Administrative Assistant with Personal Assistant Duties
We are looking for an extremely competent Administrative Assistant/PA to provide high-quality support to the office, including the Directors, to ensure smooth functioning across the group. You will also be supporting Lady Deben in a private PA capacity whose schedule of engagements is incredibly hectic. This role will suit those who thrive upon working in a busy and fast-paced environment.
About Sancroft
Sancroft is a sustainability consultancy that provides bespoke sustainability insight and strategy to its clients. Founded in 1997 by former Secretary of State for the Environment, Lord Deben (The Rt Hon. John Gummer), clients include Sainsbury’s, Prêt à Manger, Quorn, Primark and Nestlé.
Responsibilities for the Sancroft Team:
Based in a friendly office environment, this Administrative Assistant/PA role will be highly demanding, but the work will be varied and stimulating. Duties will include:
- The co-ordination, scheduling and booking of meetings and conference calls for the team, providing logistical and technical support to these meetings, including managing and overseeing any catering requests as necessary.
- Assisting the Consultancy team in arranging administrative aspects of client projects, for example scheduling interviews or meetings, or working with the Finance Director to complete procurement paperwork.
- Collating briefing materials in advance of client meetings & sharing with participants.
- Assisting the Communications Executive with maintaining the CRM database.
- Team meetings; taking minutes and publishing results as necessary.
- Providing corporate receptionist duties which involve:
- Being the first port of call for greeting and welcoming guests and organising refreshments when required
- Answering and fielding incoming calls
- Opening and sorting post
- Overseeing the telephone system (performing phone system maintenance), fire alarm system and door entry system.
Ad-hoc office duties will include:
- Assisting the Communications Executive with ad-hoc marketing events – being an extra pair of hands, for example providing administrative support with invitation-handling.
- Organising Company ‘Away Days’ and other related events as and when required.
- Researching and booking travel arrangements for the team.
Private Personal Assistant Responsibilities:
The role requires an extremely competent and discreet individual to co-ordinate and logistically manage the smooth-running of private family engagements. The role will be highly demanding due to both the fast pace and volume of engagements to manage. The Administrative Assistant/PA will need to be savvy at identifying and alerting Lady Deben, as well as the Executive Assistant to Lord Deben, to any potential diary clashes that may need to be rescheduled. Responsibilities will include:
- Complex diary management
- Handling and responding to invitations
- Making restaurant reservations
- Overseeing and managing catering for private events
- Organising travel associated with social engagements
- Scheduling and managing personal appointments, including personal holidays.
Essential personal attributes, skills and experience:
We are looking for an individual who is keen to get involved, and who will enjoy the variety this role will bring. You will need to be a ‘dab-hand’ at multitasking and prioritising, confident to take initiative where necessary in order to complete tasks effectively and efficiently. We are seeking individuals that can demonstrate the following skills, attributes, and experience:
- Proven secretarial, PA, and general administrative skills.
- Strong diary management experience.
- Switched-on, intelligent, and highly organised.
- Sound client liaison skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
- Ability to maintain excellent attention to detail despite the volume and pace of work being high.
- Resilient & unrattled by last minute changes to a demanding schedule, handling those changes with ease.
- Able to prioritise tasks effectively.
- Confident in arranging travel itineraries.
- High levels of confidentiality and integrity
- Discreet and professional, capable of dealing with senior-level executives and their offices.
- Forward-thinking, able to use initiative;
- Happy to get involved and assist with the day-to-day running of the office where necessary.
- Flexible attitude and team player.
Location:
London SW1H. Nearest tubes: St James’s Park, Victoria and Westminster.
Hours:
9am-6pm
Salary and benefits:
- Salary will be according to individuals’ skills and experience
- Pension
- Holiday entitlement increases with length of service.
- Office closure over the Christmas period.
- Interest-free season ticket loan
- Office perks – shower facilities and free refreshments.
Start Date:
As soon as possible
Be involved in the future of Sancroft and apply:
Please forward your CV and covering letter to Georgina North, HR Manager: