TO APPLY: Please send a covering letter along with your CV.
BACKGROUND
ARK Consultancy Limited (ARK) is a thriving business working throughout the UK, delivering a wide range of consultancy services, primarily within the housing sector. We also deliver a range of other business, social enterprise and employability support initiatives in housing and allied sectors.
ARK provides a management service to Communities and Housing Investment Consortium Limited (CHIC), a member owned and governed asset management consortium. Our dedicated CHIC agency team provide all day to day management services for the consortium, working closely with a large number of members and a diverse supply chain (contractors, manufacturers and suppliers).
We operate from offices in Birmingham and London and deliver our business activities through a combination of directly employed staff and self-employed associates (currently around 120 people).
The consultancy team is supported by a dedicated group of staff who provide Administration, Bid, Finance, IT and Marketing services (Central Support Team).
ROLE PURPOSE
Our Administration Team provide gold standard administrative support for our staff and associates. They work together as a high performing team, providing effective services through efficient administration and office management, enabling our consultancy team to deliver excellent results for our clients.
As part of this team, you will provide high quality, skilled and efficient executive and administrative support. This includes direct liaison with Executive Directors (and their delivery teams) to provide high level assistance with client work, as well as other internal activities that are integral to day-to-day business operations (including Associate onboarding, monitoring and support).
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES
These duties and responsibilities will form the core of the work that you will be required to undertake.
1) EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT
Provide comprehensive executive and administrative support for directors, staff and associates, as required, including (but not limited to):
- Accurately and efficiently typing, formatting and proof-reading documents (using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook etc); ensuring adherence to branding/house styles and meeting quality/timing needs.
- Assisting Executive Directors with diary management, meeting planning and any associated travel and accommodation arrangements.
- Assisting with client specific work (e.g. online research, information collation, resource attainment, event support).
- Meeting coordination (prepare agendas, take minutes, manage documentation).
- Meeting room bookings (including set up/IT/catering requirements).
- Assisting with staff and Associate integration (e.g. recruitment, onboarding, inductions – ensuring we deliver a gold standard experience).
- Managing Associate information (availability, skills etc. – ensuring it is kept up to date and shared, as necessary, with Executive Directors).
- Maintaining filing systems – liaising with the Administration Manager to ensure they are kept up to date and well organised).
- Using our CRM system to update key contact information (producing simple reports as requested).
- Supporting with the organisation of regular team meetings/events (including creation of presentations).
2) TEAM SUPPORT
- Supporting (and deputising for, as required) the Administration Manager with meeting/document preparation for executive level meetings.
- Providing reception cover (as required).
- Providing point of contact support for facilities management queries, escalating as necessary to the Facilities Manager.
3) GENERAL SUPPORT
OFFICE SAFETY/MAINTENANCE
[where practicable and liaising with the Facilities Manager/Administration Manager]
- Ensuring the security of the building is maintained.
- Ensuring that all communal areas are clear of hazards.
- Being a fire warden.
- Assisting with the regular testing of firefighting equipment.
- Facilitating maintenance/repairs of office equipment and on-site building works.
- Being a trained first aider.
OTHER
- Any other duties as instructed, within the broad scope of the role.
As part of the Administration Team, it is expected that there will be times when tasks and responsibilities need to be shared or covered by each other (e.g. during busy periods, lunch breaks or annual leave). This is to ensure the smooth running of the business and that support is always available when needed. Therefore, knowledge of other roles within the Administration Team is important, as you may be required to step in to deliver these from time to time.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
- Play an active role in identifying, managing, and controlling risks relating to the activities of ARK.
- Observe all safety rules and always carry out safe working practices. Take reasonable care for your own health and safety, as well as for others who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
- When working off-site, appraise yourself of all health and safety practices of external organisations (e.g. client’s offices).
DIVERSITY
- Be aware of ARK’s responsibilities to provide a service that reflects and respects the diverse communities in which we work.
- Forge strong partnership relationships and communicate effectively with colleagues, as well as people from all sectors of the community/outside agencies.
ADDITIONALLY
- Keep abreast of the changing face of the social housing operating environment (through involvement in meetings/conferences/seminars, reading appropriate journals etc.), evaluate/report on such information/implement where appropriate.
- Undertake any such training and further education as identified and agreed with your line manager and/or responsible director.
- Respect and uphold the confidential nature of the services that ARK provides to and for its clients.
- All information held or used by you in relation to ARK Consultancy Limited, CHIC Ltd and clients is to be regarded as confidential. You should not, at any time, disclose any information as to the business dealings, finances, software, intellectual property, business models, processes or procedures of ARK or CHIC, nor any facts or knowledge in relation to ARK’s clients or CHIC’s members. All proposals, reports, business models, spreadsheets, memoranda and other documents/IP in your possession (both electronic and hard copy) are, and shall remain, the property of ARK Consultancy Limited.
This Role Profile forms part of the contract of employment of the person appointed to this post. It reflects the position at the present time only and may be changed at ARK’s absolute discretion in the future.
As a general term of employment, ARK may affect any necessary change in job content and may require the post-holder to undertake other duties, whether working from our offices, home or at a client's office.
CORE TERMS
- Salary – £35,000
- Pension scheme – 5% ARK contribution matching employee contribution
- Holiday – basic entitlement of 25 days per annum (pro rata to the start date – ARK’s financial/holiday year runs July to June) and statutory bank holidays. For each completed year of employment as at 30th June, 1 additional day of annual leave (up to a maximum of 5 extra days)
- Private health insurance and death in service life cover – commencing upon successful completion of probationary period
- For more information about our benefits, please go to: https://www.arkconsultancy.co.uk/about/work-with-us/
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications
- GCSE B grade or above in English and Maths and at least one other English language subject (History/RE/ Geography etc.) | Essential
- A secretarial or administrative qualification or demonstrable experience in a similar role | Essential
Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Understanding
- Significant experience of working within an office environment delivering efficient administrative/PA services | Essential
- Excellent IT skills with full working knowledge of Microsoft applications, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams | Essential
- Experience of event/meeting organisation | Essential
- Diary management | Essential
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written | Essential
- Typing and note/minute taking skills | Essential
- Research skills | Desirable
- Database skills – data inputting etc. | Desirable
- Proofreading skills | Essential
Other Attributes
- Confident and resilient | Essential
- Highly organised and an eye for detail | Essential
- Ability to work under pressure and prioritise work effectively and efficiently | Essential
- Able to work on your own initiative to problem solve | Essential
- Demonstrate personal drive and motivation | Essential
- Great team player – collaborative | Essential
- Respects confidentiality | Essential
- Willingness to learn new skills | Essential
Pay: £35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Life insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- Are you highly skilled in Microsoft Office 365 software?
Experience:
- Administrative: 3 years (required)
Language:
- English Fluently (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Birmingham (West Midlands)
