Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant

The school offers a bespoke and challenging academic curriculum, combined with pastoral care of the highest standard and an outstanding co-curricular program, all rooted in the Harrow core values of Courage, Honor, Humility and Fellowship. Harrow New York equips its students with character, resilience, and adaptability to flourish and be of good influence in the world that awaits them.

All members of staff work to a single, uniting purpose: to prepare students with diverse backgrounds and abilities for a life of learning, leadership, service, and personal fulfilment.

The Executive Assistant will have the primary responsibility for supporting the Principal and providing administrative assistance to other members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), as required and agreed by the Principal. The role requires excellent judgement, a proactive approach, empathy, discretion, and initiative. This role is essential to ensuring the smooth operation of the School’s leadership office, and responsibilities will evolve over time to meet the needs of the school. The specific responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to, the following: KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Managing the Principal’s calendar and scheduling appointments, meetings, and events.
• Handling correspondence, including emails, phone calls, and letters, on behalf of the Principal, where appropriate, ensuring timely responses and follow-ups.
• Coordinate and prepare documents, reports, presentations, and agendas for meetings and board presentations.
• Perform general administrative tasks, including filing, data entry, and office management duties.
• Taking minutes during meetings and distributing them to relevant parties.
• Coordinate travel arrangements, correspondence, and itineraries for the Principal and SLT as requested.
• Be a warm professional presence for visitors, both in-person and virtually.
• Serve as the secretary for SLT meetings, preparing agendas, taking minutes, and following up on action points between meetings.
• Provide administrative and diary management support to SLT members as requested.
• Oversee administrative tasks related to inspections.

• Overseeing office operations, including ordering supplies, maintaining equipment, and ensuring a well-organized and efficient workplace.
• Manage office expenses and work with the finance department to reconcile accounts, as necessary.
• Organize catering for meetings and events, ensuring dietary requirements are met.

• Act as a liaison between the Principal and faculty, staff, parents, students, and external stakeholders.
• Facilitate communication across departments, ensuring information flows smoothly and that deadlines are met.
• Answer telephone calls for the School, handling inquiries, directing calls to the appropriate staff members, and ensuring messages are relayed accurately.
• Ensure documents follow the School’s branding and style guidelines.
• Assist in processing internal and external correspondence as requested.
• Support SLT with complaints procedures and internal investigations.

• Assisting in the planning and coordinating of school events, such as parent-teacher meetings, staff development days or special school functions.
• Supporting the Principal in managing school wide projects, including tracking progress and ensuring timelines are adhered to.
• Coordinate planning for school visitors, including external speakers, inspectors, and board members.

• Assisting the Principal in implementing school-wide initiatives, such as new curriculum rollouts, policy updates, or community outreach programs.
• Conduct research and gather data to support decision-making processes and strategic planning.

• Perform crisis response duties as assigned.
• Assisting in handling parent or staff concerns.

• Maintain school policies to ensure compliance with legislative and inspection body requirements,
• Assist with drafting and revising school policies, when necessary.
• Assist in updating handbooks in collaboration with various departments.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Proven experience as an Executive Assistant or in a similar administrative role, preferably in an educational setting.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in a relevant field, desirable.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to interact with various stakeholders, including staff, parents, students, and external organizations.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook), scheduling systems and other relevant software.
• A proactive, problem-solving approach with the ability to anticipate needs and provide solutions.

• A high level of professionalism and integrity.
• A positive and approachable attitude with the ability to stay calm under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities and flexibility to adapt to the evolving needs of the School.
• Commitment to supporting the school’s values and educational mission.
• Professional phone communication skills.

• This is a full-time position with occasional after-hours work required for meetings or events.
• The role requires a collaborative working relationship with various departments and stakeholders.
• Must be able to occasionally lift and move objects up to 30 pounds, such as office supplies, water bottles, equipment, or materials for events.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this role, Harrow New York requires all applicants to demonstrate their qualifications and experience by submitting the following documents by 12pm EDT on Friday, November 8, 2024:

• Cover letter introducing yourself to the Harrow New York search committee and highlighting your specific interest in joining the Harrow New York community
• CV/Resume
• Two Professional References: Include each person’s name, current organization, title, phone number, email, and connection to you. We will not contact any references without obtaining your permission

Please note that only applications that include both a cover letter and resume will be considered.

SELECTION PROCESS

Harrow New York is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, and local laws.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person