Head's Personal Assistant

Highgate School supports anonymous recruitment. This means we hide your personal, identifying information to remove bias from the hiring process. We encourage applications from candidates who experience barriers and inequity due to their ethnicity, gender identity, physical or mental health, sexuality, and/or socio-economic background.

Highgate is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to this post, including checks with past employers, overseas police check if necessary and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

THE HEAD’S OFFICE

The Head’s Office is based at the heart of this highly successful selective coeducational London day school, in recently re-modelled and comfortable offices. The Head’s Personal Assistant (PA) works closely with the part-time Assistant to the Head (Recruiting) on teacher recruitment across the three schools and shares an assistant with the Deputy Head (Academic).

THE ROLE

This is an excellent opportunity to join an award-winning charity and to work closely with an inspiring and forward-thinking Head to further support his vision of a vibrant, diverse and welcoming community where outstanding teaching and learning take place.  If you are interested in being part of one of this country's top independent school where kindness is at the heart of what we do, then this is an ideal opportunity for you.  

The Head’s Personal Assistant is central to the smooth and efficient running of the Head’s Office and has responsibility for the Head’s diary. They are a front-line contact for parents and carers, pupils, Governors, teachers, and members of the public, and much of the work is confidential. The post-holder will ensure that the Head’s office is a quiet and welcoming place to work for staff and visitors, and that there is easy access to the Head while protecting his time. Informal strategic discussions with the Head are an important part of the role, and candidates should demonstrate willingness to suggest solutions and to carry them out.

The successful candidate will have confidence and warmth, office management experience gained within a fast-moving environment, as well as excellent written and verbal communication, and organisational skills.

THE SCHOOL

A culture of community, kindness and belonging

Highgate is a different kind of independent school. We are a school whose charitable ethos is an inextricable part of both staff and pupil DNA. Highgate doesn’t exist in a bubble, but is connected to, and part of, a community. We have partnerships with over 60 state schools across 7 London boroughs, and, in 2017, Highgate co-founded the free sixth form school, The London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET), with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as principal business sponsor.

From the Pre-Prep right up to the Sixth Form, we are actively seeking to embed a real sense of belonging at Highgate. Everyone who works and studies with us deserves to feel they are part of an environment that:

• welcomes them
• enables them to be themselves
• understands them
• encourages questioning, self-knowledge, and self-expression
• helps them not just to manage, but to thrive, to discover and pursue their passions, and to develop as individuals and members of a community.

To do this, we are evaluating diversity in our professional, curricular and co-curricular life, exploring how to attract pupils and staff from all backgrounds to work and learn at Highgate and providing opportunities to share our own experiences as well as learning from alternative perspectives. Our work on inclusion at Highgate involves pupils, staff, alumni, parents and carers.

Award-winning success

Founded over 450 years ago in 1565 by Sir Roger Cholmeley, Highgate is one of the UK’s leading co-educational independent schools for pupils aged 4-18. There are currently in the region of 1,850 pupils split across our Pre-Preparatory School, Junior School and Senior School sites, in conjunction with approximately 600 teaching and support staff. We are proud to be able to claim some of the top academic results across the UK, as well as titles of Independent School of the Year 2019 and Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility 2019. Highgate has recently been named the Sunday Times London Independent School of the Decade by Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide. “Ranking in the top 25 independent schools in the UK for its results in the examination hall, Highgate achieves well for its children. But it also makes a difference for many more children beyond its own gates.” Alistair McCall, The Sunday Times.

Dates: Closing date is 8.00am on Friday 12 March but applications will be considered on receipt

Salary: £38,000-£41,000 p.a. depending on qualifications, skills and experience

Location: Highgate, North London

Contract type: Permanent – Full time. Flexible working during the holiday periods will be considered for the right candidate and discussed at interview.

To apply: For further information and an application form, please visit our website: https://www.highgateschool.org.uk/work-with-us/staff-vacancies/