Executive Assistant to CEO

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organisation in veterinary regulation is seeking an Executive Assistant to support the CEO and the Senior Team. This role offers a chance to engage with multiple stakeholders while ensuring the smooth functioning of administrative tasks. Ideal candidates will have a strong secretarial background and excellent organisation, writing, and IT skills.

Qualifications

• Secretarial or administration qualification – not necessarily at degree level.
• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office and experience with website uploads.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as a team player.

Responsibilities

• Provide secretarial service to the CEO and Senior Team, including meeting organisation.
• Manage correspondence, invitations, and general administration duties.
• Coordinate travel arrangements and take minutes for meetings.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Excellent writing skills

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Education

Secretarial or administration qualification

Job description

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Location: Central London based, with partial remote working options

Reporting to: CEO

Direct Reports: Yes

Job level: Implement

Background

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is the statutory regulator for the veterinary profession in the UK, thanks to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and also has a range of roles that are supported by our Royal Charter, including regulation of the veterinary nursing profession.

As a regulator, we set, uphold and advance veterinary standards. As a Royal College, we promote, encourage and advance the study and practice of the art and science of veterinary surgery and medicine. We do all these things in the interests of animal health and welfare, and in the wider public interest.

Our vision is always to be ambitious and compassionate, working collaboratively to build trust and inspire all veterinary professionals to succeed.

The day-to-day running of the organisation and its 196 staff is overseen by the CEO, working in conjunction with the Council of veterinary and lay members.

Job purpose

A vacancy has arisen for a self-motivated Executive Assistant, with great communications skills and superb attention to detail, to assist the CEO in supporting the staff team and delivering against the strategic plan. The role will also support the Officer team of the College, including the President, two Vice-Presidents and Treasurer, alongside other tasks.

The role will require liaising with stakeholders at all levels and being a friendly and engaging point of contact with the RCVS Executive Office.

Key responsibilities

Providing a complete secretarial service to the Chief Executive, Officer team and other members of the Senior Team, as appropriate, including:

• Management of correspondence
• Management of invitations
• Organisation of meetings, including room booking and catering
• Coordination of visits and travel arrangements, including overseas
• General admin and organisational duties, including taking minutes, preparing agendas
• Producing and uploading information onto the website in liaison with Communications Department
• Organisation of the Past Presidents’ Annual Meeting & Dinner
• Organisation of regular meetings with other veterinary stakeholders, including secretariat function
• Coordination of arrangements for other external meetings and events as required – in-person and virtual

College Honours

• Provide secretarial support for the College Honours scheme; preparing agendas, minute taking for the Nominations Subcommittee, co-ordination of supporting papers and timetable

Senior Team and staff support

• Organise regular Senior Team meetings and provide secretariat function
• Organise monthly staff meetings and one-to-ones with the CEO
• Organise Senior Team awaydays
• Support the organisation of the annual staff awayday, working with the Events and People teams
• Arrange and act as secretary for the fortnightly Officer Team meetings, including producing agendas and minutes
• Ensure actions are completed and ensure that other members of staff attend meetings as required
• Organise the Officer summer awaydays, hotel and transport each year

Public Advisory Group

• Provide secretarial support, including fixing meetings, organising papers with those providing content, writing minutes, signing off expenses and loss of earnings requests

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Working Group

• Provide secretarial support for this working group that is supporting our response to the CMA investigation.

Stakeholder meetings

• Organise regular ‘joint officers’ meetings with relevant stakeholder organisations, as per the agreed frequency
• Secure attendance from Officers, liaise on agendas and take minutes for every other meeting (alternating with other party)

Other duties

• To carry out other duties and ad hoc projects, as required, for example, acting as secretariat for working groups, assisting with the implementation of the strategic plan
  

Essential training or qualifications

• Secretarial or administration qualification – not necessarily at degree level

Essential skills, knowledge and experience

• Excellent IT skills: Microsoft Office plus experience of uploading information onto websites and using intranets, using Survey Monkey or other similar tools
• Excellent writing skills, with superb attention to detail and the ability to proof-read
• Ability to meet multiple deadlines and stay on top of a range of different tasks at any one time
• Experience of working with committees and minute-taking
• Experience of working on own initiative and taking responsibility for key areas, as well as being a team player
• Excellent interpersonal skills and willingness to interact at events
• Strong organisational skills
• Ability to deal with people in a compassionate, just and fair manner
• Ability to deal with confidential issues

Desired training or qualifications

• Proof-reading

Desired skills, knowledge and experience

• An understanding of the veterinary profession
• An understanding of the professional regulatory world