Private Secretary to the Jay Inquiry Executive Team

Be part of a statutory public inquiry to keep children safer in the future.

This Private Secretary will provide efficient and effective business support to an Inquiry Executive Team office environment that combines elements of the civil service, legal and judicial professions. These roles are often fast paced, challenging and varied.

We are looking for a flexible self-starter with excellent communication skills and a customer-service mindset who is comfortable working with busy senior leaders and able to proactively interpret and carry out high-level requests. You will need to respect confidentiality at all times and carry out your work with integrity.

The role requires a high standard of workload prioritisation with the ability to take initiative based on sound judgement. It also requires excellent communication skills including the ability to interact confidently with stakeholders at all levels as well as using strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail and logical thinking.

A public inquiry has many different facets, procedures, software, and demands and this role will liaise with them all requiring effective time management, balancing competing demands and proficiency with a range of software.

The Jay Inquiry is a statutory public inquiry set up under the Inquiries Act 2005 to investigate group based sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Scotland, examine institutional responses to it and make recommendations to better protect children both now and in the future. The inquiry is independent of Scottish Ministers, meaning that the direction and functioning of the inquiry is for its Chair.

The terms of reference are intentionally broad in nature following discussions with survivors and survivor groups and in order to allow the Chair, Professor Alexis Jay, to set out lines of enquiry that best fulfil the remit. In determining those lines of enquiry, the Chair wishes to hear from survivors.

The Inquiry aims to uphold the highest standards of independence and impartiality. Before applying, all candidates are asked to consider if their career history gives rise to any conflict of interest with the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Team (Chair, Secretary and Solicitor to the Inquiry) in their governance responsibilities and day to day activities, including meeting support, acting as a point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring that they have everything they need to make informed leadership decisions and meet their statutory obligations.
• Management of the Executive Team’s inboxes and calendars, proactively archiving emails relevant to the record of the Inquiry and providing ad hoc tech support.
• Build strong relationships with the Inquiry’s senior managers, other members of the Inquiry team and external stakeholders such as the Inquiry’s Scottish Government Sponsor Team respecting confidences and providing constructive challenge where appropriate, in order to most fully realise the Executive Team’s goals.
• Communicating and following up on requests, decisions and actions taken by the Inquiry Board.
• Manage your time effectively and prioritise competing demands under pressure.
  

These duties and responsibilities are expected to change and evolve as the priorities and main activities of the Inquiry change over the period of time through to the publication of the final report and into the closedown phase.