Personal Assistant to The Dean - Fixed Term Maternity Cover

Fixed term maternity cover for up to 1 year

Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art is the world’s largest community of postgraduate art and design students. It is also the oldest art and design university in continuous operation and has been ranked as the world‘s number one art and design university for a remarkable ten consecutive years, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 – the worldwide survey of academic and industry opinion.

Are you organised, proactive, and ready to take on a role at the Royal College of Art? We are seeking a Personal Assistant to the Dean of the School of Architecture to join us as soon as possible for up to 1 year to cover maternity leave. (Please note if the substantive post-holder returns earlier than expected then the role will end sooner). This role is based full time at our Kensington campus, where we have a hybrid working policy of 3 days office and 2 days home.

About the Role:

As the Personal Assistant to the Dean, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation of the School of Architecture. Your primary responsibility will be to serve as a key conduit, balancing the demands on the Dean's time to prioritise academic strategy and school leadership. From managing the Dean's busy diary to coordinating senior staff availability across RCA, you'll be at the heart of our academic community.   

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide proactive support to the Dean, acting as a professional interface between the Dean and internal/external stakeholders.
• Manage the Dean's diary effectively, prioritising meetings and engagements in alignment with College and School requirements.  Safeguard time in the Dean's diary for strategic initiatives and key responsibilities.
• Coordinate senior staff availability to optimise productivity and collaboration.
• Facilitate communication flow, handling high-level and sensitive information with sound judgment.
• Provide full administrative support for internal Committees, Boards, and working groups.
• Monitor progress on tasks assigned to the Dean, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Plan and coordinate overseas trips for the Dean, maximising objectives, and value for money.  Monitoring budgets and expense management.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the induction of newly appointed direct reports of the Dean.
• Assist with school-wide events and administrative tasks as directed.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Previous experience in a similar administrative role, preferably within a higher education setting.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Proficiency in office software and technology.
• Proactive problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Join Us:

If you're ready to make a significant impact as a Personal Assistant to the Dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, we want to hear from you! Apply now to be part of our dynamic team.

Please see Information Pack for further details. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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