Personal Assistant To Chief Financial Officer in Edinburgh

Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools are currently recruiting for a Personal Assistant (PA) to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join the Finance Department on a permanent basis from May 2026 (subject to satisfactory pre-employment check). The post holder will work 21.75 hours per week (equivalent to 0.6FTE), with a pro rata salary of £19,779 per annum.

If you have exceptional organisational skills and the ability to efficiently manage a multitude of competing priorities in a complex environment, this role could be for you. The role of the PA will provide high-quality, proactive and confidential executive support to the CFO ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the CFO’s office, enabling the post holder to focus on strategic leadership across finance, business operations, estates, HR, commercial activities and organisational governance.

Other key responsibilities include:

• Assisting the coordination of governance processes, including scheduling, document collation and version control for statutory, regulatory and audit-related activities.
• Act as a first point of contact for the CFO's office, communicating professionally and effectively to all key internal and external stakeholders, including senior and executive leaders of the School, external partners, auditors, regulators, insurers and commercial contracts.
• Assist with the organisation of strategic projects, workshops, consultations and planning sessions led by the CFO.
• Prepare, administer and maintain a wide range of digital and physical records and documents to a professional, high standard.

This role is a permanent, on-site role and requires a high level of flexibility, responsiveness and ability to manage sensitive and complex matters. Occasional overtime may be required as agreed with your line manager in advance.

Eligibility: ESMS is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. International applicants will therefore be unable to apply for and secure a Skilled Worker visa. The successful candidate will only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Benefits: Staff are offered a range of benefits including a generous holiday allowance, enhanced sick pay, family friendly policies, use of the Schools’ swimming pool and fitness room outside school hours, membership of the ESMS Discount and Benefits Scheme, including a range of discounts at 130,000 retail and entertainment locations.

Values: We are looking for individuals who can embody and promote ESMS values of Kindness, Confidence, Resilience, Integrity, and Curiosity while role modelling behaviours in line with our school pillars of Ambition, Innovation, and Community. ESMS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and Disclosure Scotland. All staff working at ESMS have direct access to young people therefore all posts within the school are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Any enquiries about this position should be directed to the ESMS Recruitment Team at recruitment@esms.org.uk. The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 10 April, 2026. We anticipate interviews will be held shortly after.

About ESMS: Welcome to the ESMS, a vibrant family of independent schools, set in beautiful grounds in the heart of Edinburgh. We offer a co-educational nursery and junior school, single-sex but closely twinned secondary education, and a co-educational sixth form. We are a consistently award-winning School, with an educational legacy that stretches back more than 300 years. Our Schools have always been pioneers of rounded education. Children’s education is underpinned by our values: kindness, confidence, resilience, integrity and curiosity. From virtual reality headsets in the classroom to developing one of the first outdoor learning programmes in Scotland, we are always searching for new ways to develop the whole child. The people that work for us are passionate, pioneering and strive for excellence in everything they do. We value the incredible contributions they make to school life, we invest in their careers and we support their ambitions so that they flourish professionally and personally.

Benefits: Employees get access to a range of benefits including fee remission from Nursery to S6, free school lunches, free Sports’ Club membership, including access to pool and fitness suites, generous holiday allowance, generous pension, death in service benefit, family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave, membership of the ESMS Discount and Benefits Scheme, including a range of discounts at 130,000 retail and entertainment locations, Employee Assistance Service, cycle to work scheme, car leasing salary sacrifice scheme, annual professional review process, and regular salary reviews.