Lakeland Arts Trust
Blackwell, Bowness on Windermere
Cumbria

Salary: Circa £20K per annum

JOB DESCRIPTION

To give top level secretarial support to the Director and act as his personal assistant in ensuring the smooth running of a busy and varied work schedule. The Director's P.A. also acts as secretary to the Chairman of Trustees and the board of the Lakeland Arts Trust.

The Director's P.A. will be based at Blackwell, but it will also be necessary to work on occasions at Abbot Hall or the Windermere Steamboat Museum.

RESPONSIBILITIES

PA to the Director

• Receiving, logging, prioritising and monitoring the Director’s incoming mail, and ensuring that he receives this as early as possible.
• Maintaining the Director’s pending file and ensuring that all deadlines are met.
• Organising and maintaining the Director’s papers and files.
• Ensuring that the Director’s diary is kept up to date, and action taken as appropriate.
• Making travel and accommodation arrangements for the Director or his contacts and clients as required.
• Arranging appointments/meetings, as required by the Director.
• Ensuring that the Director has available the necessary paperwork for all appointments/meetings.
• Taking letters from the Director and preparing outgoing correspondence as instructed.
• Preparing and formulating letters and reports as required.
• Typing any necessary reports/papers as required by the Director.
• Attending meetings with other staff, as required by the Director.
• Administering, in liaison with the Director, the Trust’s Patrons and Benefactors schemes.
• Liaising with the Director and the Head of Publicity and Marketing on the management of the Trust’s databases.
• Devising a Secretarial and Filing Protocol for the Trust, and ensuring this is maintained by the secretarial staff.

Senior Management Team

• In conjunction with the Director and the Finance and Operations Manager, organising regular meetings of the Senior Management Team.
• Preparing agendas, in liaison with the Director and members of the Senior Management Team, and distributing them prior to meetings.
• From time to time taking minutes of Senior Management Team meetings, typing them up afterwards, and ensuring they are distributed appropriately.

Secretary to the Chairman of Trustees

• Taking any incoming calls for the Chairman of Trustees, and dealing with as appropriate.
• Receiving and monitoring any incoming mail for the Chairman of Trustees, and dealing with as appropriate.
• Taking letters from the Chairman of Trustees and preparing outgoing correspondence as instructed.
• Arranging appointments/meetings as required by the Chairman of Trustees.

Trust

• In conjunction with the Chairman of Trustees, preparing the agenda and papers for Trustee meetings, and distributing as appropriate.
• Organising Trustee meetings.
• Taking minutes of Trustee meetings, and distributing them as appropriate.
• Preparing the agenda and papers for meetings of the Abbot Hall Support Trust, in conjunction with the Chairman of the Support Trust, and distributing as appropriate.
• Organising meetings of the Abbot Hall Support Trust.
• Taking minutes of Support Trust meetings, and distributing them as appropriate.
• Collaborating with other Trust staff to provide a corporate and inter-disciplinary approach to all areas of the Trust.

At all times the Director's P.A. must have proper regard to loyalty and confidentiality concerning both the Director’s personal and Trust matters, as appropriate.

This job description is a reflection of the current position and may change in emphasis or detail in the light of subsequent development.

SKILLS PROFILE

• At least five years secretarial experience in a busy office environment is essential, preferably working as a PA / secretary at Director or management level. Experience of accurate minute-taking is also essential.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written skills are required, with the ability to deal with people at all levels, including internal and external contacts.
• Excellent organisational skills are essential, including the ability to plan ahead and manage own workload.
• A pre-disposition for thoroughness and attention to detail is required, together with an ability to see jobs through to completion against deadlines.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and/or confidential information.
• Accurate keyboard skills and a good understanding of all aspects of IT is needed, as is a good knowledge of software systems that are in general use, and a working knowledge of database management.
• A confident and friendly manner with a positive approach to solving difficulties and problems is essential, as is the ability to cope with pressure and the handling of many different tasks running concurrently.

The Lakeland Arts Trust is considered one of the leading arts organisations outside London and has a national reputation and profile well beyond its size and resources. This has been achieved through the energy, enthusiasm, creativity, commitment and professionalism of its staff and Trustees, and all staff are expected to work within and support this ethos.

Hours of Working
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm
Attendance at most Trust out of hours functions is expected, unless on holiday or off sick.

Holidays
20 days per annum plus bank holidays (8)
Time off should be taken at times that will cause least disruption to your workload and should, as far as possible, link in with those of the Director.

TO APPLY

All candidates should complete an application form and return it to us, together with any additional relevant information by 12.00pm, 11 July.

Please contact by email info@blackwell.org.uk or telephone 015394 46139 for an application form.