Can you support the Executive Management Team in their work creating a fairer, better zero carbon world? 

Ashden, a climate solutions charity, is seeking an executive team assistant to support our CEO, four-person executive management team and trustees.  

Ashden backs the pioneers creating more sustainable homes and schools in the UK, electrifying off-grid villages in the Global South, and empowering indigenous rainforest communities. With a newly appointed chief executive and more people taking up senior roles soon, great support for our leadership team is essential for us to carry on our work and create even more impact in the future.  

Your support will be vital to helping Ashden.  

Responsibilities include managing diaries, emails, and travel arrangements. You will also need to liaise and work with external partners including advisers, consultants, funders, and suppliers. 

You will be responsible for the smooth running of meetings, preparation of budgets and plans, writing and proof-reading, including quarterly board papers. The role will also include managing entries in our customer relationship management (CRM) system. 

Applicants will need to actively support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace, as well as sustainability and carbon reductions in our operations. Required background and qualities include more than five years’ experience providing support at senior management level with a high level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion. 

If you are interested in helping us deliver our mission - to accelerate transformative climate solutions and build a more just world – please get in touch. 

Interviews will take place online Monday 21 August and in person Thursday 24 August   

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Job title: Executive Team Assistant to CEO and Executive Management Team (Director of Communications & People, Director of Business Development and Directors of UK and International Programmes) 

Job purpose: To provide full executive support to the CEO and provide support to Executive Management Team (Director of Communications & People, Director of Business Development and Directors of UK and International Programmes) as a means of facilitating the effective and efficient management of Ashden. 

Specifically, the Executive Team Assistant will provide:   

• Executive support to the CEO and Executive Management Team (EMT)  

• Administrative support for executive and senior-level meetings  

• Coordination and support of four trustee meetings, including one retreat and five finance and operations committee meetings in a financial year   

• Support for internal and external communications  

• Management of records and files   

• Ad-hoc project work, as required  

Reports to: CEO, Ashden 

Duties and key responsibilities 

Executive support to the CEO 

• Ensure professional executive support to the CEO by understanding the work of the organisation internally and how it operates externally. 

• Understand key priorities and actively manage the diary and email of the CEO - including document management, compiling documents, reports and presentations and follow-up of actions from meetings. 

• Undertake research on prospective funders and partners to see if there is alignment with Ashden.  

• Oversee local and international travel arrangements for CEO - making flight, rail, hotel and other bookings as required, prepare trip itineraries, following travel policy and work closely with our travel agency.  

• Reconcile monthly expenses for CEO and EMT. Ensure they are signed off in time for monthly reporting by Finance team 

• Liaise with external parties to set up meetings and send follow-up information including Trustees, advisers, consultants, funders and representatives from other organisations.  

• Act as secretary for Executive Management and Leadership meetings, to include preparation of agenda, minute taking, following up on actions and assign rotating chair.  

• Ensure EMT and SMT’s annual plans and budgets are prepared on time for year-end board meeting. 

• Secretary for Ashden team meetings, preparation of agenda and assign rotating chair.  

• Support for CEO’s meetings – including, where necessary, setting up audio-visual equipment, conferencing, catering, greeting guests.  

• Draft and proof-read written documents to internal and external audiences as required. 

• Assist the CEO with letters to potential guest speakers at Ashden annual awards ceremony and other VIPs. 

• Responsible for Ashden’s contacts in the Customer Relationship Management database. 

PA Support to the Executive Management Team (Director of Communications & People, Director of Business Development and Directors of UK and International Programmes) 

• Ensure professional PA support to Executive Management Team, understanding key priorities and actively manage diaries.  

• Oversee local and international travel arrangements for the Executive Management Team making flight, rail, hotel and other bookings as required, prepare trip itineraries following travel policy and work closely with our travel agency.  

• Liaise with external parties to set up meetings and send follow-up information.  

• Support for Executive Management meetings – including, where necessary, setting up audio-visual equipment, conferencing, catering, greeting guests.  

 Support to Board of Trustees 

• Organise quarterly Trustee and Finance and Operation Committee meetings. 

• Assist the CEO with the compilation of papers. Format and distribute to trustees and wider team, attend meetings, take minutes and ensure actions are completed.  

• Organise trustee away day. Book venue, organise catering and work with the CEO and Chair of Trustees on the agenda. 

• Oversee travel for trustees to attend away day, making flight, rail, hotel and other bookings as required on the travel portal following travel policy. Prepare itineraries. 

• Issue on-boarding documentation for new Trustees, including adding them to Companies House. 

• Update Trustee attendance register after meetings. 

• Monitor number of Trustee terms, flagging renewals to Chair. 

• Organise Annual General Meeting. 

 Support for internal and external communications   

• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, acting as a key point of contact for the CEO.   

• With Director of Communications prepare/edit and disseminate key communications to team using a variety of media (email, intranet, Yammer).  

• Develop and maintain relationships with trustees.  

• Proof-read drafts for external communications.  

• Develop and maintain effective and transparent systems for managing electronic copies of files and documents for the CEO and EMT. 

 General responsibilities 

• Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting Ashden’s work and maintain and improve personal competence through continuous professional development. 

• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position. 

• Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace. 

• Support and promote the sustainability and carbon reduction actions within Ashden, Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts and our wider work. 

• Work collaboratively with others in all aspects of Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust’s work 

 Scope and accountability 

Decision making and limits of authority 

• First point of contact for CEO.  

• Day to day decisions on diary and travel management to ensure the CEO’s time is managed appropriately and effectively.  

• Proactively identify issues which may arise in CEO’s workload, calendar etc and resolve with appropriate liaison and/or assistance. ​  

• Delegated authority to use CEO’s e-signature where required by the CEO. 

• Co-ordinate Trustee and Finance and Operations Committee meeting dates. 

• Co-ordinate team away day dates. 

• Organise quarterly EMT away days, end of year party and Ashden Awards team/winners’ party.  

Financial resources 

• Responsible for Governance, office sundries and meeting costs budget £15k. 

• With CEO manage organisation overheads budget.  

• Reconcile CEO, Executive Management Team and board expenses. 

• Manage and reconcile monthly Zoom and ClickTime subscriptions. 

• Code and submit invoices to finance. 

Information resources 

• Update trustee page on Ashden website. 

• Draft presentations for CEO. 

• Responsible for Ashden’s contacts in the Customer Relationship portal. 

• Manage info@ashden.org mailbox and forward emails to relevant team member.  

• Update Kermit on a monthly basis after distribution of newsletter. 

Other resources 

• Purchase staff business cards. 

Legal, regulatory and compliance 

• Ensure compliance with Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust’s financial policies and procedures. 

• Ensure compliance with GDPR.  

• Ensure compliance with Ashden Safeguarding policies and procedures and data protection in relation to grant management.  

• Personal compliance with Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts health and safety procedures, Equal Opportunities & Diversity procedures.  

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

EXPERIENCE 

• 5+ years’ experience providing support at senior management level 

• High degree of professionalism. 

• High levels of integrity and discretion. 

• Organised and hands on approach with ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.  

SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Planning:  

• Prioritise multiple areas of work for the CEO in a fast-changing environment. 

• Solid time-management and forward planning skills. 

• An ability to meet deadlines under pressure.  

• Communication/relationship building: 

• Build and manage effective relationships with, trustees, other organisations and key stakeholders on behalf of Ashden. 

• Exceptional written, listening, and oral communication skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. 

• Judgement 

• Ability to use own initiative and actively look for opportunities to have an impact rather than simply be reactive.  

• Manage shifting priorities with flexibility and accuracy. 

• Support 

• Able to work on own initiative and without constant direct supervision. Ensures that support for the needs of the CEO is anticipated, prepared and provided in a timely fashion.  

KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION/TRAINING 

• Proficiency in Office 365. 

• Knowledge of databases and CRM systems used to manage contacts.   

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS  

• Able to work some evenings, weekends and out-of-hours from time to time, and travel within UK. 

• Active and self-led learner who keeps abreast of developments. 

• Enjoys working in a complex environment. 

• Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work.  

• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.