Education Team Executive Officer
Permanent Part time: 21 hours per week
Salary: £30,500. Pro rata. Actual: £18 300
‘Church Schools living out the Good news of Jesus transforming the world by transforming lives’
The Church of England Birmingham covers an area of nearly 300 square miles and includes parishes in the West Midlands including Birmingham and parts of Solihull, Sandwell, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The Diocesan Board of Education is a Subcommittee of the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance, and has oversight of the statutory duties the Church of England has to it schools. They currently employ a small team of 3 officers supported by an admin team of 3 people to deliver this work. Each person has their own brief and specific responsibilities, but the team works collaboratively over many aspects of the work, to deliver what is required.
Right at the heart of our work are 18 000 children who attend 52 Church of England Schools.
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced part time administrator (21 hours a week) to join our current support team in the provision of a breadth of high-level administrative and practical support (as decided by the lead officers); to the Diocesan Director of Education; and to the Diocesan Board of Education and its governance boards and meetings.
The key tasks and responsibilities of the role include:
1. Board of Education, governance boards and committees
1.1 High-level administrative support to the Diocesan Board of Education, facilitating and guiding its governance boards and meetings.
1.2 Be the first point of contact relating for queries relating to the Board and its functions.
1.3 Act as clerk, supplying Governance administration and meetings management (identifying dates, circulating agendas, papers, taking minutes, identifying and following up on action points, and providing hospitality) for the Diocesan Board of Education meetings and its sub-committees. You will provide the same function for the Diocese of Birmingham Educational Trust; the Palmer Educational Charity, and other committees/meetings as required.
1.4 Managing databases, records and communications relating to committees/boards.
1.5 Liaising with and giving additional administrative support to the Chair of the Board, as required.
2. Support for the Diocesan Director of Education (DDE) including:
2.1 Support the Diocesan Director of Education (DDE) with her correspondence (post, e-mail and telephone), using own initiative to respond on behalf of the DDE, prioritising appropriately.
2.2 Take a proactive approach to managing the DDE’s diary and schedule, as agreed, including forward and strategic planning, practical arrangements and briefings, reminders, and ensuring that the DDE has all necessary paperwork in advance.
2.3 The arranging of formal and informal meetings, briefings, or social events as needed.
2.4 Sending communications and receiving enquiries on behalf of the DDE in various areas of work.
2.5 Maintaining relationships and PR with key stakeholders, internal and external, in line with agreed strategies.
2.6 Managing filing (electronic and paper) updating data and information held as required. and ensuring compliance with GDPR.
3. School Governance
3.1 Provide support for School Governance work, including administering Foundation Governor appointments; organising online training and keeping records; developing and maintaining a Governance database of our schools and appointments. Maintain current Chair of Governors and Clerks lists and email groups.
4. General administrative and team functions:
4.1 Be an active part of the support officer network and wider staff team.
4.2 Provide additional capacity to wider Educational team events, when needed.
4.3 Work with and alongside our other admin team members to deliver the priorities of the team.
4.4 Produce documents, reports and statistics as required.
4.5 Other administrative duties as required.
The Ideal Candidate
Please ensure that you address these points in your application.
Essential:
• An understanding of, and an appreciation for, the Christian ethos and values.
• A willingness to live-out our values of being: Collaborative; Generous; Supportive; Inspirational and Committed to a Common Purpose.
• Previous experience of high-level administration and governance.
• Professionalism and confidence.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle queries from a wide range of people, including handling sensitive and confidential information.
• A self-starter with the ability to use initiative appropriately and enjoys working in a team.
• Excellent planning & organising skills, including experience of managing multiple and competing priorities.
• High-level accuracy/attention to detail.
• Successful experience and confident in using Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Power point and Excel), Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
• Experience of working within a complex governance framework; including clerking meetings, producing accurate minutes and advising on process in such a setting.
Desirable:
• Knowledge of school structures and governance systems would be advantageous.
Terms & Conditions
• 21 hours per week. There is flexibility in working hours, however Diocesan Board meetings are held in person half termly on a Thursday between 4 and 6pm and Education team meetings are held weekly, in person on Friday mornings between 9:30 and 11:30am. There is an option for hybrid working.
• Salary: 21 hours, £18 300 per annum (FTE £30,500)
• Pension – 12% employer contribution into the Church Workers Pension Fund
• Holiday of pro-rata 5 weeks per year (15 days), plus (5 days) Bank Holidays plus 3 additional
• Three Diocesan Discretionary Days taken between Christmas and New Year.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work.
We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.
Closing date for applications: Sunday 23rd February 2025
Interview day: Interviews to be held in person on Monday 3rd March 2025
To apply for the role, please click here.