PA to the Deputy COO

Your new company
Working for a renowned Higher Education Establishment in Leeds City Centre. We are seeking a dynamic and proactive individual to support the Deputy Chief Operating Officer (Deputy COO).
Your new role
As the PA to the Deputy COO, you will play a crucial role in supporting the efficient functioning of the Deputy COO's office. You'll be responsible for managing administrative tasks, coordinating communication, and ensuring seamless operations within a complex and dynamic environment.
Key Responsibilities:

• Take overall responsibility for the Deputy COO's electronic diary. Assess priorities, proactively identify and resolve scheduling conflicts, and ensure optimal time management.
• Proactively gather information to brief the Deputy COO ahead of meetings. Navigate a complex workload to provide relevant insights and context.
• Facilitate effective communication between the Deputy COO and academic/administrative staff at all levels within the University. Engage with external organisations locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
• Assist in drafting external communications, presentations, reports, and formal university committee papers.
• Prepare agendas, take minutes, and follow up on action items for cross-university meetings. Provide briefings to the Deputy COO as needed
• Handle correspondence and enquiries on behalf of the Deputy COO, ensuring timely and appropriate responses.
• Undertake projects and initiatives on behalf of the Deputy COO, Chief Operating Officer's Executive Officer, or Business Support Manager.
• Contribute to service development and enhancing office processes and systems.
• Arrange travel, accommodation, venues, and catering as required
• Work collaboratively within a professional support team to consistently provide high-level support to the Deputy COO's.
• Provide backup support during peak workloads and colleagues' absence/annual leave.

What you'll need to succeed

• Substantial experience of providing professional administrative support at a senior level, in the capacity of Personal Assistant, in a large and complex organisation;
• Substantial experience of proactive, complex electronic diary management;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to communicate with people at all levels at an appropriate level, and establish and maintain effective working relationships;
• Excellent team working skills with the ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with colleagues;
• The ability to prioritise your own workload and adapt flexibly to constantly changing demands, working under sustained pressure and to tight deadlines;
• Excellent attention to detail, including proofreading skills, with the ability to maintain a high level of accuracy;
• An ability to exercise a high degree of initiative with the ability to assume responsibility and take appropriate action in the absence of the Deputy Chief Operating Officer;
• Excellent digital literacy and IT skills and substantial experience of using Microsoft Office 365 tools for communication and collaboration on a daily basis, including Word, Teams, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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