Executive Assistant

Barnardo's; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization in the UK seeks an experienced Executive Assistant to support their Director of People and Culture. This role involves providing high-level executive support and contributes to innovative approaches in diversity, learning, and colleague experience. The ideal candidate will have excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, and a passion for fostering an inclusive culture. Flexible working arrangements and generous benefits are offered.

Benefits

26 days annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Pension plan with employer contribution

Employee assistance program

Discounts at various retailers

Qualifications

• Genuine passion for people, culture, and inclusion.
• Confidence in providing feedback to senior leaders.
• Ability to build trusted relationships across all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level executive support to the Director.
• Manage diaries, meetings, communications, and priorities.
• Contribute ideas and solutions with autonomy.

Skills

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Excellent communication

Creative problem-solving

Job description

Are you a values-led, curious, and proactive professional with a passion for people and culture?

Do you thrive in dynamic environments and enjoy exploring innovative ways of working? Barnardo's is seeking a highly motivated Executive Assistant to support our visionary Director of People and Culture.

This is a unique opportunity to be at the heart of a team shaping the future of work within our Charity. You'll play a key role in driving innovation across areas such as Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Learning & Development, and Colleague Experience. You'll also be instrumental in supporting experimental approaches, team-managed structures, and evolving people operating models.

If you're energised by variety, comfortable navigating complexity, and excited to contribute to a purpose-driven organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

What we're looking for:

• A genuine passion for people, culture, and inclusion, with curiosity about the future of work and how it connects to organisational culture.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and confidence in providing feedback to senior leaders.
• A creative problem-solver who brings initiative and is inspired by external trends and ideas.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels.

What you'll be doing:

Helping to shape a Barnardo's where everyone can belong, grow, and thrive by:

• Getting involved in key projects across People Partnering, Employee Relations, Learning & Development, EDI, People Policy, and Colleague Experience.
• Providing high-level executive support to the Director and the wider People & Culture Leadership Team.
• Ensuring smooth operations by managing diaries, meetings, communications, and priorities with care and precision.
• Contributing ideas and solutions with autonomy and confidence, acting as a trusted advisor to the Director and team.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract