Post Reference: 2374

Academy: Leeds East Academy

Job Title: Personal Assistant to the Principal

Grade: C1- C3 (£26,421to £31,364)

Hours: 37 hours per week, All Year Round – Fixed term until 31st January 2025

Accountable to: Academy Business Manager/Principal

Leeds East Academy is an over-subscribed 11-16 academy that has recently achieved the title of UK Parliament School of the Year. We are a vibrant, diverse and welcoming academy community who are committed to securing our highly ambitious vision of ‘Everyone Exceptional’ for every single member of our wonderful school. Over the last three years the school has been on a rapid journey of transformation which has resulted in significant improvements in attendance, progress, and behaviour. We received a ‘good’ judgement in our 2019 Ofsted inspection and every member of our community is determined to convert this to outstanding and beyond at our next inspection. 

We are proud to be an academy who forms part of the High-Performance Learner international community and our vision of ‘Everyone Exceptional’ is underpinned by the principles of High-Performance Learner. The principles simply foster the belief that every child can and will perform highly and are able to excel both academically and personally within the right climate and culture. We have worked closely with our academy community to develop a culture and climate in which both staff and students can flourish.

Our academy is committed to delivering an outstanding education to each and every one of our students. We provide exceptional life training; harnessing the skills and fortifying the aspirations of young people, who we know will transform the region and provide a positive, progressive contribution to society.

White Rose Academies Trust is a local trust dedicated to raising and fulfilling the ambitions of young people. Our academies throughout Leeds are at the heart of the communities they serve, which is why we are committed to delivering an outstanding education to every one of our students.

Role: 

Provide a confidential secretarial service to the Principal, ensuring that the Principal is briefed for all meetings with relevant correspondence, documents/presentations and that the Principal’s diary is kept up to date and accurate.   

To undertake any other appropriate duties, as requested by the Principal and Academy Business Manager, to assist with the efficient running of the academy’s support services.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To proactively organise and manage all aspects of the Principals and senior leadership team’s business to ensure the effective running of the Academy. 
• To respond to emails, written correspondence and telephone calls on behalf of the Principal and senior leadership team as requested, using own initiative to take action on standard administrative and secretarial matters. 
• To deal with enquiries from parents, students, staff, governors, external organisations including feeder schools and prospective parents and pupils, on a wide range of issues. 
• To act as the first line of response to other internal and external enquiries directing them to other internal staff as appropriate.   
• To work closely with the Principal and senior leadership team (SLT), including arranging appointments, organising meetings and events and managing the Principal and SLT’s diaries when required. 
• To meet and greet visitors, interview candidates and other academy guests and arrange any hospitality required. 
• To produce high quality reports, letters and other correspondence for the Principal and SLT. 
• To collect, open, sort and distribute the Principal’s post and outgoing correspondence. 
• To develop and maintain a suitable filing system for SLT as appropriate to meet need. 
• To maintain databases to ensure they are up to date.
• To overseeing the filing and admin responsibilities and compliance trigger points in HR.
• To maintain the academy website/social media content liaising with the WRAT services to ensure all remain compliant and contain up to date and relevant information.
• To develop and maintain a bring-forward system for correspondence and review of pending files on a regular basis for the Principal ensuring that the Principal and SLT has all relevant documentation when attending meetings. 
• To develop and maintain the Leeds East Academy staff calendar. 
• To carry out photocopying and preparation of material for the Principal and SLT as required. 
• Under the direction of the Principal and senior colleagues, assist with the organisation and preparation of academy events, e.g. Parents Evening, Open Day. 

Part of White Rose Academies Trust - Leeds East Academy is accelerating on a thrilling journey, which will ultimately see the school, its staff and its students, secure an Ofsted rating of World Class.

We are securing our vision for World Class by growing our family of exceptional education professionals, dedicated specialists and passionate leaders with the shared goal of transforming future prospects for the next generation in West Yorkshire.

The trust currently employs over 500 members of staff and is responsible for educating and developing almost 4,000 students between the ages of 3 to 16. The trust consists of three secondary schools - Leeds City Academy, Leeds East Academy and Leeds West Academy, and also welcomed its first primary school Alder Tree Primary Academy on 1st December 2020.

We believe the trust is a highly desirable place of work for an ambitious professional, who will be joining one of the most supportive and talented teams in the country.

White Rose Academies Trust is a member of Luminate Education Group. Other members of the group include Harrogate College, Keighley College, Leeds City College and Leeds Conservatoire. The group provides leadership and operational support and advice to all our academies. They also share our vision of creating a truly world class trust.

Closing Date:          Monday 4th December 2023, 9am

Shortlisting:            Monday 4th December 2023

Interviews:              Thursday 7th December 2023

Start Date:                As soon as possible, upon successful completion of pre-employment checks

For more information, please visit our website at www.whiteroseacademies.org.  

To apply, please complete the application form and return to recruitment@whiteroseacademies.org by the closing date. Please note we are unable to accept CV’s.

White Rose Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and expects all staff and volunteers to share the commitment. Appointments will be subject to Safer Recruitment Procedures and an enhanced DBS check. 

Please note this role will involve contact with children and you will be engaging in regulated activity. It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

We promote diversity and want a workforce which reflects the population of Leeds.  Applications are welcome from all, irrespective of sex, sexuality, race, religion, marital status, age, or disability.

PLEASE NOTE THE REQUIREMENT TO ATTACH YOUR APPLICATION FORM AS A SEPARATE DOCUMENT TO YOUR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FORM WHEN EMAILING YOUR APPLICATION TO US.

The above post is not a Leeds City Council vacancy and has been advertised on behalf of the relevant organisation. To apply please follow their application instructions.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.