WORKING WITH USThe founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.
We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.
As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.
Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.
To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.
ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY
We are seeking an organised, proactive and professional Personal Assistant to provide high‑level support to the Director of Secondary Education at the Harris Federation. This 1‑year fixed‑term maternity cover role is central to ensuring the smooth running of the Director’s day‑to‑day operations, including diary management, stakeholder communication, meeting coordination and the preparation of key documents.
As part of our Head Office team, you will work closely with senior leaders and colleagues across our secondary academies, playing an important role in supporting the Federation’s mission to deliver an outstanding education for thousands of young people. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, and enjoys building strong, professional relationships.
MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITYYour responsibilities will include:
To present the professional and welcoming face of the Harris Federation and all secondary academies, to all visitors, staff and students, in person and on the telephone.
To ensure that the Director’s diary is managed efficiently and effectively. This will involve liaising with a variety of external and internal stakeholders.
To provide a daily/weekly diary and documentation and maintain an overview of approaching deadlines.
To maintain the Director’s contacts.
To maintain an exemplary professional environment for the Director at all times.
To ensure that all visitors are welcomed and catered for in a professional manner, organising refreshments as appropriate.
To exercise complete discretion when dealing with issues of confidentiality and sensitivity.
To take all telephone calls, in the first instance, dealing with queries, passing on calls if necessary.
To keep the Director’s meetings file and retrieve necessary paperwork as and when meetings arise.
To be responsible for organising meetings and passing on messages between all stakeholders, parents/carers, external agencies and students and the Director.
To liaise with clerks to Governors to ensure that all relevant paperwork and correspondence is efficiently managed for all the secondary academies.
To support the Director with the preparation of paperwork and presentations for a range of meetings including interviews, disciplinary hearings, grievances, performance management, presentations, training sessions etc.
To liaise with Federation admin teams, Data, HR, IT and Finance Business Managers, as well as PAs and Principals across the Federation as appropriate.
For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWe would like to hear from you if you have:
Appropriate degree or equivalent experience in previous roles
Trained in the use of a variety of ICT packages
Knowledge of personal assistant roles and responsibilities
Training in typing and formatting of a variety of documents including spreadsheets
Experience of managing staff in relation to the PA role
Some experience of human resources e.g. recruitment and/or monitoring attendance
Experience of working to targets and deadlines
Experience of managing meetings including preparation and circulation of papers, minutes and ensuring information is circulated as required
Ability to communicate well both orally and in writing
Ability to work to deadlines
Ability to be flexible
Ability to communicate exceptionally well with parents and carers as well as other stakeholders in the academy
For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.
APPLYING FOR THIS POSITIONIf you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.
Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.
When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.
A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.OUR VISION & VALUESOur vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.
We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.IMPORTANT INFORMATIONSafeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOUHarris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.
You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:
Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
Annual performance and loyalty bonus
Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans
For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.
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