Artistic Director’s email inbox, flagging items for review, drafting professional responses under delegated authority and handling sensitive enquiries with discretion.
- Collate briefing materials, presentations and data to ensure the Artistic Director is well prepared for stakeholder meetings.
- Coordinate all travel arrangements for the executive team, including itineraries, expenses and event logistics for internal and external engagements.
- Organise any refreshments or catering required for stakeholder gatherings on behalf of the executive leadership team.
- Support the executive leadership team in their line management duties, including managing leave requests and ensuring performance management processes are followed.
- Bridge communication between the executive leadership team and the wider organisation to drive strategic initiatives.
Governance and board support
- Act as the first point of contact for the board of trustees and their respective assistants, enabling timely resolutions to ad-hoc queries as well as mapping trustees’ availability and schedules in line with the needs of the Foundation.
- Coordinating quarterly board meetings, capital project committee meetings and other governance forums as needed.
- Compile meeting agendas, aggregate and format board packs, take comprehensive minutes and track action logs.
- Maintain annual governance processes, such as compiling conflicts of interest declarations.
- Look to continually improve all governance-related presentations, processes and tooling to enable effective decision-making across the Foundation.
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Operational support
- Consolidate meeting agendas and materials from across the organisation to enable the effective running of internal team meetings, delivering engaging presentations and ensuring follow-up actions are clearly communicated.
- Ensure visitors to the Foundation are warmly greeted and made to feel welcome when visiting our premises.
- Support the management of the Foundation’s public-facing inboxes, where required, ensuring all enquiries are responded to quickly and professionally.
- Coordinate post and deliveries where needed.
Freelands Foundation contribution
- Undertake such tasks that are needed to deliver this role’s responsibilities.
- Work in cooperation with colleagues across the organisation, providing support and cover as needed within available time and resource.
- Undertake organisational training as required.
- Work within the organisation’s agreed policies and processes, confirming such with a senior manager where clarity is needed.
- Uphold the organisation’s values and mission in all internal and external interactions undertaken on behalf of Freelands Foundation.
The above job description is intended to be an outline of the duties and responsibilities of this role. This is not exhaustive, and it is likely to change over time.
Person specification
Essential
Experience
- Significant experience as an Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant supporting senior executives in a small- to medium-sized organisation.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating board meetings, consolidating board packs and recording minutes to a high standard of governance.
- Highly proficient in consolidating disparate data and information into reports and presentations.
- Effective planning of both national and international travel arrangements, within a cost-conscious environment.
Knowledge
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Outlook, including calendar management, email formatting and folder systems.
- Expert in using Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint to create visually appealing, clear and concise documentation.
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal communication, comfortable engaging with people at all levels.
- Ability to apply a consistently calm and objective approach in a busy workplace.
- Outstanding time management and prioritisation skills, with a proven track record of handling competing deadlines seamlessly.
- Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to proofread and highlight inconsistencies based on accumulated knowledge of the context of the organisation.
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Attributes
- Dedication to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information with discretion.
- The ability to pre-empt potential issues, devising potential solutions and working comfortably in situations without complete clarity of information.
- Strong support for our mission to champion art education.
Desirable
Experience
- Experience as an Executive Assistant within a non-profit or charity environment.
- Planning and delivering team-wide events and celebrations.
- Operating in an environment where there is a focus on safeguarding and health and safety.
Knowledge
- Understanding of key stakeholders across the visual arts and/or education sectors.
- Leveraging digital tools for project management, with Asana a significant bonus.
- Working knowledge of HR systems, in particular BreatheHR.
- Broad knowledge of UK charity compliance requirements.
Summary of terms
- Starting Salary: £43,891 per annum FTE.
- Hours of work: This role is envisaged as full-time (40 hours per week). However, we are open to considering reduced hours for this role across a 5-day week, for example 10am to 3pm.
- Working pattern: Typical working hours will be Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm, unless reduced hours are agreed. While we do not expect evening and weekend work will be necessary in this role, TOIL is available for hours required in addition to the normal working pattern.
- Location: Freelands Foundation offices in Central London. Following a successful probation, the role holder can work from home/remotely for one day a week subject to the approval of their line manager and building-based demands.
- Contract: Permanent.
Benefits include:
- 25 days annual leave, plus UK public holidays and discretionary office closure (currently one week in the summer, and between 25 December – 1 January inclusive, subject to project demands).
- Employer pension contributions of 6%.
- Critical illness insurance, group income protection and life assurance schemes, including an Employee Assistance Programme and mental health support service.
- Annual training budget available for approved work-related training.
- Cycle to work scheme, with on-site lockable bike rack and shower available.
- Well-stocked staff kitchen with dedicated eating area.
- Access to our art education library.
Visa sponsorship status: We would not consider sponsorship for the successful candidate since this role does not meet current skilled worker visa requirements.
DBS check: The appointment is subject to a Basic DBS check. Only candidates who pass the check will be offered employment.
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