Strategic Executive Support Officer for Council Leadership

New Start; Braintree; Hybrid; GBP 19,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council, supporting Braintree District Council, seeks an Executive Support Officer to provide high‑level administrative support to the Corporate Management Board and Cabinet. You will manage diaries, coordinate meetings, and handle MP correspondence while collaborating with the Executive Support Team to ensure efficient services for residents and partners.

You will possess substantial PA experience, demonstrate tact and diplomacy, and work on-site three days per week.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage MP correspondence ensuring all correspondence is logged and responded to accordingly.
• Assist in meeting arrangements for members of the Executive Team.
• Develop effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, colleagues and customers.
• 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.
• Work collaboratively with PA colleagues to provide support, assistance and cover in the office.
• Arrange and create agendas for executive level, highly sensitive meetings with internal and external partners.
• Receive visitors for members of the Executive Team and/or Leader of the Council.
• Support with procurement and payment for goods and services.
• Coordinate collection of data and reports from services as required.
• Undertake any other duties as directed by the Executive Support Manager.

Skills

Diary management

Meeting minuting

Event planning

Public events

Diplomacy

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Discretion

IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, /O

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Publisher

Outlook

Job description

Essex County Council, supporting Braintree District Council, seeks an Executive Support Officer to provide high‑level administrative support to the Corporate Management Board and Cabinet. You will manage diaries, coordinate meetings, and handle MP correspondence while collaborating with the Executive Support Team to ensure efficient services for residents and partners.

You will possess substantial PA experience, demonstrate tact and diplomacy, and work on-site three days per week.