PA to Chief Operating Officer

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Benenden is accountable to the Headteacher for all business operations of the school, including finance, estates, IT, domestic bursary, pupil bursaries, commercial activity and People Services operations. The COO attends governing council and many of its sub-committees and is a member of the school's executive senior leadership team.

The aim of this post is to provide administrative and clerical support to the COO, assisting with all areas of this important work.

• Support the COO by planning, arranging and organising the diary and by building strong working relations as a key member of the COO's operational leadership team.
• Take delegated responsibility for operational matters and promote efficient time management and workload coordination for the COO and PA teams.
• Maintain discretion, confidentiality, reliability and a sense of humour; uphold the School's reputation through professional conduct with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the School's operations and contribute to the School's aims and objectives.
• Work with the Domestic, Estates, Finance and People Services teams, and provide support to the Clerk to Governing Council as required.
• Be part of the broader administrative team led by the Executive Assistant to the Headmistress and collaborate with PAs to other Senior Leadership Team members and School Office staff.
• This role involves handling a varied portfolio of work and may require involvement in minutes, reporting and other administrative tasks.
• Experience in specialist areas such as para-legal work, data analysis, artificial intelligence or other operational fields is beneficial.

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, accurate typing and experience of taking minutes.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy school environment, with strong communication skills and the ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion.
• Previous experience in a specialist area such as para-legal work, data analysis, artificial intelligence or another operational field is beneficial.

Benenden is one of the leading day and boarding schools in Britain. We were founded in 1923 and are situated in 250 acres of attractive parkland in Kent. There are 550 girls in the school, aged 11-18, with 190 in the Sixth Form. Benenden is at the forefront of girls' education in the UK, with recent innovations including the Benenden Diploma, a bespoke curriculum for our youngest two-year groups, and the Professional Skills Programme, teaching the Sixth Form skills for the workplace. We are an ambitious school with recent developments including a state-of-the-art Science Centre and all-weather sports pitch, and the Centenary Hall and Sir David K.P. Li Music School.

• Benenden offers its own generous pay structure, responsibility allowances and benefits.
• Staff are provided with meals whilst on duty.
• The school's leisure facilities, including grounds, a fitness gym and swimming pool, are free for staff to use when available.
• Commitment to equality of opportunity and equal pay for all employees.

The closing date for applications is Monday 2 February 2026. First round interviews are likely to be held the week commencing 2 February 2026. Applications are to be submitted via the Apply button. The post-holder will be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children; this appointment is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks. CVs are not accepted in isolation. The ideal candidate will have excellent administrative and organisational skills and strong Microsoft Office proficiency. The role requires discretion and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy school environment.