Executive Support - Secretariat Lead (Part Time)

Join us as a Secretariat Lead and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!

As Secretariat Lead, you will play a vital role in supporting the governance and leadership functions of the organisation. You will work closely with Board members, senior leaders and colleagues across the business to coordinate meetings, prepare agendas, capture detailed discussions and ensure actions are followed through effectively.

Are you a highly organised administrator with exceptional minute-taking skills and a keen eye for detail? Do you enjoy working with senior stakeholders and ensuring the smooth operation of important meetings? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

This role is 15 hours per week spread across Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide a professional and responsive secretariat service to the Board, Board Committees and Executive Team.
• Coordinate and schedule meetings, liaising with Chairs and stakeholders to prepare agendas and supporting documentation.
• Attend meetings and produce accurate, comprehensive and timely minutes and action logs.
• Manage enquiries professionally, ensuring a high standard of customer service and stakeholder engagement.
• Support the effective running of governance processes through excellent organisation and administration.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure an integrated and efficient service.
• Provide support and cover for other members of the Business Administration team when required.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Undertake additional administrative duties appropriate to the role.

What we’re looking for:

• A proactive, highly organised individual who is confident in working with senior stakeholders.
• Significant experience taking detailed and accurate minutes at Board, committee or senior management level meetings.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office and other business systems.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• High levels of professionalism, discretion and confidentiality.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a wider team.

What’s in it for you?

• ?25 days’ holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy & sell extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, free parking and a discounted on-site nursery.
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks’ fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks…and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle – from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

What we hope you’ll do next:

Choose ‘Apply now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you’d like to ask before applying, you can contact recruitment@fera.co.uk

We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at recruitment@fera.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.

At Fera, we’re making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We’re a joint venture partnership between Bridgepoint and Defra and we’re working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Our teams are investigating plant and bee health, crop protection and sustainable agriculture. Join us and discover better as you deliver world-class science for the future.