ACS International Schools are recruiting an Upper School Secretary to join the team at ACS Egham.
The Upper School Secretary provides broad administrative support for the day-to-day operations of the Upper School.
Key responsibilities of the role:
Customer Service & Communication:
- Act as the first point of contact for student, parent, and visitor inquiries, handling phone calls, emails, and in-person interactions professionally.
- Provide daily support to students, including assisting with administrative requests such as making phone calls home or accessing school services.
- Work closely with the Principal and Assistant Principals, supporting effective communication between students, staff, and parents.
- Promote a positive and professional working environment while ensuring clear and efficient communication with all stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate, secure, and confidential records in line with GDPR and school policies.
- Disseminate key information to staff, students, and parents, including scheduling appointments and organising meetings as needed.
- Liaise with various school departments to ensure smooth coordination of activities and events.
- Administrative Support & Data Management:
- Administer and maintain relevant student management systems to uphold data accuracy and accessibility.
- Provide administrative support to school leadership by organizing meetings, maintaining calendars, and assisting with general budgeting or procurement tasks.
- Support teachers with various administrative requests, including processing reimbursements and helping parents access student reports.
- Assist in planning and scheduling parent-teacher conferences, as well as managing a variety of staff and student records.
- Manage procedures for tracking student presence and movement to promote safety and accountability.
- Collaborate with staff to coordinate after-school programs and maintain associated records.
- Maintain and update school calendars, online platforms, and other communication tools to ensure activities are well-organised and effectively publicised.
- Oversee the content and updates for the Upper School section of the school’s intranet or equivalent platform, ensuring that information remains accurate and up to date.
- Logistics & Event Coordination:
- Assist in planning and organising school trips, visits, and extracurricular activities, including handling bookings, permissions, and relevant documentation.
- Maintain a resource database of trips, visitors, and events that align with academic programs.
- Collaborate with other Secretaries and Leaders to evaluate trip and visitor options, ensuring effective event planning.
- Ensure all documentation related to trips is completed and submitted on Safety Cloud.
- Coordinate with Upper School Assistant Principals regarding trip and visitor safety and compliance requirements.
- Support with the completion of DBS Risk Assessments for school visitors.
- Update and monitor the daily bus list to track student locations and communicate with bus monitors for student safety after dismissal.
Additional Duties:
- Provide first aid support for the Upper School as required.
- Ensure classrooms are correctly labelled and that certificates, student records, and other documents are prepared and maintained accurately.
- Assist with external reference requests and create transcripts for students leaving the school.
- Maintain a list of student birthdays and other key events to support school culture.
- Adapt to any additional tasks assigned by the Principal or SLT to support the efficient functioning of the Upper School.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
Knowledge and Experience
- Competent in the use of Microsoft Office packages.
- Proficient in the use of computers and databases.
- Previous experience as a receptionist / secretary / administrator in a busy, customer focused environment.
- Demonstrable customer service experience.
Skills and Aptitudes
- A tolerant, flexible approach.
- Able to work under pressure with sensitivity to a multi-cultural environment is essential.
- Able to work autonomously at times on repetitive tasks but also as part of a team.
- Must be organised and able to multitask.
- Good level of interpersonal and communication skills, with a good standard of written and spoken English.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks appropriately.
- Commitment to delivering excellent level of professional customer service.
- Ability to remain calm and deal with challenging callers or visitors in an appropriate manner.
- High level of attention to detail and accuracy of work Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Ability to be resourceful and proactive, in particular where unexpected issues arise.
- Ability to work effectively with people across a wide range of levels and responsibilities.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality, having tact and diplomacy where necessary.
Start date: As soon as possible.
Working hours: Monday- Friday 0800- 16:00, 44 weeks per year (term time plus)
Safeguarding
ACS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and as an employee of ACS you are expected to share this commitment. The protection of our students’ welfare is the responsibility of all staff within ACS International Schools and individuals are expected to conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of our organisation.
