Personal Assistant to the Executive Team – Birds of Paradise Theatre Company

fst Federation of Scottish Theatre; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A prominent arts organization in Central Scotland is seeking a dedicated support staff member for their disabled executive team. The role involves providing practical and administrative assistance, ensuring accessibility, and fostering an inclusive environment. Candidates should have experience in administrative support, an understanding of disability barriers, and strong organizational skills. This position offers flexible working hours and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Driving cost reimbursement

Drop-in information sessions

Qualifications

• Experience supporting multiple people and teams.
• Understanding of access barriers for disabled individuals.
• Ability to manage meetings, agendas, and notes.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical and administrative support to the executive team.
• Ensure meetings and travel arrangements are accessible.
• Handle correspondence and manage files effectively.

Skills

Administrative support

Communication

Disability awareness

Time management

Problem solving

Education

A-Levels or equivalent

Tools

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Job description

Published date: 9 July 2025 Contract Type: Minimum 14 hours per week, more during busy times. Hybrid working. Salary/Fee: £16 per hour (self-employed) Reports to: CEO Closing Date: 31 July 2025, 12 noon Interview Date: 6th and 7th August at the BOP office in Glasgow.

Birds of Paradise are looking for a new member of staff to support our disabled executive team with practical and administrative support. This is a new role and we will be providing drop in session during July where you can come and ask us questions about the role and the company. More information below.

• Pay:£16 per hour (self-employed)
• Location:Central Scotland (you’ll need to drive). Hybrid working.
• Reports to:CEO
• Flexible hours needed:Some evenings and weekends required. Potential travel required.

What You’ll Do

Supporting the Executive Team

You will provide practical and administrative support to the senior leaders (Artistic Director, Executive Director, and Producer) who are disabled. Your job is to remove barriers so they can focus on running the company. These barriers may be physical, logistical, administrative, communication or technological. You will support the provision of accessible working environments and practices. It is important that you can do this confidentially and with a positive disability-informed approach.

Examples of what this means:

• Check if meeting venues are accessible before they go
• Drive them to appointments when needed
• Handle physical and digital administration
• Handle medical equipment to support mobility
• Advocate for the removal of access barriers
• Make sure their travel and hotels work for their access needs

Day-to-Day Tasks

• Support the leadership team in accessing spaces
• Drive the leadership team
• Carrying or gathering items
• Manage correspondence including answering phones and emails
• Proofing, editing and checking documents such as website copy, funding applications, reports
• Keep files organised (paper and digital)
• Organise meetings and write up notes
• Book accessible travel and accommodation
• Undertake desk research and collate information

Meetings and Events

• Set up meetings, including Boards (create agendas, send out papers)
• Follow up on action points
• Help plan company events that work for everyone
• Make sure events are accessible (like arranging sign language interpreters or checking wheelchair access)

Communication

• Talk to artists, funders, and partners on behalf of the team
• Adapt how you communicate to suit different people’s needs
• Act as a link between the executives and other people

What We’re Looking For

You Must Have:

• Education:A-Levels, degree, or similar work experience
• Experience:Supporting multiple people at one time and teams with admin tasks
• Disability experience:You’ve worked with disabled people professionally and understand access barriers
• Communication:Excellent spoken and written English.
• Organisation:Experience supporting the delivery of meetings or events. Strong time management skills and ability to deliver on time.
• Flexibility:Ability to deal with a dynamic, always-changing environment.
• Independent working:Can take the initiative and manage lone working as required
• Hybrid working:The space to work at home as well as in the office.
• Meeting skills:Can write agendas and take meeting notes
• IT skills:Confident with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
• Driving Licence:Full, clean licence and happy to drive regularly
• Personal qualities:Reliable, calm under pressure, good at solving problems, empathetic, discreet

It Would Be Great If You Also Have:

• Qualifications:Business Admin, Arts Admin, or Disability Studies
• Accessibility experience:Organised accessible events (like booking BSL interpreters or checking venue access)
• Arts experience:Worked with arts organisations or charities
• Executive support:Helped senior managers before
• Own car:With business insurance. Petrol costs will be covered by BOP at 45p per mile.
• Board experience:Worked with Boards or committees
• Values match:Passionate about arts and disability justice

What Success Looks Like

• The executive team can do their jobs without being held back by barriers
• Everything runs smoothly – meetings, travel, communication
• You spot problems before they happen and fix them
• You support the team’s wellbeing by understanding their needs

How to Apply

• A cover letter detailing how your experience and skills match the job description and why you are interested in the job. Maximum 2 pages.
• Alternative formats:We will accept applications in alternative formats including; a video or audio file up to a maximum of 6 minutes.
• Deadline:31st July 2025 at 12 noon (BST)
• Interviews:6th and 7th August at the BOP office in Glasgow.

We will run two drop-in sessions where you can pop in and ask us questions about the job or the company. These will be on Zoom, and two of the leadership team will be present. Both sessions will have automatic Zoom captions and Monday 21st July will have BSL interpretation. There is no obligation to apply if you attend these sessions. The time and date of these drop-in sessions are:

• Thursday 17th July between 1 -2 pm – (CAP)
• Monday 21st July between 5 – 6pm – (CAP, BSL)