Contract details: Permanent, part-time (0.6fte, Wed-Fri)

Interview date: 20/21 August, 2024

About the role

About the team
Part of the Corporate Resources and Business Improvement Directorate, the Executive Support Team provide support to the most senior staff in the Mayor’s Office and the Corporate Management Team.

About the role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Executive Assistant to join the Executive Support Team, providing direct high-level support to two of the most senior people in the organisation. 

This is an interesting role which will provide you with great insight into the Greater London Authority’s work and ambitions, and you will act as an important interface between senior Principals and a wide range of stakeholders. 

To succeed in the role, you will need to have extensive experience of diary and inbox management, dealing with competing demands and prioritisation. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work accurately, independently at times and efficiently and the ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information. 

We are also seeking someone who will actively and positively contribute to the wider work and initiatives within the Executive Support Team.

Principal accountabilities

1. Provide a full range of professional, high-level executive support services to two Principals, including set up, amendment and cancellation of meetings, planning over a significant timescale, and all associated tasks including commission and collation of briefing and speaking notes 
2. With thorough business area knowledge, work autonomously using evaluative judgement and discretion to respond to issues and balance competing priorities across multiple diaries for senior staff, escalating to the Executive Support Manager only where necessary 
3. Maintain key lines of communication and productive working relationships with a large and complex network of external stakeholders, senior managers, and other staff across the organisation to enable effective executive support 
4. Keep abreast of key priorities and relevant development for the business areas supported as well as those of the wider organisation, to enable knowledgeable and targeted support to the Principals, to cover other diaries within the Executive Support Team as required and to react to emerging events. 
5. Manage the governance and transparency process for Principals (to include Gifts and Hospitality declarations; Register of Interests) 
6. Manage the documentation clearance process for Principals (to include absence authorisations for Principals) 
7. Inbox management relating to invites, deleting chains, filing emails as required 
8. Actively contribute to building a successful and positive Executive Support Team by taking personal responsibility for displaying the highest standards of professional behaviour and participating in team meetings, providing value-added input and taking on assigned tasks as required 

Behavioural competencies Building and managing relationships

… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance: 

• Develops new professional relationships 
• Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals 
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement 
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action 
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected 

Communicating

Stakeholder focus….is consulting with, listening to and understanding the needs of those our work impacts and using this knowledge to shape what we do and manage others’ expectations. 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance 

• Communicates openly and inclusively with internal and external stakeholders 

• Clearly articulates the key points of an argument, both in verbal and written communication 

• Persuades others, using evidence-based knowledge, modifying approach to deliver message effectively 

• Challenges the views of others in an open and constructive way 

• Presents a credible and positive image both internally and externally 

Planning and Organising… is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard. 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance 

• Prioritises work in line with key team or project deliverables 

• Makes contingency plans to account for changing work priorities, deadlines and milestones 

• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work 

• Pays close attention to detail, ensuring team’s work is delivered to a high standard 

• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met 

Problem Solving… is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions. 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance 

• Processes and distils a variety of information to understand a problem fully 

• Proposes options for solutions to presented problems 

• Builds on the ideas of others to encourage creative problem solving 

• Thinks laterally about own work, considering different ways to approach problems 

• Seeks the opinions and experiences of others to understand different approaches to problem solving 

Responding to Pressure and Change… is being flexible and adapting positively, to sustain performance when the situation changes, workload increases, tensions rise or priorities shift 

Level 2 indicators of effective performance 

• Maintains a focus on key priorities and deliverables, staying resilient in the face of pressure 

• Anticipates and adapts flexibly to changing requirements 

• Uses challenges as an opportunity to learn and improve 

• Participates fully and encourages others to engage in change initiatives 

• Manages team’s well-being, supporting them to cope with pressure and change

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA competency framework.

This role is based at City Hall, in the Royal Docks (Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE). 

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices (pro-rata) and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

Application Process & Additional Information

Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role.
If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Up to date CV 
• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.
Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g. “CV – applicant name - 012345).

Applications submitted without a Personal Statement will not be considered. 

London's diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. 
We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share. 
In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

On this recruitment campaign, as part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination. 

Reasonable adjustment will be made to working arrangements to accommodate a person with a disability who otherwise would be prevented from undertaking the work.

Application closing date: 7 August 2024 at 23:59

If you have a question about the role or would like to discuss it informally, please feel free to contact Julie Paul at [email protected] to arrange a call. 
We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.   

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice. 

More support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact [email protected].