PA to the Principal

We are looking for a hardworking, ambitious and dynamic PA to the Principal to join Harris Academy Wimbledon at this exciting time. You will have excellent opportunities to engage in wider Harris Federation academy improvement and professional development activities.

About Us

We are an ‘Outstanding' (Ofsted 2023) secondary academy, established in 2018 to provide an excellent education for children in Wimbledon.

Two years after opening, we moved into our brand-new building which is modern, bright and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in every area of the curriculum. We are oversubscribed and fortunate to have an amazing level of support from the community with waiting lists for entry into every year group of our academy.

Harris Academy Wimbledon promotes high levels of academic achievement across the curriculum, encourages participation in extra-curricular opportunities and empowers students to make decisions wisely. The curriculum is rich, diverse and personalised ensuring every student achieves his or her true potential. Academic success goes hand-in hand with a rich variety of enrichment and extra-curricular activities; these help foster a spirit of aspiration, resilience and joy in learning.

Professional learning is at the heart of the academy, supporting all staff in their development. The academy has a growth mindset approach where industry and commitment are seen as cultural virtues. Development of resilience, self esteem, managing risks/consequences and the ability to work effectively together all form a key part of the pastoral provision.

There is a great deal of collaborative working and sharing of good ideas about what works within secondary academies at Harris. The successful candidate will be joining a friendly and outward looking group where professional development and progression opportunities are second to none.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The key duties of this role will cover:

• Managing the Principal's diary, including identifying and arranging meetings and dessiminating briefings and documents, adding any necessary deadlines
• Communications and administration, including proofreading correspondence, communicating with key stakeholders, dealing with complex enquiries, and maintaining files and contact lists
• Managing meetings
• Being the Clerk to Governors
• HR support, including managing resignations, absence leave, risk assessments and sickness records

A detailed list of responsibilities can be found in the Job Pack.

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• An appropriate degree or equivalent level of education
• Training in the use of a variety of ICT packages
• Knowledge of personal assistant roles and responsibilities
• Training in typing and formatting of a variety of documents including spreadsheets
• At least two years' experience working in school or other educational establishment
• Experience of managing staff in relation to the PA role
• Some experience of human resources e.g. recruitment and/or monitoring attendance
• Experience of working to targets and deadlines
• Experience of managing meetings including preparation and circulation of papers, minutes and ensuring information is circulated as required
• Experience of managing diaries at a high level, including communication with a range of audiences
• Experience of managing high profile events
• Experience of developing policies, processes and procedures

Please download the Job Pack for a full person specification.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact us via e-mail, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. You will need this when completing your application.

Please note: we may hold interviews as and when applications are received and we reserve the right to offer to a candidate prior to the closing date. We only accept applications submitted online via our careers website and which are completed before the closing deadline. With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible and advise you check the job information as per the listing on our careers site.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.