Executive Support Officer - Braintree District Council

Essex County Council; Essex; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council, supporting Braintree District Council, seeks an Executive Support Officer on a 3-month initial contract. On-site role, 3 days per week, paying £16.75 PAYE / £21.45 Umbrella per hour. Full-Time, Temporary (37 hours/week).

Closing date: Mon 26 Oct 2026. Role focuses on providing professional administrative support to the Corporate Management Board and Cabinet, coordinating meetings, and liaising with internal/external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience as a PA/administrator to senior managers.
• Experience of event planning and delivering public events.
• Experience operating in a politically sensitive environment.
• Developed tact and diplomacy skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities with stakeholder liaison capabilities.
• Proficient IT skills across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage MP correspondence, logging and responding.
• Assist in arranging meetings for Executive Team members.
• Develop effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain understanding of senior management roles and council work.
• Collaborate with PA colleagues to provide office support and cover.
• Arrange and create agendas for executive-level meetings with partners.
• Receive visitors for Executive Team/Leader of the Council.
• Support procurement and payment for goods and services.
• Coordinate data and reports from services as required.
• Undertake any other duties as directed by the Executive Support Manager.

Skills

Diary management

Event planning

Stakeholder liaison

Communication skills

Discretion & confidentiality

IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, On

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Publisher

Outlook

Job description

Executive Support Officer - Braintree District Council

Braintree, Essex

£16.75 PAYE / £21.45 Umbrella

Full-Time, Temporary

37 Hours per Week

Closing Date: Monday 26th October 2026

Essex County Council are delighted to be supporting Braintree District Council in recruiting an Executive Support Officer on an initial 3month contract.

Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will be required to work on-site, 3 days per week.

The Opportunity:

• To support the Executive Support Manager in providing professional, support and administrative support to the Corporate Management Board and Cabinet.
• To work collaboratively as part of an Executive Support Team to ensure the council delivers an efficient and effective service to residents, stakeholders and partners

Role Accountabilities:

• To proactively manage MP correspondence ensuring all correspondence is logged and responded to accordingly.
• To assist in meeting arrangements for members of the Executive Team.
• To develop effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, colleagues and customers.
• To develop and maintain an understanding of the roles of senior management, senior Members and an extensive knowledge of the work of the Council and the Directorates.
• To work collaboratively, flexibly and effectively with PA colleagues to provide support, assistance and cover in the office.
• Assist with arranging and creating agendas for executive level, highly sensitive, meetings with internal and external partners.
• To receive visitors for members of the Executive Team and/or Leader of the Council
• To support the Executive Support Manager with procurement and payment for goods and services.
• To co-ordinate the collection of data and reports from services as required.
• To undertake any other duties and activities as directed by the Executive Support Manager and to advise if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.

The Experience You Will Bring:

• Substantial experience of working as a PA/administrator to senior managers including diary management, arranging and minuting meetings.
• Evidence of event planning and delivering public events.
• Experience of operating in a politically sensitive environment.
• Developed tact and diplomacy skills
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Positive, proactive and professional approach with resilience to cope with demands of the role.
• Proven ability to liaise in a discreet, professional and confidential manner.
• Excellent literacy skills - writing emails, letters, preparing agendas and documentation associated with event coordination and planning.
• Proficient IT skills across a range of packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Civic procedures and protocol and ability to advise others on this.
• Out of hours working as and when required.