PA to the Archdeacons (Kingston)

Overview

The PA will provide project management, administrative and secretarial support to the Archdeacons of Wandsworth and Lambeth.

There is a mixture of the routine, but very important work, in managing diaries, making sure that the right information is available to the right person at the right time, combined with the unique and unusual requests that come our way. You will find a real variety in the role, and no two days are the same.

The Kingston Episcopal Area works as a team and the Archdeacons’ PA will work with other members of the team and in particular the PA to the Bishop of Kingston. The PA is also the Office Manager for the Area Office and as such is responsible for ensuring the maintenance and smooth running of the office.

Main Responsibilities

PA role

• Provide a discreet, courteous and efficient first point of contact for all communication to the Archdeacons, showing pastoral sensitivity and tact.
• Receive and prioritise a wide range of enquiries by phone, email and post, ensuring that queries are dealt with efficiently, sensitively and in a timely manner, giving information, initiating action, drafting responses and liaising with the Archdeacons as appropriate.
• In particular, to be the key point of contact for Churchwardens and Parish Administrators continuing and enabling peer to peer contact though the Churchwardens email forum and Administrators network.
• Manage the Archdeacons’ diaries in Outlook,
• Ensure that the Archdeacons have the papers and other practical resources they need for meetings etc in paper and/or electronic form and in good time.
• Organise, develop and monitor processes for gathering information and collating returns as they are received; disseminating information as required.
• Organise events including annual churchwardens’ services, Churchwardens’ training and Parish Administrators training – arrange venues, invites, order of services, check attendance, handbook, etc.
• Oversee and be responsible for the administration and tracking of appointments in clergy vacancies.
• Monitor, organise and track annual Church Inspections
• Deal with matters of routine correspondence which do not require the Archdeacons’ attention, drafting suitable replies where appropriate and requested.
• Act as secretary to meetings convened by the Archdeacons/Bishop, where requested.
• Compile and send out e-mailings.
• Develop and maintain an efficient filing system for the Archdeacons, including confidential files
• Ensure that all the office support systems and resources including stationery, reference books, week-ahead engagement/work file, information databases and IT software are up to date and functioning properly.
• Prepare documents, presentations and spreadsheets to support the Archdeacons’ work, orders of service and interview and training packs.
• Administer the Mission Money Fund

Office Manager role

• Ensure that the office building is in full working order, liaising with the landlord, Trinity House, contractors and the cleaner, reading meters and arranging servicing of alarms/fire equipment/boilers etc. as necessary.
• Ensure that all office equipment is well maintained and kept in working order and replaced where necessary; this may involve undertaking some minor housekeeping tasks as well as liaising with the Diocesan office as necessary.
• Undertake regular fire drills and checks of fire equipment.   Act as Fire Marshall and First Aider and undertake first aid training and Fire Marshall training as required.

The Ideal Candidate

Qualifications

•    A good standard of education     

•    A level of literacy to be able to draft emails and letters that are fluent, and use language that is appropriate to the culture and traditions of the Church of England  

Experience

•    Be well organised, used to managing conflicting demands, and be able to prioritise time and resources effectively, often within tight deadlines (which may mean being available at flexible hours).   

•    Have experience of planning and managing projects over an extended period of time.          

•    Worked in roles that require the ability to work on initiative, where tasks are not always planned or routine, and flexibility of approach has been required.

•    Take the initiative in planning, organising and anticipating needs in close cooperation with the Archdeacons, and in setting recurring tasks in action.  

•    Have experience of working effectively in a team environment.

•    Have an understanding of the office management role and ways of fulfilling it effectively.

Skills and Knowledge

•    Have good spoken and written language skills and an excellent telephone manner.

•    Be competent in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and have the capacity to use the internet well and to learn other Diocesan systems.

•    Able to fully utilise the information technology that is available, with the desire to exploit the potential of the IT packages that are available, to seek creative IT solutions.

•    Able to utilise social media as a tool for communication and networking

•    Be accurate and demonstrate good attention to detail in their work.    

•    Note-taking skills and ability record meeting minutes.   

•    Able to gain information from databases, and summarise information in simple formats         

Personal Qualities and Behaviours

•    Have good interpersonal skills, diplomacy and sensitivity combined with calmness, tact, and good humour.     

•    Be able to guarantee confidentiality and discretion in relation to people and information

•    Gives confidence and assurance to others that they understand what they require, and will take the appropriate action.          

•    Clear about personal and professional boundaries       

•    Able to exercise tact, diplomacy and sensitivity

•    A good team player – takes a flexible approach to tasks, with understanding of others priorities and able to adapt to their own       

•    A genuine commitment to learn and grow in a role        

•    Demonstrate empathy and patience under pressure    

•    Welcoming and friendly, able to create a good rapport 

•    Be enthusiastically committed to working with the Archdeacons, the Bishop and the PA to the Bishop to serve the parishes of the Kingston Episcopal Area.

• Be strongly supportive of the aims and objectives of the Christian Church and have due regard for the traditions of the Church of England and/or churches affiliated to Churches together in England.

About us

Southwark is a diverse and vibrant Diocese in so many ways, from the energy of the inner city to the beauty of the Surrey Hills. We are one of the largest Dioceses in the Church of England, serving the people of South London and East Surrey. We take joy in the distinctiveness and variety of God’s gifts and people. You will find churches that offer welcome, care and dignity in Christ’s name to their parishes; chaplains walking along side those in education, hospitals, and prison; and pioneering communities seeking to reach out and serve in new ways.

We seek to be Christ-centred and outward-focused in all we do.

To find out more, visit our website: 

https://southwark.anglican.org/