Executive Office Senior Manager, and Personal Assistant to the President

The Royal Society was established in the 1660s and is recognised across the world as one of the leading scientific academies. Its Fellows include the most distinguished scientists in the UK and internationally. Its activities include work on policy, scientific publishing, and the award of grants.

The overall aims of the role will be:

To manage and oversee the offices of the Society’s President, Officers and Executive Director, of the Royal Society working closely with the Director of Fellowship, Strategy and Governance and other members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and a team of Personal Assistants, ensuring the delivery of high-quality administrative services. (The President and Officers of the Royal Society are trustees and Fellows of the Society. The Executive Director is its Chief Executive).

To co-ordinate support functions to the President, Officers and Executive Director, ensuring a seamless overall service.

To provide support directly to the Society’s President, as his Personal Assistant (the President changes every 5 years)

To manage and provide secretarial support for meetings of the Society’s Officers weekly and to ensure relevant papers are sent ahead of and following meetings.

To manage a team of three to four other Personal Assistants providing direct administration and diary support to the five Officers of the Society and the Executive Director, working for continuous improvement in service.  

To act as an ambassador for the President and Executive Director within and beyond the Society, building close and effective communication between the corporate centre and internal and external stakeholders.

You will provide oversight of the work of this office as a whole and provide additional support to the Executive Director, working with her PA, on request, particularly regarding more complex correspondence and the co-ordination of briefing and information flows across the Society.

 Key outcomes of the role:

Society staff have a point of reference for advice and guidance on handling issues requiring input from the Society’s leadership and that the Society’s standards are maintained with regular and reliable communication on behalf of the Executive Office.

The Society’s leadership is supported with a clear system of oversight, tracking communications with and from their offices, key weekly meetings are well planned, and they are briefed on issues requiring their attention when necessary.

The team of Personal Assistants is well supported and motivated, providing a continuously improving system of administrative support to the President, Executive Director, and Officers and cover for leave and absence is seamless and well planned

The President, Executive Director and Officers are provided with effective administrative support, maximising their impact as the leadership of the Society.

There is oversight of the programme of meetings and events that Officers and the Executive Director participate in, and they are well prepared for them.

Senior Leadership and Officer meetings are managed to a high level. Internal and external communications from the centre of the Society are managed professionally and effectively.

Reports to: Director of Fellowship, Strategy and Governance

Line manages: 3-4 x Personal Assistant Roles

Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG                                                                            

Hours: Full time, 35 hours a week. The Royal Society promotes a hybrid way of working, the nature of this role is such that the jobholder will be expected to work in the office most days of the week with the occasional home working day.                                      

Pay band:  Band F, £60,000 to £65,000

The application closing date is Tuesday 7 May. 

Interviews will be held w/c 13 May