Director jobs in United Kingdom

Department: ECONOMY/ HOUSING

Reports to: DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, Programme Manager Economy

Grade: PO2

Responsible for: N/A

The Executive Support Officer will provide confidential and professional support to the Director of Housing on a daily basis to discharge responsibilities effectively. This is a fast‑paced, exciting and varied role, with no two days the same, whilst being extremely rewarding.

You will act as a first point of contact for the Director of Housing for residents, members, the Housing Department Team (Assistant Directors) and partner organisations. You will build effective working relationships with a wide range of people, on behalf of the Director of Housing.

The role will ensure the smooth operation of the Housing’s DMT Office, including the consistent application of agreed systems, processes and protocols, acting on your own initiative as necessary.

You will be responsible for and provide effective and comprehensive inbox management for the Director of Housing, assessing and triaging enquiries in an efficient and effective manner. You will be required to act on behalf of the Director of Housing, drafting responses where required, commission work from senior managers and ensure this work is fulfilled in a timely way against the Director of Housing’s needs.

You will manage the Director of Housing’s diary, organising appointments in line with their priorities and ensuring, with others, the right information, and briefings are readily available to them in a timely way. You will manage the forward plan for the Director of Housing’s diary against the Council’s annual calendar of meetings, events and priorities. You will arrange and support the Director of Housing’s management boards, including distributing agendas, taking minutes and chasing the completion of actions.

You will support the organization of events such as workshops, resident and partner engagements and seminars.

The role will respond to enquiries from residents, local businesses, contractors and partners, resolving these at the first point of contact wherever possible.

You will exercise strong discretion and judgment on how enquiries should be handled, provide excellent customer service and act confidentially at all times, seeking advice and approval as necessary from within the Director of Housing’s DMT Office.

As required, you will be allocated project work, research, and casework to respond to on behalf of the Director of Housing’s office, including complaints and Freedom of Information requests.

• Provide confidential and professional support to the Director of Housing.
• Act as a first point of contact for residents, members, the Housing Senior Leaders Team and partner organisations, providing excellent customer service.
• Build a network of effective working relationships with senior officers, members, partner organisations and resident groups.
• Support the smooth operation of the Director of Housing’s Office, including the consistent application of agreed systems, processes and protocols, acting on your own initiative as necessary.
• Provide comprehensive inbox management for the Director of Housing, assessing, triaging and fulfilling enquiries as directed in an efficient and effective manner.
• Provide effective diary management for the Director of Housing, organising appointments in line with their and Council priorities, also ensuring longer term planning is carried out and aligned with the Council’s annual calendar.
• Support and facilitate management boards of the Director of Housing.
• Oversee and action casework, prepare information and help organise events.
• Fulfil office management duties relating to technology, equipment, stationery and premises and ensure, with others, the office is open to receive enquiries and support the Director of Housing.
• Manage filing systems for electronic and hardcopy data and information in line with the Council’s information management policies.
• Support the Council’s role in planning for and responding to civil and council emergencies including acting as a loggist to the Director of Housing when required.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) through all your work.
• Comply and support the Council’s duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

The ideal candidate will share our values, be highly motivated and tenacious, with an eye for detail. You will be adept at managing a varied workload and prioritising tasks. Your key skills will include:

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to prioritise varied workloads effectively.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, ensuring a measured and considered approach is adopted.
• Always be discrete, have integrity and maintain confidence.
• The ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including strong written communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills, putting residents at the heart of how the service operates.
• Be dynamic and forward thinking.
• Have good or advanced Microsoft Office skills, with an evidenced ability to become familiar with Council systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and a key team player, supporting the wider team as required.
• Friendly, collaborative and professional demeanour.
• Understand local government and the role of Hammersmith & Fulham Council within the community.

How we act defines who we are. At the heart of our organization is a common approach to defining ‘who we are’. We are looking for people that can build this into everything they do.

To support the Council’s role in planning for and responding to civil and council emergencies using skills/expertise of the post holder, and in accordance with council emergency procedures. To provide emergency contact details for the purposes of emergency and service continuity plans. To ensure that you have read your Service’s business continuity plan and keep abreast of any updates, so that you know what to do, if the plan is activated. To participate in any testing of emergency plans, as directed and take an active role in making suggestions to improve team plans.

To use the Council’s office‑based and mobile IT services for the input, access and transmission of information using the appropriate level of information security and classification through the use of electronic mail, diaries, word‑processing, spreadsheets and databases as well as any specific job‑related applications as required to carry out the duties of the post.

To comply with information rights legislation and the Council’s data quality and information management standards by applying information management related policies.

To report instances of non‑compliance, errors, omissions or inadequacies in procedures to the business unit manager.

To take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and any other person(s) who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, in accordance with the Health & Safety legislation.

To co‑operate with the Council insofar as is necessary to enable it to comply with its duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

It is expected that the executive support officer needs to be in the office on Mondays to Thursday at the various Council Offices and will be able to work from home on Fridays.

The reason for this is that it is important to have senior officers in housing visible across the week.

To be aware of and work in accordance with the Council’s child and adult protection policies and procedures in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults and to raise any concerns relating to such procedures which may be noted during the course of duty.

For further information on whether a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure check is required, managers should refer to Disclosure and Barring Scheme guidance.

We’re committed to making Hammersmith & Fulham one of the most inclusive borough’s in the country; a place where everyone feels valued, included and has equitable access to opportunities.

Hammersmith and Fulham is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We work to eradicate discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age and marital status. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.