The Oxford Street Development Corporation

You will be joining an organisation whose work is helping to shape the future of one of London’s most iconic places. The Oxford Street Development Corporation has been established to lead the long-term regeneration and transformation of Oxford Street and its surrounding area to deliver a world-class public realm and safer, cleaner streets, and to supporting high-quality development, culture and economic activity that keeps the area thriving. Our OSDC Board is setting out the strategic direction of the organisation and brings diverse insight and cross-sector expertise including retail, property, leisure, fashion, music, theatre, media, law and politics. Your will be joining a rapidly growing organisation fully dedicated to restore Oxford Street to its former glory and to shape its exciting next chapter.

About the role

To provide high level executive support services to the OSDC’s CEO and Directors. Using knowledge of the OSDC, our senior leaders and their priorities, this job will help to optimise the effectiveness of our executive team by working in partnership with key stakeholders and providing a professional proactive support service.

What your day will look like

Provide a full range of high-level strategic, administrative and executive support, including query resolution, contact prioritisation, diary management, meeting coordination, and organising travel and accommodation.

Be the first point of contact, acting as the ‘gatekeeper’ for the CEO and Director’s schedules, dealing with incoming enquiries with respect and confidentiality, ensuring routine enquiries are routed to the appropriate managers, and delegating or escalating to key officers as required.

Keep abreast of the priorities and key work of the CEO and Directors, understanding where items should be flagged for consideration or where new information may pose a challenge to plans, timelines or deliverables.

Develop and maintain key lines of communication and working relationships with both external and internal stakeholders to support the CEO and Directors in their roles.

Support the CEO and Directors in people related activities, such as administrative recruitment/onboarding actions and finance related activities, such as raising purchase orders, and processing and approving expenses.

Ensure that the CEO and Directors are properly briefed on the agenda in advance of all meetings of the OSDC and its related organisations as appropriate, requesting briefings from key officers as required, and providing relevant available material on actions, decisions or reports.

Organise and maintain own systems for the storage and retrieval of information, file documents, arrange and/or undertake, as appropriate, document production services.

Support the CEO and Directors to manage a thriving team, including coordinating team meetings, away days or strategy sessions as needed, and ensuring key information is distributed to OSDC staff on events, changes and key issues.

Realise the benefits of London's diversity by promoting and enabling equality of opportunities and promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of London's communities.

Realise the benefits of a flexible approach to work in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job and participating in multi-disciplinary cross-department and cross-organisational groups and project teams.

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

Experience of working in a similar position in a high-profile organisation, providing high-level executive support to senior leadership.

Demonstrable experience of dealing effectively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders of all levels.

Experience in drafting briefings, agendas and other key business management documentation, and experience of producing professional written correspondence on behalf of senior managers.

Experience of developing and implementing systems and processes to deliver administrative management and confidential file management.

Exceptional attention to detail and experience of managing multiple complex diaries within a busy environment.

Behavioural Competencies

Building and managing relationships

is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

Level 2 indicators of effective performance

Develops new professional relationships

Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement

Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action

Fosters an environment where others feel respected

Identifies opportunities for joint working to minimise duplication and deliver shared goals

Planning and organising

is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard

Level 1 indicators of effective performance

plans and prioritises own workload to meet agreed deadlines

advises colleagues or manager early of obstacles to work delivery

perseveres and follows work through to completion

checks for errors to ensure work is delivered to a high standard first time

effectively juggles priorities

Problem solving

is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions

Level 1 indicators of effective performance

breaks down work issues, seeking further information if necessary

provides workable solutions to solve immediate work problems

makes suggestions and implements improvements to personal work processes

actively supports new initiatives and tries different ways of doing things

learns from others’ experience

Responding to pressure and change

is being flexible and adapting positively, to sustain performance when the situation changes, workload increases, tensions rise or priorities shift.

Level 1 indicators of effective performance

stays calm in pressurised and demanding situations

responds flexibly to changing circumstances

recognises when unable to cope and asks others for help

demonstrates openness to changing work priorities and deadlines

maintains personal well-being and achieves a balance between work and home life

Organisational awareness

is understanding and being sensitive to organisational dynamics, culture and politics across and beyond the OSDC and shaping our approach accordingly

Level 1 indicators of effective performance

understands the structure and statutory responsibilities of the OSDC

understands how own role and work contributes to team and organisational objectives

understands the role of the OSDC, and its wider family – the GLA, the Mayor and the Assembly - in relation to Londoners

is sensitive to the culture and political context of the OSDC and uses it to work effectively

treats OSDC information as sensitive and confidential