Executive Assistant to Chief Constable

Executive Assistant to the Chief Constable of British Transport Police

An Executive Assistant to the Chief Constable is required on a permanent contract role paying up to £38,206.71 (inclusive of London Allowance) per annum with British Transport Police (BTP) based at our Force Headquarters in Camden, London.

BTP is the national police force for the rail network throughout Great Britain, including London Underground, across which we ensure the safety and security of nearly 3 billion passenger journeys and over 100 million tons of freight every year. The world in which we work is fast-paced, operationally and commercially demanding, and constantly changing. The Executive Assistant will be experienced at board level and be responsible for the provision of high quality business support to the Chief Constable.

We are looking for an experienced EA who is:

• Decisive and forward looking in the management of the Chief Constable's complex diary, able to prioritise demands and ensure full preparation and briefing for all meetings.
• Proactive in identifying issues that impact on the Chief Constable's day to day business and initiate appropriate actions to resolve matters.
• Able to decide on the most appropriate course of action in relation to a wide range of queries, documents, reports and correspondence, drafting high quality replies, reports and presentations as necessary for the Chief Constable's consideration.

About the role

We are looking for a highly organised self-motivated EA who has board level experience to support the Chief Constable. This is a high profile and varied role which commands significant autonomy and initiate. It is a broad role that will provide you with a great opportunity to be involved in a variety of activities from managing an extensive diary and providing high-quality support and coordination, through to leading arrangements for award ceremonies and events. You will also be responsible for drafting correspondence and reports for the Chief Constable. You must be able to remain confident and calm when working under pressure.

You will be required to:

• Manage and support the Chief Constable's daily work by undertaking research and planning, and coordinating background information that ensures that the Chief Constable is appropriately briefed and prepared for all meetings.
• Make decisions on a daily basis on behalf of the Chief Constable in relation to information / requests.
• Manage the response to all enquiries to the Chief Constable, identify and resolve issues, and make decisions which result in a professional and satisfactory outcome.
• Produce reports, presentations and correspondence for the Chief Constable, dealing with subject matter that requires judgement, negotiation, sensitivity and discretion.
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of key priority areas for BTP, as well as the policing and rail industry, briefing the Chief Constable on developments and issues that impact upon BTP.

About you

Highly organised and proactive, you must be strong at following things through to the end in a fast paced environment. You will need strong written and interpersonal skills and. must be able to balance the demands of strict deadlines. You will be able to demonstrate efficient diary management and forward thinking to ensure the Chief Constable is fully briefed ahead of meetings. Crucial to success in the role will be the ability to communicate clearly, effectively and tactfully with a broad range of stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally. Experience of planning large events and functions is also required.

Further information about this vacancy can be found in the attached job description.

The successful Executive Assistant to the Chief Constable will be required to evidence the following skills:

• Qualified to degree level or equivalent experience
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills which inspire credibility both internally and externally.
• Evidence of strong personal drive, including high levels of resilience and determination and an ability to anticipate and overcome obstacles to deliver results.
• Well-developed organisational skills with good attention to detail
• Ability to multi task, work under pressure and on own initiative to achieve tight deadlines and prioritise between conflicting demands.
• Ability to negotiate and influence people on complex, sensitive or contentious issues within a context of conflicting priorities.

If you are interested in applying for this role please send your CV with a supporting statement on how you feel you meet the skills and experiences highlighted in the person specification. Please do not delay as interviews will be held as soon as appropriate candidates are highlighted. In return for your experience, we can offer you:

• Salary up to £38,206.71 (inclusive of London Allowance) per annum 
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Final salary pension scheme
• Other benefits include a bespoke BTP rewards platform and various salary sacrifice schemes such as cycle to work and many high street and online retail discounts

We want our organisation to be as diverse as the community it serves and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. In order to apply, you must have the permanent right to live and work in the UK and have been resident in the UK for the previous 3 years. You will be asked these and other questions to determine your eligibility to work for British Transport Police when you start your application and you must answer honestly.

Candidates internal to BTP must confirm that they are not subject to formal action plans for sickness/complaints/discipline or poor performance, that all mandatory training courses have been attended and are in ticket/up to date, that a ‘Competent’ rating, or above, was achieved on the last reporting year PDR and they have completed their tenure period (12 months) for current substantive posting.