Private Secretary & Head of Events

Location: Euston Estate Office, Suffolk

Reporting to: The Duke and Duchess of Grafton

Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time 37.5hrs per week, including some weekends and evenings

Salary: £competitive subject to experience and qualifications

The Euston Estate is the private estate of The Duke and Duchess of Grafton and surrounds their private residence, Euston Hall. Euston is very much a family home and is used all year round by the family.

The Estate consists of a range of business activities across its footprint and includes both in hand and let farms, residential and commercial portfolios, gardens, forestry and a growing visitor & events venue.

As the Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess, your role is to provide administrative and organisation support, with a high understanding of discretion and confidentiality.

Euston Hall and gardens are open for tours 28 days per annum they attract about 1,000 visitors during the season. The Events programme on the Estate is growing steadily and includes Country Shows, Music Festivals and other public events. These events tend to be delivered by third parties, working alongside the Estate.

Job Purpose

The post holder is responsible for delivering a high quality service to the Duke and Duchess. As their Private Secretary you will be resourceful, conscientious, solutions focused and have a key understanding of managing a busy office.

Events are a key focus at Euston and the role will help maintain and enhance the visitor experience, ensuring that the appropriate balance is maintained between the use of the Hall and grounds as a family home and as a visitor destination.

Brand development and growth is a primary focus of the role and you will help create new ideas and lead delivery, working with the wider team.

You will also support the family with organising and hosting international guests and other visitors as part of the operational functions of the hall.

Management of ‘The Temple’, the Estate’s unique holiday home destination sits within this post.

Key Duties

Private Secretary

The role liaises closely with other personnel and teams across the Estate, including the family’s household staff to ensure the smooth running of the Hall. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Diary management & scheduling

• Dealing with correspondence

• Travel & event planning

• Liaising with external advisors

• Support the Hall household and gardening teams, liaising with them on behalf of the Duke and Duchess as required

• Documentation management

• Administrative tasks such as letters, minutes, emails and maintaining confidential files. Including ad-hoc administrative support to the Trustees and Estate Director

• Family PA duties, such as planning outings and events

• Project management and research

Events Management

The role is to help develop a culture of excellence and collaboration across the visitor and events management at Euston, coordinating and managing the operational teams and to drive improvement. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Organisation and management of open days at the Hall

• Promotion and business development to enhance and increase event opportunities on the Estate

• Liaise with external events organisers who are using the facilities at Euston, ensuring a high level of service and experience in helping events run smoothly

• Working with external advisors such as designers, photographers, journalists

• Management of the Estate social media and promotion thereon. Posting as required to promote the Estate and its events and to drive brand awareness

• Website management

• Act as a visible and approachable coordinator for the public facing operations, including volunteers on open days

• Responsibility for the day-to-day delivery of open days at Euston Hall, ensuring that the Hall is presented to the highest standard, appropriately reflecting its role as the home of the Duke and Duchess

• Through leading the volunteers, ensure that the Hall opening teams deliver all operational requirements, including security, delivery of talks and tours, ensuring an exceptional visitor service.

The Duke and Duchess are committed to making the exclusivity of Euston and its experiences a key focus of the Estate’s future. This role will play a major part in the delivery of that aspiration.

Personal Specification

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Solid social media knowledge

• Marketing skills and experience of hosting public events, ideally in a visitor focused environment

• Attention to detail and time management

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills

• The ability to prioritise workloads and remain calm under pressure

• Good team working skills as well as the ability to work independently

• Good team leadership to ensure the smooth management and delivery of projects and events, identifying risks and issues, managing external stakeholders and organisers

• Good budgetary skills

• Good customer service skills and a friendly and polite disposition

• Effective diary management

• Sounds IT skills

• Good interpersonal and problem solving skills

• A well-judged and compassionate approach to people management but the ability to make robust decisions when required

• Adept and persuasive at encouraging others to embrace change when appropriate

We employ and reward individuals who are positive and hard-working. We strive to make our guest’s experience second to none, giving an honest, ethical experience for guests and colleagues alike.

We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age.

How to apply

To Apply For further information about the role or to apply please click the 'Apply' button.

Closing date: 5pm Friday 1 November 202