Reporting to – Programme Manager
Direct reports – None
Working hours – 5 days a week
Location: Remote with one day a month in our Bristol Office
About ‘Progress Together’
Financial Services has the highest class pay gap of all sectors. Evidence shows that employees from non-professional backgrounds progress 25% slower than peers, with no link to job performance. Employer’s social mobility efforts have largely focused on outreach and access at junior levels, with little attention to progression and retention. This is despite evidence showing that 89% of senior managers are from professional backgrounds, compared to 47% at junior levels and 52% of UK CEOs economy wide. Employees report they are wasting energy conforming to dominant cultures, impacting productivity.
To level the playing field, we need to create a financial services sector in the United Kingdom in which everyone working in it, from all socio-economic backgrounds, is both enabled and has equal opportunity to achieve their full potential. Therefore, building on the work of the Government commissioned Taskforce, which runs until November 2022, we have created this very important new membership body, Progress Together, which was formally launched on 20th May 2022 by the Lord Mayor of London and the City Minister.
Our measure of success will be greater levels of socio-economic diversity at senior levels, across our membership. Leading to better business outcomes; increased productivity, greater innovation, improved decision making through diversity of thought, better consumer outcomes, and being sector where talented people choose to work.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the focal point of contact for ‘Progress Together’ enquiries including advising on inbound enquiries from potential new members and responding to FP member requests.
- Support the CEO and team’s work schedule including diary management, meetings, and oversight of events including managing third party providers to ensure they run smoothly.
- Create and advise on the governance meeting schedule in accordance with the ‘Progress Together’ board meeting dates, produce and distribute agendas or papers, draft minutes and follow up actions with the team and senior stakeholders for Board meetings. Draft and circulate written correspondence including instructions for internal and external members to follow.
- Work with the Programme Manager to ensure the team’s compliance with its GDPR policies including providing advice, training new team members, conducting an annual review and contributing to the development of revised systems and procedures as appropriate.
- To undertake research and draft briefing papers, reports, minutes, and other documentation for consideration by management on the work of ‘Progress Together’ as appropriate.
- Lead on office management tasks including planning and prioritising the work leading up to events, ensuring that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event.
- Develop and maintain feedback forms communicating to the team any themes arising, as well as implementing any process improvements.
- Assist on the onboarding and offboarding processes for any team members joining and leaving the organisation liaising with relevant teams to ensure systems are updated. Lead on the administration of ‘Progress Together’ governance processes including filing key legal papers with the Company Secretary, Companies House and ‘Progress Together’, reviewing and developing new processes and procedures as necessary.
- Co-ordinate with the CEO around managing and monitoring the budget – track and record expenditure; create, log and process invoices; issue POs; assist in the preparation and maintenance of monthly accounts.
- Management of online payment tools, reporting and accurate reconciliation with other financial systems.
- Assist with the annual audit process with external auditors ensuring all required documentation is provided in a timely and accurate manor and assist with drafting the annual report and accounts
- Manage logistical arrangements including third party supplier management for events including online training workshops, in-person high-level receptions and smaller events such as in-person meetings.
- Provide technical support in delivering online events using Zoom or other platforms such as Teams –set up breakout rooms, download participant lists, follow up administration on Salesforce etc
Skills & Experience:
- Good working knowledge of efficient and effective office administration
- Have supported / worked with a Senior Manager
- Previous experience in an administrative role ideally (but not necessary) gained within the Finance Sector
- Demonstrable office administration management experience including maintenance and development of digital engagement and databases, the design and development of electronic systems where documents can be easily accessed, the organisation and management of the administration of meetings and events, the drafting of minutes and diary management including senior stakeholders.
- Experience of finance management administration including contributing to the budget process, monitoring and maintenance of accounts in accordance with the company’s financial policies and procedures and relevant accounting standards.
- Experience of undertaking research and drafting briefing papers, reports, minutes for consideration by management.
- Experience of working with GDPR compliance processes.
- Experience of using online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams.
- Experience and competence in using the Microsoft Office suite of products to an intermediate level
- Ability to contribute to the review and development of governance processes.
- Very good written communication skills in order to draft correspondence, briefing papers, procedural documentation, and reports.
- Very good oral communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders and members successfully on a variety of matters, including the delivery of urgent tasks and able to respond to their enquiries.
- Ability to undertake data impact privacy assessments in accordance with GDPR and organisational procedures.
- High degree of flexibility in moving between tasks as business priorities dictate and willingness to work and contribute as part of a small team.
- Experienced in working autonomously with little guidance in a fast-moving setting with the ability to meet changing deadlines.
- Organised approach to work with excellent attention to detail.
- Proactive approach to all tasks using your initiative without being directed.
- An understanding of the Financial Services sector and the challenges of socioeconomic diversity within financial services organisations or a keen interest to learn.
What’s in it for you?
- Flexible and remote working
- Salary £35,000
- Pension Scheme
- 25 days Annual Leave
- An opportunity and a voice to be part of a founding membership body that will shape the Financial Services industry in the UK by diversifying both the pool of talent and senior leaders in the UK.
Other relevant information:
- For this role you will need to be available to attend evening and early morning events on a very occasional basis.
TO APPLY: Please send your CV to recruitment@progresstogether.co.uk
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