Senior Support Assistant - Private Housing Team

Gateshead Council; Gateshead; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Excellent Pension Scheme

28–32 days annual leave

Flexible Working Hours

Hybrid working across roles

Employee benefits package

Job summary

Gateshead Council seeks an organized administrative professional to support Directors and Senior Officers within the Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities group. You will manage diaries, coordinate governance meetings, take minutes, and respond to enquiries while handling invoices and providing programme support.

The role involves assisting with projects, preparing papers, and helping with FOI/SAR processes, risk, and performance activities.

Qualifications

• Using Microsoft Office (including Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel)
• A minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 including Maths and English (or relevant equivalent experience)
• Level 2 Business Administration Principles Certificate (or equivalent) or relevant demonstrable experience
• Experience of providing administrative support
• Experience of effectively responding to enquiries from customers or other services
• Experience of organising and servicing meetings, including preparing papers and taking minutes
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Experience of handling sensitive or confidential information appropriately
• Experience of developing templates or spreadsheets to gather and present information
• Ability to input, retrieve and collate information from systems
• Ability to work independently and use own initiative
• Empathetic, demonstrating understanding and sensitivity towards others
• Strong problem-solving ability
• Ability to remain calm under pressure

Responsibilities

• Provide support to Directors and Senior Officers across the Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities group
• Coordinate partnership and governance meetings and take minutes
• Diary management and handling enquiries (phone, post, email, social media)
• Handle invoices, raise orders, and update systems and spreadsheets
• Assist programmes and projects, taking notes, recording actions, and contributing to core documents
• Assist senior officers with governance responsibilities (FOI, SARs, risk, assurance, performance)
• Support project administration, including planning and documentation
• Undertake other responsibilities appropriate to the grade of the post

Skills

Diary management

Meeting coordination

Responding to enquiries

Minutes taking

Administrative support

Financial administration

Problem solving

Communication

Teamwork

Education

GCSEs including Maths & English (4+)

Level 2 Business Administration Principles Certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel)

Job description

The post holder will provide support and assist Directors and Senior Officers across the Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities group. The role will involve coordinating partnership and governance meetings and attending in a support capacity to accurately take and record minutes, managing diaries, responding to enquiries and handling invoices. The post holder will also provide assistance to programmes and projects, taking notes and action points, carrying out actions and contributing to key project documents.

What you'll get to do Diary management Diary management to support the senior leadership team. Effectively respond to enquiries, including:

• Telephone enquiries.
• Postal enquiries.
• Emails received in central inboxes.
• Enquiries via social media channels.

Financial and administrative support Handle invoices, raise orders, and update relevant systems and spreadsheets.

Coordinate partnership and governance meetings, including:

• Preparing agendas, reports, and associated papers in a timely manner.
• Making room bookings and arranging equipment or facilities.
• Arranging and setting up virtual meetings via Microsoft Teams.
• Attending meetings and taking minutes.
• Provide assistance to internal and external programmes and projects (e.g. Housing Improvement Programme), including:
• Arranging project meetings and workshops.
• Taking notes and recording action points.
• Carrying out actions from meetings.
• Conducting relevant research.
• Supporting project administration, including contributing to project plans and core documents

Assist senior officers in meeting corporate and governance responsibilities, including:

• Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and Subject Access Requests (SARs).
• Risk management.
• Assurance.
• Performance monitoring.
• Complaints handling.
• Audit processes.
• Health and safety.
• Government and grant-related r returns.

Other responsibilities

• Undertake any other responsibilities appropriate to the grade of the post.

Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application. Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.

Qualifications and experience

• Using Microsoft Office (including Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel) and internet-based search engines
• A minimum of 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 including Maths and English (or relevant equivalent experience)
• Level 2 Business Administration Principles Certificate (or equivalent) or relevant demonstrable experience
• Experience of providing administrative support
• Experience of effectively responding to enquiries from customers or other services
• Experience of organising and servicing meetings, including preparing papers and taking minutes
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Experience of handling sensitive or confidential information appropriately
• Experience of developing templates or spreadsheets to gather and present information
• Ability to input, retrieve and collate information from systems
• Ability to work independently and use own initiative
• Empathetic, demonstrating understanding and sensitivity towards others
• Strong problem-solving ability
• Ability to remain calm under pressure

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We're delighted that you're interested in working with us. You'd be joining us at a very exciting time. We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive. At Gateshead Council you'd be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we're confident that it isn't just the salary that attracts our staff. Please not that this is a fixed term Maternity Cover vacancy.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don't just offer a great salary - we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides: https://twpf.info
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Learning & Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions - a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services - plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service).