PA/Secretary to Directors – Admin & Clerical

BSNI are working with Belfast City Council to recruit a PA/Secretary to Directors – Admin & Clerical. This role is temporary.

Target start date
10 Nov 2025

Duration
12 Weeks

Hours per week
37

Rate: £20.02 per hour

Job location: 4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BP, United Kingdom

Applicants must have five GCSEs (grades A – C) including English or equivalent qualifications, and have at least two years’ relevant experience in diary management, including arranging meetings and appointments, and liaising with senior managers, elected members or board members; carrying out secretarial and administrative duties to strict deadlines including maintaining filing systems and responding to queries elected representatives; and supervising administrative staff.

Main purpose of job

To be responsible to the appropriate director, through the Executive Support Officer, for the provision of the full range of Personal Assistant (PA) / Secretarial duties, for example, arranging appointments, filing, typing, shorthand, audio typing, photocopying and other relevant duties.  They will also provide support to the Departmental Management Team (DMT) and other section members as necessary.

To motivate and manage assigned staff, where appropriate, and ensure that all tasks are carried out to agreed, quality and time targets.

To liaise with senior representatives of outside bodies and elected representatives on behalf of the director and DMT, as required.

Summary of responsibilities and personal duties

To compose and type confidential letters, reports, etc either on own initiative or in accordance with general or specific directions, or as prepared or dictated by the directors and DMT, for example, legal opinions, reports, presentation of briefs for counsel or consultants for signature by the director and DMT as required.
To open and record all private and confidential mail sent to the director and DMT and departmental mail as required including monitoring and appropriate actioning of the director’s emails.
To arrange appointments, meetings, workshops and other work-related events. In the absence of the directors and DMT, meeting with callers asking to see them and advising them appropriately.
To assist with the preparation of committee reports within the deadlines involved.
To maintain the personal manual and electronic filing systems and diary of appointments for the directors and DMT.
To filter telephone calls for the directors and DMT and make calls as required on their behalf.
To deal with members of the council, Members of the Local Assembly (MLAs), Members of Parliament (MPs) and other elected representatives and liaise between the Strategic Director, DMT and other senior and departmental managers.
To deal with complaints and enquiries from the general public and liaise with other council departments and outside agencies as necessary including monitoring of complaints and Freedom of Information requests to ensure timely response on the behalf of the directors or appropriate DMT manager.
To organise and book travel and accommodation arrangements for the directors and DMT, council members and departmental officers attending conferences and meetings.
To service the meetings of the DMT and other meetings chaired by the directors and DMT, inclusive of taking shorthand and audio notes and preparing draft minutes and other relevant documents.
To service other ad hoc meetings, for example, away days, seminars, and other events, and prepare minutes.
To provide secretarial support to the DMT including typing/audio support as necessary.
To make first contact with visitors to the directors and DMT.
To attend and take notes of investigating interviews or hearings in connection with the council’s disciplinary and grievance procedures.
To supervise the work of assigned staff and assist, as directed, in the supervision and programming of work of other secretarial and Business Support staff, as required.
To ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the provision of hospitality as required by the directors and DMT.
To motivate and manage any staff that may be assigned to the postholder to ensure effective service delivery and to be responsible for reviewing and implementing a proper staff training and development programme.
To participate in all induction and in-service training provided by Belfast City Council and in the induction and support of all newly appointed staff and other human resource management policies and procedures, as appropriate, including, absence management, disciplinary and grievance procedure.
To participate as directed in the council’s recruitment and selection procedures.
To act in accordance with council and departmental policies and procedures including customer care, equal opportunities, health and safety, safeguarding and any pertinent legislation.
To undertake the duties in such a way as to enhance and protect the reputation and public profile of the city council.
To undertake such other relevant duties as may from time to time be required.
This job description has been written at a time of significant organisational change and it will be subject to review and amendment as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve.  Therefore, the post-holder will be required to be flexible, adaptable and aware that they may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the job description but which are commensurate with the role.

Essential criteria

Qualifications and experience

Applicants must, as at the closing date for receipt of application forms:

have five GCSEs (grades A – C) including English or equivalent qualifications or have passed the computer-based assessment test for Scale 3 clerical roles; and
be able to demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, at least two years’ relevant experience in each of the following areas:
diary management, including arranging meetings and appointments, and liaising with senior managers, elected members or board members;
carrying out secretarial and administrative duties to strict deadlines including maintaining filing systems and responding to queries from a range of elected representatives; and
supervising administrative staff on a daily basis within an office environment.

Short-listing criteria

In addition to the above qualifications and experience, Belfast City Council reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants who, as at the closing date for receipt of applications:

in the first instance, have RSA Stage II in Audio Transcription or RSA Stage II, Parts 1 and 2 in Word Processing, or equivalent qualification;
in the second instance, have a higher level qualification such as RSA Stage III, Parts 1 and 2 in Word Processing, or equivalent qualification; and
in the third instance, have additional relevant secretarial qualifications, such as LCCI Private Secretaries qualification, or equivalent qualification.

For more information contact Jessica or Debbie on 02895219313

BSNI are an acting recruitment agency