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St Mark’s School

Principal’s Executive Assistant Job Description

Purpose The Principal’s Executive Assistant manages the Principal’s Office providing support, administrative assistance and business services to the Principal.

As such, the role demands discretion, diplomacy and good judgement. The role includes implementation of quality office systems and development of sound administrative practices as agreed with the Principal.

In addition, the Executive Assistant: ● will provide business services to the Senior Leadership Team, in particular the Deputy

Principal and Business Manager, as directed, and is the Board Secretary to the School Board

● will give support to the School Office where required, such as cover to Reception.

Authority Authority is given by the Principal according to the policies and directions of the School.

Relationships Internal The Principal’s Executive Assistant works closely with and reports directly to the Principal. In addition the Executive Assistant will provide some limited business support to the Senior Leadership Team, as directed by the Principal. The Principal’s Executive Assistant will be a member of the Business Support Team and the Senior Leadership Team.

External The Executive Assistant has frequent contact with members of the Senior Leadership Team, School teaching and business support staff, students, parents.and outside community, including agencies that work with the School, for example ISNZ, FACTS School Management, NZ Police, Ministry of Education, SchoolDocs, Cat Herder.

Accountabilities The Executive Assistant is responsible to the Principal for the effective and efficient management of all delegated responsibilities.

Specific Responsibilities The Principal’s Executive Assistant supports and assists the Principal, providing effective and efficient business services including preparing newsletters, drafting reports, documentation and outward correspondence, proofreading; organising the Principal’s electronic calendar; document filing; minute taking, screening phone calls and incoming correspondence, project work and, where required, providing business services to the School Board.

Person Specifications The Principal’s Executive Assistant will be professional, discreet, collaborative and adaptable. They will be highly self-motivated, have a very positive outlook and a great sense of humour in this multi-faceted and often pressured environment.

The Executive Assistant will have demonstrated successful, effective and efficient management practices and excellent organisational skills in previous EA/PA positions.

The Executive Assistant will: ● be highly confidential ● have initiative ● have good judgement ● be highly self-motivated ● be a team player ● be accurate ● be enthusiastic ● be calm under pressure ● be able to deal with and cope with change ● be able to multi-task several projects at once, without having to finish things before

moving on ● eager to provide excellence in business skills and office management ● have the ability to work independently, to prioritise and to manage busy and varied

work loads ● have excellent interpersonal skills, relating professionally, confidently and

diplomatically to staff, the School Board, parents, students and the wider community ● have excellent computer skills is essential - in Google Docs, Gmail, Excel and skills

in database management and record keeping ● have excellent communication skills ● be able to develop, and present written information, such as, letters, agendas,

minutes, reports, comms ● be supportive of the Board and the Senior Leadership Team of St Mark’s ● be willing and able to promote and uphold the School Character, goals and objectives

of the School.

Duties/Outcomes The Principal’s Executive Assistant will:

● Manage the Principal’s Office in providing support, administrative assistance and business services to the Principal

● Provide limited business support to the Senior Leadership Team, in particular the Deputy Principal and Business Manager, as directed by the Principal

● Provide business services for the St Mark’s School Board in the role of Board Secretary - schedule all board, subcommittee and strategy meetings as requested; take minutes for all Board meetings (approx 8 per year) and subcommittee meetings (7 subcommittees - meetings are monthly or termly); prepare documents and/or reports (eg Strategy, comms, recruitment, board handbook); be the administrator for the Board Portal (Cat Herder), and ad hoc requests

● Provide implementation of quality office systems and development of sound administrative practices as agreed with the Principal

● Be the administrator, along with the Principal and Board Chair, for the SchoolDocs Policy website - includes ensuring policies are reviewed as per the schedule, and updates to school policies are provided to SchoolDocs

● Manage Principal’s electronic calendar ● Manage prospective parent interviews with the Director of Admissions ● Take minutes for various meetings: Staff and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and

others, as required ● Organise the planning for recruitment and staffing eg place adverts, prepare

recruitment documents for teaching, non-teaching, itinerant and SMART staff, manage HR email address, collate applications and respond to all applicants

● Ensure safety checking for any staff is complete, according to the Children’s Act 2014 - includes ID checks, interview, CV, referee and qualification documents on file - rechecks completed every 3 years

● Be the administrator for the School for all Police Vetting required - includes non-teaching staff, contractors, educational providers, parent volunteers and the like - - completed every 3 years

● Prepare all employment contracts, letters of offer/decline and variations to employment contracts.

● Enter new staff details into FACTS School Management database and maintain changes to existing staff and Board member details as advised.

● Prepare all letters of salary increases and variations as directed by the Principal and approved by the School Board

● Be the ESL (Education Sector Logon) Delegated Authoriser, along with the Principal - a Ministry of Education online system which provides access to Education Sector applications, such as Hapori Matatū (Teaching Council), PACT, Enrol, Pourato (online resources)

● Be a Privacy Officer for the school, along with the Principal ● Ensure Teacher PGC (Professional Growth Cycle) semester and annual goal forms

are collated, signed off by the Principal and filed ● Prepare documentation and assist with administration of surveys for staff appraisals,

school community, staff wellbeing, marketing and ad hoc surveys, as required ● Book staff professional development, including airfares, transfers, rental cars,

accommodation, and coordinate meetings/venues, as required ● Prepare and send School comms via Mailchimp or the school communications email

to parent stakeholders as approved by Principal, other Senior Leaders or the Board ● Assist Principal and Deputy Principal with Health & Safety administration -

includes Near Miss register, Hazard ID register, Physical Restraint training, drills, contractors induction, emergency contact information for all staff

● Purchase gifts, food, credit card purchases as directed by the Principal, or as required

● Assist the Finance Office with the Principal and Principal’s Executive Assistant monthly credit reconciliation and ensure all receipts are attached for Board Chair sign off

● Support school-wide events with administrative assistance: eg Student Leaders, Year 8 Leavers Dinner, Prize Giving, church services, PD, visitors

● Assist the School Administrator, Principal and other senior leaders in managing the catering of School events. For example, Staff Only Days, Open Days, Staff/ Parent Interviews, Board Meetings and the like

● Collect annually documents for filing in school archives, such as Order of Services, photos, school rolls, events, yearbook, staff and board lists

● Effective and friendly communication with parents, on the phone or email, together with a positive contribution to the raising of the public profile of the School and Preschool.

Other Duties/Expectations ● Assist the Business Support Team with any administration assistance, if directed by

the Business Manager or Principal ● Attend School functions of School Prizegiving, School Weekend Chapel/Church

Services, Explore St Mark’s Open Days.or evening functions, as required ● Assist with catering, set up of areas for school functions and tidy up, for example,

Explore St Mark’s Days, Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day, Matariki, Staff Only Days, if required

● Cover rostered breaks at times throughout the term for the School Administrator (shared duty by the Business Support Team), if required.

Hours of Work The Principal’s Executive Assistant position is full-time (40 hours per week), with 4 weeks annual leave per annum.

Hours of work are generally 8.00am to 4.30pm.

Board meetings take place usually between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, with approx 8 meetings per year.

Conclusion This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Principal’s Executive Assistant position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. At times, in consultation with the Principal, this job description may be amended if both agree to this change.