Executive Assistant to Executive Director (Fixed term for up to 12 months)

Salary on appointment will be £26,038 per annum, with an annual increment up to £29,659 per annum. 

The Sainsbury Centre is a world-renowned art museum with one of the most celebrated collections in the UK. It is famous for creating a unique perspective on how art can foster cultural dialogue and exchange. The Centre was founded in 1973 by Sir Robert and Lady Sainsbury, built on the gift of their extraordinary collection to the University of East Anglia and housed in Sir Norman Foster’s first ever public architectural masterpiece. Foster’s radical design for the building creates a unique experience for world-class art to be seen and enjoyed in a totally different way to the usual museum. Art is taken off the walls and placed on pedestals of equality in what was the largest open plan gallery space in the country when it was created. The vision of our founders was to encourage visitors to have a fundamentally unique museum experience at the Sainsbury Centre. We live by this ambition today and currently our visitors come from all over the world to enjoy a beautiful and dynamic arts landscape across three floors of indoor gallery space and a 20-acre sculpture park stretching out through surrounding meadow, forest and lake. It is a wonderful place to work.

Your role will be essential in providing support and council to the Executive Director during the ongoing running of a world-leading art museum.

You will provide comprehensive high-level executive support to the Executive Director exercising confidentiality, advice, tact, and diplomacy, supported by an understanding of the strategic narrative and priorities of the Centre. You will also proactively organise the Executive Director’s schedule and assist in running the day-to-day activities of their schedule, overseeing the inbox, minutes of meetings, organising team meetings, reports and papers, travel arrangements, meeting preparation and proof-reading.

You must be educated to degree level or hold an equivalent qualification or have gained equivalent experience. In addition, you will have demonstrable experience in a senior Executive Assistant role in a pressurised environment requiring tact, judgement, and discretion in handling internal and external contacts. Experience and interest in working in a museum or art gallery setting would be desirable and you should be able to fulfil all essential elements of the person specification.

This post is available from 5 November 2024 onwards on a full-time, fixed term basis for up to 12 months to cover for the absence of the post holder on maternity leave.

Further information on our great benefits package, including 34 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays and additional University Customary days, can be found on our benefits page.

Closing date: 21 October 2024

The University holds an Athena Swan Silver Institutional Award in recognition of our advancement towards gender equality.

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