Citizens UK

Citizens UK is a people power alliance of diverse local communities working together for the common good. Our mission is to develop leaders, strengthen civic organisations and make change. Our 550 member communities are deeply rooted in their local areas and connect every day to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Through the method of community organising we enable people experiencing powerlessness to develop their leadership and come together with the power and strategy to make change. 

This leads to hundreds of neighbourhood improvements - from zebra crossings outside primary schools to renovated public toilets in cemeteries. And it leads to some of the biggest campaign impacts in the UK, such as winning over £2 billion of wages through the UK Living Wage campaign, securing a legal cap on the cost of credit to control exploitative lending, and ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. We enable local campaigns to grow into large-scale social change projects such as the Living Wage Foundation, Parents and Communities Together (PACT), Sponsor Refugees, and Refugees for Justice, that form an integral part of our theory of change. The most prominent of these is the rapidly growing Living Wage Foundation with a network of over 13,000 accredited Living Wage Employers across the UK.

Purpose

This role will report to the Senior Project Manager, Learning & Innovations Unit, and will be responsible for providing executive assistance to both the Deputy Director (DD) and the Finance & Operations Director (F&OD). The main duties include scheduling meetings, handling correspondence and assisting with the management of projects that both Directors are involved in. To be successful in this role, you will be able to initiate, meet deadlines and communicate effectively. Ultimately, you will be identifying and addressing the needs of the Deputy Director and the Finance & Operations Director, performing management and administrative tasks and building good working relationships to increase the effectiveness of the organisation.

Main Responsibilities

Working as the Executive Assistant & Project Manager your main responsibilities will include:

Contribute towards CUK’s mission and strategic objectives through Executive Support function

·     Manage DD and F&OD’s diaries including booking meetings, scheduling attendees and organising venues, in person and online.

·     Manage DD and F&OD’s correspondence including prioritizing and responding to emails.

·     Schedule  Appraisal and Supervision meetings and visits: ensuring both Directors’ time is well used through proper preparation and follow-up with direct reports, other local staff and external stakeholders.

·     Process expenses.

·     Maintain an electronic filing system, ensuring processes and software are up to date and in working order.

·     Provide management and administrative support to assist DD and F&OD in their workload.

Build and manage projects and achieve work targets effectively

·     Co-ordinate projects and ensure follow-up with team members where required.

·     Create and manage systems to monitor performance of the Chapters, Projects and staff supervised by DD: e.g. through reporting mechanisms and supervisions and appraisals.

·     Maintain an action log for DD including following up with those responsible to ensure actions are taken. Manage DD’s workflow and to-do list, assisting with prioritisation and the delegation of tasks to staff.

Learning, expertise and inclusion

·     Undertake appropriate personal and professional development.

·     Provide others with relevant and helpful advice and technical support.

·     Proactive in maintaining own wellbeing at work.

Develop and manage internal and external relationships

·     Build and maintain good working relationships with staff and stakeholders.

·     Schedule meetings as required, setting agendas and circulating any papers.

·     Work collaboratively across Citizens UK to ensure that interactions meet the expectations of our network and stakeholders.

·     Take minutes at meetings as requested e.g. Executive Team, CUK Leadership Team, staff meetings and external meetings.

·     Manage and coordinate work within team and colleagues across CUK.

·     Effectively liaise with external stakeholders, suppliers etc. 

Communications

·     Assist with drafting and producing communications e.g. newsletters, emails and other media, liaising with the Comms Team. 

·     Attend/dial in and take minutes of meetings.

·     Provide team and stakeholders with regular, timely communications.

·     Attend meetings and represent CUK effectively to audiences in meetings and at events.

Knowledge Management

·     Ensure data is handled and managed in a GDPR compliant manner.

·     Maintain an electronic filing system, ensuring processes and software are up to date and in working order.

Generate income and resources 

·     Assist with funding applications to generate project income.

·     Ensure careful use and stewardship of CUK’s resources when booking venues, travel and incurring other expenses.

·     Process expenses.

·     Create and manage admin systems to track income resources effectively.

Person Specification

REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL (E), DESIRABLE (D)

QUALIFICATIONS

·     Degree or Diploma in Business Administration or associated subject (D)

EXPERIENCE

·     Provision of administrative and diary assistance to Executive level (E)

·     Experience of handling a wide range of correspondence (E)

·     Project management skills to track and monitor progress across teams (E) (D)

·     Taking and writing minutes, developing reports and presentations (E) (D)

KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

·     Able to build relationships with a range of people and communicate clearly (E)

·     Advanced level Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook (E)

·     Diplomatic approach and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information. (E)

·     Previously developed time management and prioritisation skills. (E)

PERSONAL QUALITIES & VALUES

·     Ability to take initiative and work independently (E)

·     Self-motivated and adaptable (E)

·     A positive enthusiasm for working within third sector and aligned with Citizens UK’s values (E)

The deadline for applications is Friday, 12 April 2024 at 9:00.

Interview are scheduled to be held on Monday, 22 April 2024. (Subject to change.)