Working With Us

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.

Organisation and Communication

• To present the professional and welcoming face of the Primary Team to all visitors, staff and students, including telephone callers.
• Organisation of key primary moderation and training events in liaison with the primary central team, including booking venues, arranging refreshments, communicating with attendees and keeping a record of event evaluation.
• Manage the primary calendar effectively, ensuring that it is kept up to date and there are no event clashes.
• To work as part of the team supporting the organisation of the Federation Conferences and events, e.g. the October Conference, SLT Conference, Governors’ Conference and Sports Day, undertaking tasks as required by the event manager/s.
• To ensure, when required, that all visitors for the Director are welcomed and catered for in a professional manner, organising refreshments as appropriate.
• To exercise complete discretion when dealing with issues of confidentiality and sensitivity.

Administrative

• To provide administrative support as needed for the Primary Assistant Directors, including preparing letters and presentations, preparing paperwork for meetings.
• To complete such clerical duties, telephone calls and secretarial tasks as may be reasonably expected in the course of the duties of the appointment.
• To provide administrative support to primary projects as and when required.
• To process expenses claims for the Primary Director and check those submitted for authorisation by the primary central team ensuring that all claims are in accordance with the policy and guidance.
• Maintain the primary contact list, ensuring that it is up to date at least termly, to support effective communication with the correct people in the primary academies.
• Maintain up-to-date records of primary central team deployment.

Other duties

• To assist the PA to the Primary Director with tasks as required and provide cover the event of absence/illness
• To be able to proofread documentation on behalf of the primary team and make amendments or suggestions as necessary.
• Provide general clerical/admin support e.g. photocopying, filing, e-mailing, completing standard forms, responding to routine correspondence.

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to at least A-Level standard or equivalent
• Good Microsoft Office skills – including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and SharePoint
• Strong attention to detail
• Good communication skills, both verbally and in writing
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to the achievement of the Federation’s overall vision for success at all levels
• Motivation to work with children and young people
• Ability to build & sustain professional standards, relationships & personal boundaries with young people
• Emotional maturity & resilience in dealing with challenging behaviours
• Ability to contribute towards a safe & protective environment
• Empathy with the aims and objectives of Harris Federation
• Willingness to continue professional development
• Commitment to maintaining high standards and expectations
• Commitment to contributing to academy life as a whole

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.