At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide high-level support to the Corporate Director of Children's Services and manage complex priorities.
- Company: Join a dynamic team in Croydon with a focus on making a difference for children and families.
- Benefits: Competitive hourly rate, hybrid working, and potential for contract extension.
- Other info: Opportunity to work closely with senior stakeholders and develop your career in a meaningful role.
- Why this job: Be at the heart of impactful decision-making and support senior leaders in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in executive support, strong organisational skills, and excellent communication abilities.
Location: Croydon - Hybrid working - 3 days office per week (depending on business needs)
Hourly rate: £26.68 PAYE / £35.48 Umbrella
Contract Length: 3-month contract (possibility of extension)
Working Pattern: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 36 hours
ASAP Start
About the Role
We're looking for an exceptional Executive Officer to provide high-level, confidential support to the Corporate Director of Children's Services. This is a pivotal role at the heart of the directorate, supporting the Corporate Director to deliver key priorities and ensure the smooth and effective running of their office. You'll be a trusted adviser and key point of contact, managing complex demands, coordinating priorities, and helping to drive the delivery of services that make a real difference to children, young people and families. No two days are the same. You'll work closely with senior leaders, elected Members and colleagues across the organisation, balancing competing priorities while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, discretion and customer service. The role also includes taking minutes for up to 2-3 meetings per week, both in-person and hybrid.
What You'll Be Doing
- Providing high-level, confidential support to the Corporate Director of Children's Services.
- Managing a complex diary, inbox and correspondence, ensuring competing priorities are effectively coordinated.
- Preparing high-quality briefings, reports, presentations and meeting papers to support informed decision making.
- Taking accurate minutes and tracking actions from up to 2-3 meetings per week, including both in-person and hybrid meetings.
- Coordinating and monitoring actions arising from senior leadership, governance and partnership meetings.
- Supporting the preparation and quality assurance of Cabinet, Scrutiny, Directorate and corporate reports.
- Maintaining oversight of key deadlines, forward plans and priority work programmes.
- Building productive relationships with senior officers, Members and colleagues across the Council.
- Supporting the delivery of directorate priorities by monitoring progress, identifying risks and helping to drive improvement activity.
- Leading, supporting and coordinating the work of Executive Support Officers where applicable.
About You
We're looking for someone who can work confidently with senior stakeholders and who thrives in a demanding, fast-paced environment.
You will have:
- Significant experience providing executive support to a senior leader within a large and complex organisation.
- Experience managing demanding diaries, inboxes and competing priorities with minimal supervision.
- Experience preparing high-quality briefings, reports, presentations and correspondence.
- Strong experience supporting senior leadership and governance meetings, including agenda management, minute taking and action tracking.
- Proven ability to coordinate work across multiple teams and stakeholders.
- Experience identifying, managing and escalating risks, issues and competing priorities.
- Previous management or supervisory experience.
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
- The ability to work with discretion, integrity and political awareness when handling sensitive information.
Executive Officer employer: Adecco
Adecco is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values flexibility and work-life balance, particularly for the Seasonal DBS Cleaner role in Chelmsford. Employees benefit from a competitive pension scheme and various incentives, alongside opportunities for personal growth and development within a dynamic team environment, making it a rewarding place to contribute to the cleanliness of educational settings.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Executive Officer
✨Get Involved in Industry Events
Jumping into industry events or leadership conferences can really help boost your visibility. Not only will you meet potential employers, but you’ll also get the chance to connect with other leaders in corporate management. Look for local or even virtual events that focus on leadership—every connection counts!
✨Engage in Professional Networks
Join professional management associations relevant to your career goals. These networks often host workshops, panels, and networking events that can put you in front of hiring managers. Plus, they can give you the scoop on upcoming roles, such as the full-time positions with companies like Adecco.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
When reaching out to potential employers, particularly for leadership roles, demonstrate your leadership capabilities with real examples. Share stories from your previous positions that illustrate how you handled challenges and drove results. This will help you stand out when you apply to places like Adecco.
✨Tailor Your LinkedIn Presence
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is specifically tailored to corporate leadership. Highlight achievements, showcase relevant content and engage with posts in management groups. This not only builds your credibility but keeps you on the radar of companies looking for candidates like you as they post full-time opportunities.
We think you need these skills to ace Executive Officer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers talk, especially in management! When detailing your achievements in your CV or cover letter, don’t just say you improved team performance. Instead, say you boosted productivity by 30% over six months through effective strategy implementation. This makes your application pop and shows us what you can bring to Adecco.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Adecco. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Adecco
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Adecco, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Adecco, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
✨Craft Your Vision for the Company
Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Adecco could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
✨Emphasise Team Dynamics and Culture
In corporate leadership, team dynamics and organisational culture are everything. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered a positive work environment in previous roles. Bring up examples of how you've managed diverse teams effectively—this will resonate well at Adecco as they’re likely seeking a candidate who can enhance their workplace culture.
