Executive Assistant to the CEO

JOB DESCRIBTION

Job title: Executive Assistant to the CEO

Contract: Part time, 3 days/22.5 hours per week. Flexibility regarding working pattern: hours could be worked across 3 or 4 days in the week. Permanent contract.

Salary: £16,799 pro rata (£28,000 full time equivalent)

Manager: Gestalt Centre CEO

Location: Working in-person at the centre at London Kings Cross and remotely.

ABOUT US: THE GESTALT CENTRE

We are the Gestalt Centre, an established therapy not-for-profit organisation, supporting the mental and psychological well-being of individuals, groups, and organisations. We are a dynamic charity that runs, accommodates, and supports a number of counselling, psychotherapy, personal and professional development courses, and a range of therapeutic practices that enhance mental and psychological wellbeing.

As Gestalt Centre, our relationship with people who work for the centre starts from a place of trust. We see our structure as an organisational shape that we use to organise ourselves. What matters for us is how we all work together. We prioritise collaboration and ‘horizontal’ consultative decision making with individual and collective responsibility and accountability.

OUR VISION is a world were meaningful and fulfilling relationships lead to wellbeing  and positive change in people’s lives.

OUR PURPOSE is to promote the mental and psychological well-being of individuals, groups and organisations through Gestalt education, training and practice.

Gestalt is a life-changing approach to life, counselling, and psychotherapy. It enables people to develop meaningful relationships, navigate change and lead fulfilling lives by creatively utilising their own resources, skills and strengths.

Gestalt Centre Values In Practice

Diversity, equality, inclusion and anti-discrimination: We value equity and inclusion and welcome diversity and difference in backgrounds, identities, cultures, and voices. We also commit to anti-discriminatory action and encourage personal and collective awareness, reflection, and learning. It is integral to who we are and how we work and study together.

Kindness and respect for each other and the space we cohabit. Our relationship with people who work, learn and access therapy at the centre starts from a place of respect and kindness. This way we create a space where we can show up, work, and learn authentically and meaningfully. Feel seen, heard, and included.

Collaboration and mutuality: We work and study together, collaboratively and with respect and appreciation for each other. Every person matters and so does the collective.

Community, awareness, and personal responsibility: We are a community of staff, students, practitioners, and clients; working, studying, and accessing therapy at the centre. Individually and collectively, we are responsible for our presence and behaviour. Also responsible for our community and the space we inhabit.

ABOUT THE JOB

Job Purpose 

We are looking for an exemplary people-oriented administrator to provide administrative support to the Gestalt Centre CEO and the workstreams she manages. An important role in the organisation, working with senior leadership and across teams, in a welcoming and supportive environment with opportunities to learn and grow on the job.

Areas of work and responsibility

• Personal Administration Support to the Gestalt Centre CEO
• Coordinate and support projects and workstreams the CEO leads on: Operations, Communications and Marketing, Short Courses and Post Graduate Qualifications, HR, Finance, Policies, Fundraising and Health & Safety.
• Liaise with the CEO and the leadership team to update the organisational plan and workstream plans, also keep track of relevant priority actions and progress.
• Provide administrative support for governance processes such as the audit and reporting to the Trustees Board, the Charity Commission and Companies House.
• Provide administrative support to the CEO and Trustees with organising and running fundraising activities and events.
• Liaise with the CEO to support the coordination of the annual setting of dates for the Short Courses and Post Graduate Qualifications programmes. 
• Organise, provide administrative support, and attend as appropriate, weekly operational meetings, monthly Executive meetings, and other project meetings, led by the CEO. Prepare meetings set up, information and any required papers in advance. Organise dates, taking and sending out minutes and coordinate follow-up actions ensuring progress and completion.
• Liaise with the CEO to prepare, format, edit and update reports and policies for internal and external audiences to a high standard.
• Provide a professional first point of contact for the CEO and as required liaise with her and the leadership team in order to respond to emails or phone calls and organise follow up meetings.
• Provide coordination and administrative support for specific projects led by Leadership Team members - as and when required.
• Office team support such as reception/admin cover or support with events, as and when occasionally required.
• Carry out responsibilities with due regard to the Gestalt Centre values, policies and procedures.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Key Competencies and Qualities

• Educated to degree level or equivalent with good English and Maths.
• Experience working with and assisting senior leadership professionals.
• Excellent organisation and planning skills and experience, including balancing competing demands and prioritising effectively, forward planning and working to tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, including conveying information clearly and adjusting approach, manner, and language to suit varying situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills (‘people person’) such as developing good working relationships with colleagues, working collaboratively and initiating relevant discussions to progress with work tasks.
• Experience and able to work well with senior professionals and in a positive professional matter.
• Able to work in a confident, calm, diplomatic and confidential way in a senior role and a therapy setting. Reliable and mature with a sense of personal responsibility for the role and the work involved.
• Flexibility and proactive problem-solving, always working with kindness and respect.
• Excellent attention to detail and confident with numbers.
• Good working knowledge and experience of databases and online administration systems, including information and files management.
• Able to plan and organise own work effectively and able to work well in a dynamic busy setting.
• Able to work collaboratively and independently on own initiative.
• Experience working effectively and appropriately with confidentiality and data protection in mind and in line with organisational policies and practice.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office applications such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, email, and the internet.
• Commitment to Equal Opportunities and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Preferably experience working within an educational, training or therapy setting (desirable).