The role
Southwark’s Directors are leading the way in delivering a customer‑focused, future‑ready Housing service – with residents at the heart of everything we do. As we work towards our ambitious Southwark 2030 plan, we’re looking for a confident and highly organised Personal Assistant to provide essential support to two senior leaders.
This role sits within the Chief Executive’s department and places you right at the centre of decision‑making, helping our Directors and their teams stay focused, informed, and one step ahead. From managing busy diaries and high‑level meetings to coordinating briefings and handling sensitive correspondence, you’ll bring order, clarity and calm to a fast‑paced and high‑profile environment.
Whether you’re liaising with senior colleagues, councillors or external partners, you’ll represent the Directors with professionalism and care. Your ability to anticipate needs, solve problems and keep things moving behind the scenes will make a real difference – supporting exceptional leadership and helping deliver lasting change across Southwark’s Housing service.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Provide high‑level professional support to two Housing Directors, managing priorities and ensuring seamless day‑to‑day operations
- Manage complex diaries, coordinate meetings and handle all arrangements from agendas to minutes with precision
- Act as a key point of contact, filtering enquiries and emails with discretion, confidentiality and sound judgement
- Ensure Directors are fully briefed and prepared for meetings, keeping them informed of key developments
- Organise internal and external events, liaising with a wide range of stakeholders and partners
- Represent the Directors professionally, building strong working relationships across the council and beyond
What We’re Looking For
- Good standard of education (GCSEs or equivalent), including English and Maths at grade C / 4 or above
- Strong organisational skills and experience managing busy diaries, inboxes and competing priorities
- Track record of supporting senior managers, ideally within local government or a similarly complex setting
- Excellent communication skills – clear, confident and discreet
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and digital tools to manage admin, meetings and reports with ease
- Comfortable handling enquiries from councillors, stakeholders and the public with professionalism and tact
- Able to work independently, take initiative and adapt quickly to changing demands
- A calm, proactive problem‑solver who thrives in a fast‑paced environment
Additional Details
Full Time, 36 hours per week. This is a hybrid role, with time split between working from our offices and from home.
Salary range £38,637 – £44,937 per annum.
Employee Benefits
- A competitive base salary (pro rata for part‑time staff)
- Strong supportive senior management team
- Regular one‑to‑one supervision
- Professional development and training opportunities
- Clear career development pathways
- Agile and flexible working arrangements
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Season ticket and cycle loans
- Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, increasing to 35 (with length of service) (pro rata for part‑time staff)
- Wellbeing programme
- HSF Health plan and eye care scheme
- EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support
- Social clubs and staff groups
Disability Confident (guaranteed Interview) Scheme
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Those currently in care, or who have previously been in care
- Those who consider themselves disabled or have a long‑term health condition
