Personal Assistant (Executive Support Team)

Are you an experienced Personal Assistant? If you're proactive, highly organised and enjoy variety in your work, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. No two days are the same within our Executive Support Team. Working at the heart of the organisation, you'll play a key role in supporting senior leaders, coordinating high-profile activities and helping to ensure the smooth and effective running of a busy executive function.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly regarded team where you'll have exposure to a wide range of organisational activity. From governance meetings and strategic projects to events, visits and business-critical coordination, you'll make a genuine contribution to a service that helps protect communities and save lives across West Yorkshire.

We offer an excellent package including generous holiday entitlement, family friendly policies, 37 hour week flexible working arrangements, Local Government pension scheme, free onsite parking, Sports and Social Club with free use of gym, an Employee Assistance Program and car salary sacrifice scheme.

Job Purpose

To provide proactive, high-quality administrative and executive support to the Executive and Senior Leadership Team, using technology, information and effective organisational systems to enable informed decision-making, efficient governance and service delivery across West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing complex and frequently changing diaries, ensuring priorities are balanced and executive time is used effectively.
• Managing and prioritising inboxes, correspondence, enquiries and actions, using sound judgement and initiative to respond effectively.
• Using Microsoft 365 applications and a range of ICT systems to coordinate work, manage information and support effective decision-making.
• Preparing agendas, reports, briefings, presentations and governance documentation to a consistently high standard.
• Producing accurate minutes, maintaining action logs and monitoring progress to ensure actions are delivered.
• Coordinating events, conferences, station visits, travel arrangements and executive engagements across the UK and occasionally overseas.
• Managing sensitive and confidential information with professionalism, discretion and integrity.

What We’re Looking For

You will have experience of working in a PA, Executive Assistant or senior administrative support environment, with excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities confidently and professionally. You will be comfortable working in a digitally enabled workplace, using Microsoft 365 applications and other business systems to organise information, monitor actions and support data-informed decision-making. You will be proactive, adaptable and self-motivated, with excellent communication skills and the confidence to work independently whilst contributing positively within a collaborative team.

You will also have:

• Experience of high-level diary and inbox management.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other Microsoft 365 applications.
• Willingness to undertake security clearance verification and work in an environment where confidentiality and discretion are essential.
• The ability to work under pressure and manage conflicting priorities.
• Flexibility to work outside normal hours when required to support resilience, emergency planning or business-critical activity.

Joining a first-rate organisation, you will have the job satisfaction of knowing each day that you are contributing to the success of one of just six metropolitan fire and rescue services in the UK, supporting around 950 firefighters who work round the clock, plus around 300 support staff, who help people and save lives. We are a caring organisation that promotes inclusivity, learning and development, and we welcome people from all backgrounds who share our values of integrity, respect, accountability and teamwork.

Please note, this role is 15 hours (working 5 hours per day over 3 days). One of the working days must be Friday, and the other two will be between Tuesday and Thursday.

Equal Opportunity and Safeguarding

We are an equal opportunities employer; we value and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome candidates from communities that are currently under-represented at WYFRS, including women, racially and ethnically diverse applicants and applicants with disabilities. We can offer support and adjustments for candidates and staff who experience barriers to work that result from health conditions or Specific Learning Differences, such as dyslexia.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service are committed to the safeguarding of our staff, volunteers, visitors and the community we serve. This includes protecting vulnerable adults, children and young people from potential neglect and harm. All employees must share the same commitment.