About us

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation (PHF) is an independent grant-making foundation set up by Paul Hamlyn, the publisher and philanthropist. It aims to maximise opportunities for individuals and communities to realise their potential and experience and enjoy a better quality of life. 

The Foundation supports charitable activity in the areas of arts, education and learning, and social justice across the UK. It also supports local charities in India that help the poorest communities get access to basic services.

Our vision is for a just society in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives.

Our mission is to be an effective and independent funder, using all our resources to create opportunities and support social change. We partner with inspiring organisations and individuals to make sure that people facing disadvantage are at the heart of leading change and designing solutions to overcome inequality.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation. This commitment drives how we work, who we work with and how we make decisions. You can read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) here.

We have five funding priorities where we wish to see change. You can read more about our work based in the UK here.

•       Investing in young people

•       Migration and integration

•       Arts access and participation

•       Education and learning through the arts

•       Nurturing ideas and people

Our values are important to us and we work to and carry them through all of our activity.

About the role

The purpose of this role is to provide administrative support to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director of People and Culture (DPC) and offers an opportunity to get involved in lots of different areas of the Foundation’s work.  As well as organising meetings and running administrative systems, you’ll be preparing presentations, assisting in delivering projects and working with colleagues to make sure our building works well. 

Main Responsibilities

PA Support

• Provide PA support to the Chief Operating Officer and Director of People and Culture - this will include:

• Diary management, booking and servicing meetings

• Preparing documents for meetings and presentations

• Collating and circulating papers for Committees

• Booking travel and hotels

• Maintaining files

• Dealing with post, enquiries and drafting responses

• Taking minutes at meetings as required

• Other ad hoc administrative duties as required

• Broader executive support for the COO and DPC, including delivery of projects, work planning and task management, capturing actions and follow up requirements.

• Organise and support a number of regular and ad hoc meetings, including formal meetings and team meetings. Work with colleagues to draft agendas, prepare supporting papers and take and circulate actions/minutes promptly and follow up on action points within agreed deadlines.

 Assisting in the running of our building and related services

• Work with the Information and Facilities Manager to provide an efficient reception service - co-ordinate and provide cover and provide advice and information to external visitors and enquirers (via phone, email or in person).

•  Work with the Information and Facilities Manager to provide support for events and meetings hosted at PHF.  This could involve greeting attendees, preparing rooms, providing teas/coffees and clearing away after events, ordering lunches.

• Provide support in setting up IT equipment for meetings/events and clearing away afterwards.

• Work with the Information and Facilities Manager to administer the software systems the Foundation use to run the reception and building services eg: telephone service, room booking software.

• Assisting in the development of building services eg: new projects and equipment 

 Maintain and Develop Systems

• Maintain PHF’s central system of contracts with contractors - logging contract details on central databases, electronically filing contracts, updating files as appropriate and deleting records in line with PHF’s retention policy

• Maintain systems the DPC uses and operates as required (this is a new role and details of the systems are to be defined).

•  Act as main contact with PHF’s archiving provider and manage submission and recall of records.  Ensure records are retained in line with PHF’s retention policy.

•  Act as main contact on PHF’s paperless meeting pack system (currently Diligent) – setting up new users, liaising with the supplier and helping introduce new modules.

•  Assist in the logging of costs for central budgets to enable effective monitoring of core budgets.

• Maintain the Finance and Resources ‘Resources Bank’ - an intranet of information on finance and resources areas

•  Support the introduction of new systems as required

• Participate in cross-organisation projects and contribute to the smooth running of PHF.

 Person specification

• Relevant office experience in an administrative capacity, including experience of setting up and operating administrative systems and supporting a team.

• Experience of organising and supporting meetings, including drafting agendas, preparing papers and taking minutes/actions

• Strong IT skills (especially on MS Office systems) and confident in the use of a range of software and enthusiasm for learning new systems and supporting others in using them.

• Strong organisational skills and a flexible approach with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Proven track record of an organised and methodical approach to work with attention to detail and an ability to meet deadlines.

• Numerate and able to carry out basic financial analysis tasks accurately.

• Articulate, with excellent written and oral skills, and the ability to communicate with a range of audiences.

• Sympathy with the values and aims of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and, in particular, its commitment to social justice and equality, to tackling disadvantage, fighting prejudice, supporting youth voice and participation.

• Confident, resourceful and proactive, with initiative and a problem-solving disposition.

The Foundation is based in light and recently refurbished offices near Kings Cross in London and we currently work to a hybrid working model with 40% of time worked in the office and the rest a combination of external grantee visits and homeworking. We offer fantastic benefits including

• 25 days pro rata annual leave

• 10% pension contributions

• Enhanced maternity and paternity policies

• Complimentary lunch when in the office.

The closing date is 10am on 15th January and first stage interviews are expected to be held at our London office on 24th/25th January.