Queen Mary’s Sixth Form College is part of the North Hampshire Education Alliance (a single institution Multi Academy Trust), offering post-16 education in a vibrant learning community. The College employs over 200 staff and offers an inclusive, vibrant environment where over 2000 students flourish. Set across 25 leafy acres, the site is diverse and offers a range of services to learners and the local community. The College has a strong brand and reputation signified through solid relationships with its local community including neighbours, partner agencies, schools and other business. Recently shortlisted as a finalist in the INSPIRE ‘Best Place to Work’ category; the College prides itself on its relationship with both staff and students.

What we are looking for:

This role is ideally suited to someone who thrives on challenge and has a mind-set for innovation and development.

The Executive Assistant to the Principal, will take pride in providing effective, confident, proactive administrative support for the Principal & Deputy Principal. This includes high level liaison with Senior leaders to co-ordinate, support and facilitate the administration of the College’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) including the potential for future line management responsibility. This role requires autonomy, resilience and diplomacy and the ability to handle confidential matters with tact and sensitivity. Exemplary customer service skills are an essential component of this role for both internal and external clients. If you enjoy being at the centre of operations, possess a proactive mindset, can-do attitude and are eager to seize opportunities and find solutions, we would love to hear from you.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Outcomes:

• The Principal, Deputy Principal, SLT & other staff feel well supported.

• Respect amongst staff for the College’s administrative support staff and services.

• Exemplary standards of customer service to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Maintained and enhanced brand and reputation of Queen Mary’s College.

Accountable to: The Principal & Deputy Principal

Overview of Responsibilities:

• Administrative Support to Senior Post Holders: Managing the Principal's diary, receiving and guiding visitors, scheduling appointments, arranging and minuting meetings. Handling incoming and outgoing correspondence (email, phone, mail), filtering and prioritizing communications, and drafting responses on the Principal's behalf. Able to prioritize tasks effectively and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

• Office Management: Support for the Principal and Deputy Principal, working closely with SLT members, staff across the organisation and the Governing Body/Trustees. Maintaining the Principal's office and overseeing the Leadership Support Team. To facilitate the smooth and efficient functioning of the SLT, including scheduling lesson observations, updating the College calendar and staff handbook. To administer Staff Consultative meetings, including the co-ordination, preparation and circulation of accurate and informative agenda papers and minutes and the booking of rooms.

• Confidentiality & Discretion: Maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information and documents. Protecting the Senor Postholders against failures of communication and or administration, including supporting student exclusions.

• Inter-team Support & Events: To support the HR team with administration as appropriate to the role; resignation, end of probation, thank you letters, contracts, offer letters etc. To work closely with other teams to ensure the most efficient management of projects such as enrolment, Open Days, Open Evenings, parents’ meetings and consultation events, surveys and campaigns, UCAS, and other matters requiring one-off additional administrative/customer service input.

• Data Management: Maintaining and updating databases and records.

• Representing the Principal: Serving as a first point of contact for the Senior Post Holders and representing them in certain situations, as appropriate.

• Communication: Facilitating effective communication between the Principal and other stakeholders, including Clerk to the Governors, staff, students, parents, external partners, and neighbours.

• Please note this is not an exhaustive list, as the responsibilities are commensurate with the nature of the role.

Essential Experience, skills and attributes:

• Experience of and ability to maintain absolute confidentiality during periods of pressure.

• The ability to maintain resilience and a clear proactive approach in a pressured environment.

• Experience of organising high-level administration, with sensitive, accurate and appropriate minute taking.

• Experience of managing the expectations of others by dealing proactively with criticism and complaints from students, staff parents/guardians, neighbours, etc.

• Dealing with issues perceptively and appropriately whilst protecting the reputation and brand of the college.

• A highly skilled user of information technology, particularly applications of the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook). With a strong grasp of IT related to meetings e.g. Teams/Google.

• Flexibility and adaptability.

• Effective communication and attention to detail.

• The ability to ‘multi-task’, work independently, and to show consistent initiative in arriving at solutions.

• Excellent communication skills, with emotional intelligence and a high level of clarity, accuracy, grammar and spelling in spoken and written English.

• A helpful, calm manner, with an excellent understanding and application of customer service.

• A sense of humour appropriate to working in a young person-centred environment.

• An understanding of the issues facing providers of post-16 education and the needs of those engaged in the process: students, staff and parents

• Experience of liaison work with external agencies

• Committed to principles of promoting Safeguarding, Child Protection and Prevent for young people.

• An understanding and application of legal principles in the workplace such as ED&I, H&S and GDPR

BENEFITS

This role attracts a number of benefits: working as part of a dedicated and professional team, complementary use of the Sports Centre facilities, including the swimming pool, free parking on site, discounted Central Studio tickets, complimentary hot beverages for all staff, INSET and related training activities and development, generous annual leave, employer pension, and subject to service length, sickness and paternity/maternity packages. With a focus on wellbeing including access to counselling.

CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION

Conditions of Service Sixth Form College Support Staff

Salary:  £35,158 per annum, scale point 19 of the Sixth Form Support Staff Scales.

Start date: 1st September 2025

Normal working hours 37 hours per week, 52 weeks throughout the year, Monday to Friday, usually between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Flexibility will be required on occasion to support College events e.g. Open Evening.

Annual Leave:  25 days per year plus bank holidays and extra-statutory days

Other Terms and Conditions of service The successful candidate will have the choice whether or not to join the Local Government Pension Scheme. The College contributes a monthly sum equivalent to 19.1% of your salary, whilst staff contribute 6.5%. Staff are entitled to the benefits of the nationally agreed sickness and maternity leave schemes.

NHEA has adopted the national recommendations on terms and conditions of employment as agreed by the National Joint Council for Staff in Sixth Form Colleges. Other terms and conditions have been determined in the form of local agreements. All College staff are required to undergo DBS checking. In addition, the College follows the guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. The College operates a no smoking policy.