Overview

Our aim is for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.

This post offers an excellent opportunity to join a small, friendly and busy office in unusual and pleasant surroundings. The team at Lambeth Palace support each other at busy periods with flexibility and good humour.

Post Introduction

As Executive Assistant, you will provide high quality support to the Chief of Staff & Strategy (CoSS), in delivering the objectives of the Archbishop’s ministry.

You will have the opportunity to use your experience and skills to manage diaries, correspondence and priorities and your exceptional judgement and initiative, to help ensure that the organisation is efficiently run, outward looking and accessible to its wide variety of stakeholders.

We are taking a flexible approach to work, with many colleagues opting for a hybrid approach to their working week, with a mixture of home and office-based working. Further details will be discussed at interview.

The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country.  This is a priority for Archbishop Justin.  Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minority Ethnic Backgrounds and disabled people.

For an informal conversation please contact david.porter@lambethpalace.org.uk

A comprehensive and supportive induction programme will be put in place to ensure that you have all the information, access and contacts required to learn quickly and excel in this role.

In return we offer a unique environment with opportunities for continuous learning, generous annual leave for work life balance, season ticket loans and a range of benefits including discounted entry to attractions and what we feel is a market leading package when it comes to our pension scheme.

Role Responsibility

The Role

• Proactive, extensive diary management, including room booking, hospitality and travel arrangements where appropriate.
• Researching and writing briefs for the Archbishop’s official engagements for which the CoSS has responsibility.
• Coordinating the logistical and practical arrangements for the Archbishop’s official engagements for which the CoSS has responsibility.
• Planning and organising, and where appropriate, minuting and participating in any meetings and events initiated by the CoSS.
• Managing and prioritising communications with the CoSS by acting as an effective gatekeeper, including proactive inbox management.
• Initiating, supporting and developing staff social events, and helping coordinate the internal Palace newsletter.
• Acting as the first point of contact for enquiries and, within agreed limits, progressing the CoSS’s work in their absence.
• Proactively building and maintaining internal and external relationships.
• Researching issues and projects in relation to the work of the CoSS.
• Providing general administrative support including filing and processing expenses.
• Maintaining an effective records management system for the work of the CoSS, following the appropriate policies for this area.
• Proactively reviewing the administration of the CoSS’s portfolio and bring forward systems and processes to enable increased efficiency and effectiveness.
• The team at Lambeth Palace works closely and collaboratively, providing assistance across portfolio areas at times when extra capacity is needed.  As such, an important part of this role will be to join the wider ‘pool’ of Executive/Personal Assistant support helping out other team areas as required and as capacity allows.
• All employees working at Lambeth Palace share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture with regard to children and vulnerable adults, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.

The Ideal Candidate

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes:

• Experience of MS Word, Outlook, Excel and the internet, as well as a networked computer system.
• High level of dedication and initiative.
• Ability to be self-directed and to organise work effectively.
• Sense of responsibility that the work issued is of a consistently high standard with fast response times.
• Ability to assimilate information and process/produce documents and papers.
• Highly discreet and diplomatic.
• Exceptional judgement in understanding and dealing with urgent and complex matters across a wide range of issues.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrable experience of drafting and preparing correspondence, briefs and other material, as required, or the capability/potential to learn this.
• Exceptionally well organised and methodical, with the ability to cope with conflicting priorities.
• A self-starter, able to use initiative and good judgement.
• Proven ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Able to adapt plans quickly in response to change.
• Ability to work collaboratively and as a member of a team.
• Highly resilient with the ability to work effectively within the demands of a busy office. 

Knowledge/Experience:

• Proven ability in managing diaries, correspondence and papers for a senior manager.
• Experience of dealing with a wide range of people in the course of work, including at senior level.
• A knowledge and interest in the work of the Archbishop’s ministry and the Church of England generally.

Education:

• Education to at least ‘A’ level standard, or equivalent.

Desirable

• Negotiation skills.
• Awareness of and interest in national and international politics and societal issues.
• Sympathetic to the values and beliefs of the Christian faith.
• Knowledge of the structures of the Church of England.

About Us

We in the National Church Institutions support the mission and ministries of the Church all over England. We work with parishes, dioceses (regional offices), schools, other ministries and our partners at a national and international level.

Excellence, Respect, Integrity

We follow these three values in everything we do, whether we are of Christian faith, another faith or no faith. To learn more about working for National Church Institutions and our benefits, please click here

As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively look to attract, recruit and retain those of you who are disabled.

As a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, we welcome applications from those of you who have served in our Armed Forces and their families.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to ensuring that everyone, job applicants, customers and other people with whom we deal, are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination.  We will do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity. We continuously review our policies and processes to support our aim to create a workforce as diverse as the nation the Church of England serves.