Assistant jobs in London, greater london

Office & Administration Assistant – Key Responsibilities 

Office management and administration 

• Maintain a welcoming, safe and efficient office environment that enables staff, volunteers and visitors to work effectively, in line with the ‘Groundswellian Way’, our coproduced principles for a safe, positive work culture.

• Manage the day-to-day running of the office, including , refreshments, office supplies, IT equipment, room bookings and reception duties.

• Coordinate incoming and outgoing post, telephone calls and enquiries through the central inbox, ensuring messages and requests are directed promptly to the appropriate member of staff. 

• Build positive working relationships with Workspace, office contractors and suppliers, including cleaners, maintenance providers and other building services. 

• Support Groundswell's commitment to environmental sustainability by promoting recycling, reducing waste and encouraging environmentally responsible office practices. 

• Ensure office administration is appropriately covered during periods of annual leave and support the wider administration team to provide consistent organisational support. 

• Recruit, support, supervise and train office volunteers where appropriate. 

Facilities, health and safety 

• Act as the day-to-day office lead for health and safety administration, supporting compliance with Groundswell's Health & Safety Policy. 

• Ensure all staff and volunteers receive relevant health and safety information during induction, including access to the health & Safety training video, awareness of fire procedures, emergency evacuation routes and workplace safety responsibilities. 

• Coordinate annual fire risk assessments, workplace risk assessments and PAT testing, ensuring appropriate records are maintained and actions completed. 

• Support the development and maintenance of Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) where required. 

• Liaise with Workspace to ensure landlord responsibilities relating to health and safety are fulfilled, including fire safety systems, signage and equipment maintenance. 

• Maintain records of accidents, incidents and near misses, ensuring statutory reporting requirements are met where appropriate. 

• Coordinate the maintenance and servicing of Groundswell's office equipment, facilities and assets, ensuring they remain safe, functional and fit for purpose. 

• Work closely with the Director of Finance & Fundraising and our external systems and finance support on matters around onsite assets and finances.

IT and Systems

• Oversee the day-to-day management of organisational assets, ensuring equipment is maintained, used appropriately and complies with organisational policies and cyber security requirements. 

• Complete IT trouble shooting on behalf of staff and volunteers, with external support. 

• Order IT equipment as needed with external support. 

• Complete basic set – up tasks on staff and volunteer devices with external support.

• Support staff and volunteers to upskill and improve their technological skills through the digital inclusion group. 

Organisational administration 

• Provide administrative support for organisational meetings, events and activities, including venue bookings, catering, logistics and preparation of materials. 

• Support the Chief Executive in implementing GDPR and data management processes, ensuring good administrative practice and compliance across the organisation. 

• Provide governance administration, including scheduling Board and Committee meetings, preparing meeting logistics, taking accurate minutes and maintaining action logs. 

• Provide administrative support to the Chief Executive, Trustees and Senior Leadership Team, including diary coordination, meeting arrangements and room bookings. 

• Support the recruitment and induction of Trustees as required by the Nominations Working Group.

• Support the People Manager with the onboarding and off-boarding of staff. 

General 

• Maintain accurate administrative systems, records and filing, ensuring information is organised, confidential and GDPR compliant. 

• Identify opportunities to improve office systems, administrative processes and ways of working to increase efficiency and effectiveness. 

• Work with the People Manager and Director of Fundraising & Finance to ensure policies and processes are accessible, in plain English and simple to follow; using step by step guides and images where appropriate.

• Build positive relationships across the organisation, providing responsive, friendly and professional support to colleagues, volunteers and external stakeholders. 

• Undertake any other reasonable duties consistent with the nature and level of the role. 

Groundswell responsibilities and the Groundswellian Way 

Act in line with our Code of Conduct and the Groundswellian Way in all interactions with colleagues, volunteers, partners and visitors. 

We want to: 

• create a safe, friendly and respectful working environment 

• encourage transparent communication so everyone knows what is expected of themselves and the organisation 

• ensure everyone feels valued and celebrates individual strengths 

• promote diversity, equity and fairness in everything we do 

• encourage collaboration and working together. 

Person Specification

Essential 

• Experience working in a busy office or administrative role. 

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail. 

• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft 365.

• Ability to follow instructions and coordinate with consultants to complete IT set up and troubleshooting.

• Experience coordinating meetings and maintaining administrative systems. 

• Excellent communication and customer service skills. 

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently. 

• Understanding of confidentiality and GDPR. 

• Commitment to Groundswell's values and trauma-informed ways of working. 

Desirable 

• Experience supporting charity governance or trustee meetings. 

• Experience coordinating health and safety administration. 

• Experience supervising volunteers. 

• Knowledge of facilities management. 

• Lived experience of homelessness or social exclusion. 

Why join Groundswell? 

Key Benefits 

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time roles) 

• 5% employer pension 

• Flexible working options, including hybrid and part-time arrangements 

• Reflective practice or Clinical Supervision with a trained therapist for all team members 

Culture 

• Support - Regular guidance, support and the opportunity to reflect on your work through regular one to ones with your Line Manager 

• Teamwork - Regular opportunities to contribute to and learn from the wider Groundswell team 

• Strategic input - Opportunities to input into Groundswell’s strategic direction 

• Voice – The ability to input into working practices that impact you, and to know where to turn if any problems arise.

Application and Interview Process

Please let us know if you would like to request any accommodations or adjustments throughout the application and interview process. We will be very happy to support these wherever possible to give all applicants the best opportunity to showcase their skills and experience.

We encourage our candidates to draw from their personal and professional experiences, skills, knowledge and passion for our work in their applications, as we believe this will be the best representation of why you are the right fit for the role. While we acknowledge that Generative AI can be a useful tool when used selectively, we do not believe it can replace the authenticity that each individual can bring to their application. Therefore, we ask you to consider carefully any use of Generative AI throughout the application process.  

Application 

To apply please follow this link: 

Please submit your CV along with a cover letter stating: 

• How you meet each of the areas outlined in the person specification above  

• Why you are interested in doing this job at Groundswell.

You can find a guide to writing your cover letter here, which includes some tips and general guidance. 

The deadline for applications is 10am on Monday 17th August.

Interviews 

Interviews will be held in person on either Wednesday 2nd or Thursday 3rd September. 

We are a small charity with limited resources and are unable to give individualised feedback on unsuccessful applications before the interview stage.

Pre-employment checks 

The job offer for the successful candidate will be subject to a reference check.

Many thanks for taking the time to look into this role – it is an exciting opportunity, and we hope you will consider applying.