Executive Assistant to the Head (local hire)

About St. Julian's School

Founded in 1932, St. Julian’s is a highly successful British international school for children aged 3 to 18. It is a unique and special place in character, history and location. Known for academic excellence, there are 1,250 students from more than 60 nationalities across four school sections: Pre-Prep (ages 3 to 5), Prep (5 to 11), Secondary (11 to 18) and Bilingual (5 to 15).

Entry into the School is competitive, and the IB results consistently exceed the global average. Complementing academics, the school focuses on personal skills development through our 6Cs: compassion, curiosity, communication, courage, collaboration and citizenship.

Google Apps for Education is used and all teaching and teaching support staff are given their own MacBook Air.

St. Julian's has just been recognised for the third consecutive year as one of the top 15 private schools in Europe in the Schools Index published by Carfax Education, and for the second year running as one of the top 10 by Spear's.

We follow the National Curriculum for England leading to IGCSEs and the IB Diploma and Careers-related Programme. We are accredited by CIS, COBIS and HMC. 

Situated between Lisbon and Cascais, St. Julian’s enjoys an idyllic location framed by beaches and pinewoods. The extensive campus boasts exceptional sports facilities and offers a diverse range of after-school clubs, from Nature Club, to ballet, to basketball and rugby. The School is about to embark on a €40 million building project over 5 years that will see significant enhancements to the existing site.

New families often highlight our close-knit community as instrumental in easing transitions, making St. Julian’s a welcoming home for expatriates and locals alike

The role of Executive Assistant to the Head

St. Julian’s School is currently recruiting an EA to the Head, ideally, for an immediate start. The successful candidate will provide assistance to the Head and act as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders. They are responsible for managing the Head’s calendar, scheduling appointments, coordinating travel arrangements, and handling administration and correspondence. The EA will also be responsible for managing and organising the Head’s office and ensuring it runs efficiently.

Key responsibilities

• Manage the Head’s calendar, scheduling appointments and coordinating meetings and key events as required.
• Handle all communications and correspondence for the Head, including emails, phone calls and post.
• Organise and maintain the Head’s office, including filing and record management.
• Assist the Head with administrative tasks as required, such as preparing reports, presentations, and other documents.
• Translate documents and correspondence between English and Portuguese.
• Working with the Leadership Team in policy revision and drafting process, ensuring revision deadlines are met, managing storage and communication of policies. Coordination of translation of key policies into Portuguese
• Collaborate with other support staff on tasks as requested by the Head.
• Assist in the organisation of meetings for the Board, the Association or leadership teams.
• Take minutes during meetings chaired by the Head.
• Assist with staff recruitment and staff relocation.
• Coordinate all travel arrangements for the Head.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate

• An ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Highly proficient in IT, with specific experience using Microsoft Office and, ideally, Google Suite.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Highly personable and able to build strong relationships with all stakeholders (staff, parents, students and members of the Board of Governors).
• Diplomatic and discreet, with a high level of personal and professional integrity.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and take initiative in day-to-day tasks.
• Ability to work effectively with multiple teams, adopting a flexible and collaborative approach.
• Previous experience in administrative roles at a senior / executive level.
• Capability to stay focused and meet deadlines, even under pressure.
• Written and spoken fluency in both English and Portuguese is essential.

What we offer

• Professional Development: Opportunities for career growth and skills development through ongoing training and exposure to a variety of tasks.
• Supportive Environment: A dynamic and collaborative workplace with a focus on teamwork and mutual support.
• Networking Opportunities: Build valuable relationships with internal and external stakeholders across different levels of the organisation.
• Exposure to Senior Leadership: Direct interaction with senior executives, offering valuable insight into the decision-making processes of the organisation.

Cross-department collaboration

The Executive Assistant will be expected to work closely with various departments across the school to ensure smooth coordination of school activities.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Two-year contract, renewal by mutual agreement.
• Medical and life insurance.
• Lunch allowance.

How to apply

Please address your letter of application to the Head, Paul Morgan, and include your CV along with the contact details for two referees. The letter should clearly identify how your skills and competencies align with the key aspects of the job description. Send your application to head@stjulians.com. The closing date for applications is Thursday 2 January 2025.

Safeguarding

St. Julian’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. The offer of the role will be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification checks and criminal record screening including overseas. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

St. Julian’s School is committed to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity is a core value at St. Julian’s. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all students and staff. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design and deliver solutions.