Personal Assistant to the Area Director - 15708

We are the Environment Agency. Working with government, councils, businesses and communities, we make our environment a better place for people and wildlife.
We are looking for an experienced Personal Assistant to support our Area Director (AD) to achieve their business objectives within the Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire area. This is a high profile role in a high profile area.
Your excellent organisational skills will be critical to the smooth running of our organisation and will enable us to meet our objectives to improve the environment.
You will:
• Act as initial point of contact for both internal and external customers, sharing and filtering information so that priorities are met.
• Maintain the AD’s Outlook calendar to ensure effective use of time, with the ability to prioritise meetings and make initial judgements relating to conflicting appointments - ensuring the AD is prepared for all upcoming commitments.
• Be accountable for setting up internal/external meetings, drafting agendas, taking minutes/notes and maintaining confidentiality. (Including booking travel and accommodation when necessary).
• Be responsible for screening phone calls, enquiries and requests, and dealing with them where appropriate.
• Be expected to carry out ad hoc administrative tasks at the AD’s request.

You will work within the Area Leadership Team, working closely with the friendly group of secretaries that support our Area Managers.. Although managing a diverse range of departments and teams, we work as a team to support each other and respond to the opportunities and challenges facing such a diverse area.

A recognised professional secretarial qualification is not essential but the successful candidate will have at least 3 years demonstrable experience in a similar role.
 
The ideal candidate will:
• Have excellent communication skills as you will working with a diverse range of people.
• Have accurate typing skills, attention to detail is vital.
• Secretarial/administrative experience supporting managers.
• Have experience of taking notes at meetings.
• Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organisation.
• Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team to make decisions and achieve planned outcomes to agreed deadlines.
• Be proficient with the Microsoft Office suite of programs and have the ability to learn internal systems.
• Be able to work flexibly, manage own workloads and meet tight deadlines.

The ability to maintain strict confidentiality is essential.

Everyone starting in a new role with the Environment Agency will be welcomed into the team and given all of the training and support you need to succeed.

For any questions relating to this role please contact Cheryl Owens on 07500918434 or cheryl.owens@environment-agency.gov.uk or if your query is about the recruitment process contact Ruth Pilling on 07825377676 or ruth.pilling@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Interviews will be held virtually using the video conferencing facility; MS Teams. Interviews are expected to take place during early November. Due to the pandemic the majority of staff are still working from home. It is expected you will be based at home initially, with a view to working out of our Warrington office when things return to normal (or earlier if required by the AD).

Describe a time when you have had to communicate a complex issue to a diverse group of people using a range of communications tools.

Using an example, how would you address the complex needs of internal and external customers to provide rapid and effective responses on behalf of the Area Director?

Describe a time when you have used an innovative approach to enable a senior Manager to deliver an important piece of work.