Job Description

January 2015

Role: Buildings Administrative Assistant

Business Function: Conservation Services & Projects

Reports to: Lead Surveyor, NE

Pay Band/Starting Salary:

Band C / 17,544 (Pro rata)

Location: The Stables Castle Fraser, Sauchen, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB41 7NJ

Type of Contract:

Fixed-term (6 months) / 16 hours per week

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

This role will work beside the current part time Administrative Assistant to support the North East Surveyor team. It will help manage maintenance and project activities, develop and use improved archives for the team including both digital and paper records.

CONTEXT

The Buildings Team delivers the repair and maintenance to the buildings in the care of the National Trust for Scotland (The Trust). In the North East the local Team supports buildings, their associated services and facilities throughout Aberdeenshire Angus and parts of Perthshire. The post is based at the Trusts NE Office in The Stables Castle Fraser and the post holder will be required to support the other part time Administrative Assistant, Lead Surveyor and Surveying Staff. You would be involved with the delivery of planned and reactive maintenance and with projects. This will require a good working knowledge of office systems and an ability to work with Excel spreadsheets. The role will require a self-motivated approach, the ability to manage a varied workload, good inter-personal skills and resourcefulness. The role will require that the Administrative Assistant works in a number of rooms in this office and will handle files and file boxes as part of their duties. The post works in parallel with another part time Administrative Assistant and supports the delivery of the administration requirements of the Team. The day to day activities will include supporting the delivery of the other administrative role but in the main will support the development of improved systems and processes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

In all activities interpret the Trust requirements and act on its behalf in accordance with Trust best practice in the delivery of the following tasks:-

Proactively supporting the NE Buildings Team in order to ensure:

The efficient running of a professional office including: diary management, accurate filing and efficient retrieval and copying as required of correspondence and papers; maintenance of stationery and other office consumables; maintenance/submission of function absence returns, timely dealing of mail and telephone, expense claims etc.

The efficient organisation of internal and external meetings including booking venues, preparation of agendas and distribution of papers, taking of minutes.

The effective administration, through monitoring financial progress, of the Annual Repair Grant and Historic Buildings Maintenance Fund Projects and department budgets. This will involve close liaison with the NE Lead Surveyor and Buildings Administrator based at the Central Office.

The development and management of data supporting work planning and reporting systems for the NE Building Team.

Support the supervision of the work of volunteers and students who may, from time to time, operate within the department.

Maintaining the following departmental systems:

Existing databases, and support the Buildings Administrator in Central Office to improve as necessary, for the collation of departmental information including the Building Census, Quinquennial Survey Reports, Policy and Guidance information and general records in order that best practice can be most effectively achieved.

Obtaining and maintaining records of the Trusts NE built and other properties, their condition and present use.

Support the Buildings Team intranet pages, through the Buildings Administrator based in Central Office.

Processing the following:

Consultations and other correspondence to the Trust Advisory Panels.

The routine enquiries relating to the Department, providing answers and information and forwarding to appropriate staff/departments for progression as necessary. Ensuring on each occasion, that the Trust's reputation for customer service is maintained in the spirit of the Trusts Conservation through Customer Care initiative.

SCOPE OF THE ROLE

Administration

The post holder will be expected to work with the Administrative assistant to undertake accurate filing, efficient retrieval and copying as required of correspondence and papers; maintenance of stationery and other equipment requirements; maintenance/submission of function absence returns; timely dealing with mail and telephone enquiries; expense claim processing; efficient organisation of internal and external meetings including booking venues, preparation of agenda and distribution of papers, taking of minutes, etc.

The post holder will be required to liaise with staff and other agencies and act in accordance with Trust best practice.

Financial Management

No budget responsibility but will assist in maintaining departmental databases, spreadsheets and financial monitoring systems (e.g. Proactis).

People Management

No direct line management, however, the post holder will support the work of volunteers and students who may operate within the department.

Workplanning

The post holder will be expected to assist with the departments work planning procedures and the creation of regular reports and financial data using Access.

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essential:

Significant experience of office organisation including systems and procedures;

Sound experience of budget monitoring and reporting;

Excellent organisational skills: able to multi-task and juggle tasks to ensure priorities are met;

Skilled user of Microsoft Office Products, most specifically of Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint, and confident in learning IT software. This should be supported by certificates of training/competence;

Ability to work without supervision, prioritise workload and manage time effectively;

Excellent command of English both written and spoken and experience of minute taking;

Excellent customer care skills;

A full driving licence, valid for driving in the UK.

Desirable:

Previous experience of working within a buildings professional office, ideally within the heritage sector;

A basic understanding of and interest in Scottish cultural and architectural history;

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills able to interact with a wide range of people tactfully and diplomatically;

Flexible and adaptable prepared to travel occasionally to properties and/or other locations;

Strong team-player, committed to supporting team members personally and professionally;

Rigorous and accurate attention to detail.

Organisational Chart

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The Trust reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities.

Applications

Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to Human Resources Department (Applications), The National Trust for Scotland, Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road, Edinburgh, EH11 4DF, by mail or by email via workforus@nts.org.uk, by first post (i.e. 10.00am) on 9 February 2015. Interviews are likely to be held at our Castle Fraser Stables Offices during the w/c 16 February 2015.

Chief Executive

Director of Conservation Services and Projects

Director of Properties and Visitor Services

Head of Buildings Services

Assistant Director - Properties and Visitor Services (North)

General Manager (Aberdeenshire)

Lead Surveyor

(North-East)

Property Managers (x6)

Surveyor

Assistant Surveyor

Assistant Surveyor

Administrator

(part-time)

Other Directors of other Divisions (x3)

Other Heads of conservation Departments (x7)

Other Assistant Directors of P&VS (x3)

Property Managers directly managed (x7)

Other surveyor -teams (x4)

Administrator

(part-time)

3