Senior Councillors' Executive Assistant

We're looking for an experienced Executive Assistant or an Administrator who is looking for the next step in their career, if you enjoy working in a fast-paced team and are looking to further your career in Local Government, this role may be for you.

We are a small team working in the heart of the Council working closely with all Councillors from the Leader of the Council to backbenchers to the Opposition, providing impartial administration support, guidance and advice.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

You will provide a comprehensive, specialist and proactive executive administration service to Councillors of all parties, taking responsibility for prioritising your time. This is a customer focused administration team who provide a key service to all Councillors.

Our role is based in the Civic Offices in Reading, and you will be required to provide supervision and mentoring to the team as well as deputising for the Councillor Services Team Leader, when required. You will also assist the Mayoralty with key Mayoral events. Occasional evening working may be required.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

About you

The following experience is required for this role:

Previous experience of working in Local Government or similar organisation.
Thorough understanding of how Local Government and Councillors work.
Good general standard of education and IT Literate.
Experience as an Executive Assistant, working in a complex and fast paced, changing environment.
Minute taking and meeting support.
Supervision of others, including 1:1s, mentoring and support.
Working under pressure and meeting ever changing priorities and deadlines.
Appropriate decision-making on own behalf and using initiative appropriately to assess and prioritise tasks.
Effectively organising self and others operating at a senior level.
Operating a robust and effective forward planning system.
Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative with minimal supervision and meet expected delivery schedules.
Delivering excellent customer service., Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
A wide range of flexible working opportunities
Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax