Fixed Term for 22 months - Part time 20 hours per week

The Executive Assistant team works with the Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Assistant Directors, who cover a wide range of services across the council from Digital Transformation to Environment and Adult Social Care.

This is an opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team who work together to assist Executive and Assistant directors to manage their time, priorities and focus effectively. No two days are the same and you will work with a broad range of stakeholders on a variety of activities.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

To develop skills in order to provide comprehensive and proactive assistance to a named Director within the Senior Management Team. To effectively facilitate and assist with tasks on behalf of the EA Team. As part of this position, you will be expected to complete a L3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship.

Further details can be found here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/business-administrator-v1-0

Duties & responsibilities:

• Working with a named Director, the apprentice will build a working relationship
• Providing a secretariat function for allocated meetings (agenda/paperwork/presentation preparation, minute-taking, and distribution. Progress/chase any actions as required)
• Typing of confidential documents with accuracy and a high attention to detail
• Answering telephone calls on behalf of your Director and re-directing these appropriately
• Raising purchase orders and receipting invoices
• To assign enquiries made by Councillors to Officers using an information matrix and update when required
• Learn to effectively manage the Director’s diary considering current priorities, business requirements and current projects
• Manage your time effectively to fulfil requests from your Director and the EA Team

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

About you

You’ll have intermediate planning & organisational skills, provide excellent customer service, build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of your director and have good IT skills. You will have interpersonal skills & the ability to deal with varying situations with resilience, diplomacy and discretion whilst maintaining strict confidentiality.

If you tick these boxes, then we really want to hear from you!  The following will also help you to hit the ground running

• Good general standard of education – GCSE grade C or equivalent in English and Mathematics
• Good level of literacy - accurate spelling and grammar; can compose and appropriately sequence and link the contents of a report; can draft appropriate responses to enquiries; can use plain English
• IT Literate – experience of using Windows 10 or equivalent
• Enjoys working as part of a team; working collaboratively across departments to complete tasks effectively
• Punctual, reliable, and adaptable with key organisational skills
• Good problem-solving skills
• Able to quickly gain and maintain business knowledge of the Council’s services and build a network of key contacts within the Council and externally

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

The apprentice can work on a hybrid basis but must be willing to work from the Civic Offices as business requires.

A range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 24 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 32 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities 
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted, and a salary sacrifice scheme to help lower the cost of your nursery fees
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years.  The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing, and road tax

For more information on this position please contact Henley Hathaway, Executive Assistant at henley.hathaway@reading.gov.uk

Closing Date: Sunday 19^th March 2023

Interview Date: Monday 27^th March 2023, in person at the Civic Offices, Reading, RG1 2LU

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.