The Role

Are you highly organised, proactive and confident working in a fast-paced senior leadership environment?

Do you have the skills to provide high-level executive support while managing complex, competing priorities with discretion and sound judgement?

If yes, this is an excellent opportunity to join Southwark Council’s Integrated Commissioning team as our next Personal Assistant!

About the team

The Integrated Commissioning team works with NHS partners, council services and external stakeholders to deliver high-quality, joined-up health and social care services for Southwark residents.

About the role

You will provide high-level executive and administrative support to the Director of Commissioning within a busy and high-profile service area.

Please note, this position will be offered on a part-time basis, 21.6 hours per week (3 days per week).

This is a shared support role, requiring you to balance competing priorities and support effective coordination across senior leadership.

You will act as a key point of contact, ensuring excellent communication, strong organisation and effective prioritisation across a complex and demanding environment.

What You'll Be Doing:

You will:

Provide executive support, including complex diary and inbox management, triaging and prioritising enquiries using sound judgement
Balance competing priorities while supporting senior leaders in a fast-paced environment
Maintain bring-forward systems, tracking actions, decisions and follow-ups
Organise meetings, including agendas, papers, minutes and action tracking
Coordinate internal and external meetings, events and recurring forums
Prepare briefing materials to ensure the Director is fully informed
Support engagement with senior officers, elected members, NHS partners and external stakeholders
Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism

You will be an experienced PA or executive support professional with:

Experience supporting senior leaders, ideally within local government or a complex public sector organisation
Strong experience managing busy diaries, inboxes and competing priorities
Experience filtering and prioritising enquiries using sound judgement
Strong minute-taking, meeting coordination and action tracking skills
Excellent communication and organisational abilities
High level of IT literacy (Microsoft Office)
Ability to work independently, use initiative and perform well under pressure
Strong discretion when handling sensitive information
Flexibility to attend meetings outside normal working hours when required

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please refer to the job description and person specification at the bottom of the advert.

Contact details

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Claire Begard at Claire.belgard@southwark.gov.uk

What We're Looking For:

You will be an experienced PA or executive support professional with:

Experience supporting senior leaders, ideally within local government or a complex public sector organisation
Strong experience managing busy diaries, inboxes and competing priorities
Experience filtering and prioritising enquiries using sound judgement
Strong minute-taking, meeting coordination and action tracking skills
Excellent communication and organisational abilities
High level of IT literacy (Microsoft Office)
Ability to work independently, use initiative and perform well under pressure
Strong discretion when handling sensitive information
Flexibility to attend meetings outside normal working hours when required

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please refer to the job description and person specification at the bottom of the advert.

Contact details:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Claire Begard at Claire.belgard@southwark.gov.uk

Additional information:

Pay scale: Grade 8, £38,637 – £44,937 per annum
Working hours: 21.6 hours per week, 3 days per week (0.6 FTE)
Contract type: Permanent
Location: 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH
Benefits: https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

To be considered for interview, you will need to upload your CV and respond to three key questions based on the person specification. Your responses should demonstrate how your knowledge, skills, and experience meet the requirements of the role.

Recruitment Timeline:

Advert Close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 21st June 2026.

Shortlisting date: to be confirmed.

Interview date: to be confirmed.

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Attachments

PA Job-description Commissioning.pdf