PA to SLT & Cover Manager

Hope Valley College, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 6SD

19 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  ASAP

• Closing date

  29 November 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  10 November 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £34,237.00 - £38,510.00 Annually (FTE) Actual Salary £30,957 to £34,820

PA to SLT & Cover Manager job summary

Hope Valley College are looking for a highly organised and efficient individual with the ability to provide an effective and high-quality PA service to the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team, administration service for the Local Governing Body and co-ordinate complex staff cover requirements within school on a daily basis.

The successful candidate will have excellent attention to detail, strong communication skills when working with a wide variety of stakeholders (including young people) and substantial experience of PA or other general administrative work for a Senior Leadership Team or Executive Board. It is essential to have an ability to work with competing priorities and show a high level of initiative in a fast-paced and rewarding environment.

The working hours are 7:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Thursday and 7:30am to 3:00pm on a Friday.

Job description

The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities within the spirit of the school and trust policies and within the framework of legislation relating to academies and education, with particular regard to the statutory responsibilities of the trust and the governing body of the school.

The specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Specific duties and responsibilities

To be responsible for the provision of an outstanding PA service ensuring the Headteacher &

Leadership team are fully supported in all aspects of their work and to the standards required by

the Trust. This will also include administering daily cover requirements for staff absence, and Local Governing Body (LGB) administration which will involve liaising with School Governors and being responsible for an efficient and competent administrative service as required.

Duties will include, but not be limited to:

PA to Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team

To be an ambassador for the school and the primary point of contact for staff, families, Governors and other stakeholders looking to speak with the Headteacher and SLT.

To provide general and confidential secretarial and administrative services to the Headteacher & Leadership Team, including managing calls, enquiries, emails and other correspondence, welcoming visitors and redirecting enquiries where required.

Coordinate the diaries of the Headteacher and SLT making decisions around priorities where appropriate and ensuring they are appropriately briefed on matters to be discussed, papers and associated actions are prepared assembled and distributed.

To process exclusions, ensuring records are kept up to date and providing data for external returns.

Develop and maintain a filing service in line with outstanding practice.

To attend confidential meetings and take notes, prepare documents and distribute to relevant parties under the direction of the Headteacher & Leadership Team.

Make and plan travel arrangements as necessary and arrange hospitality requests for any events or meetings that involve the Headteacher or Leadership Team.

Support the Headteacher with the organisation of school events such as INSET days, Presentation Evening, Open Evening, End of Year Events, primary cluster meetings etc.

Provide the Headteacher with in-year admissions support, including the tracking of enquiries and application forms, facilitate tours and aid the smooth transition into school for new starters.

Process in year admission appeals, ensuring accurate records are kept and coordinate hearing panels where appropriate.

Support with student recruitment, transition day and STEM days, communicate with Primary Schools ensuring this is appropriately branded and supports the schools visions and values.

Take minutes of staff briefings, Leadership Team Meetings, Trade Union meetings and extra ordinary staff meetings as required and ensure actions are clear and passed to those responsible.

Deputise for the Business Manager in their absence, oversee the implementation of procedures across the business support services across the school. To provide other administrative support for the Leadership Team as directed by the Headteacher

To co-ordinate and administer school complaints and follow the process from receipt of complaint through to resolution under the direction of the SLT member responsible.

Work closely and liaise with the central HR team to administer school-based HR activities and tasks.

Support school recruitment processes providing a comprehensive administrative service,

Support the Senior Leadership Team with the delivery of in-house induction, performance management and professional development and ensure managers are prompted to complete appropriate tasks.

Cover Management

Co-ordinate and administer daily arrangements for cover for absent colleagues (Teachers and support staff where applicable), arranging supply teachers and ensuring school is compliant with STPCD around “Rarely Cover” in connection with requesting cover by teaching colleagues.

Direct and deploy cover staff effectively to ensure cover is provided where required.

Give clear, accurate daily timetable to cover staff and agency staff, as needed to enable them to work effectively.

Manage cover staff in line with all Trusts policies, e.g. absence management, appraisals etc in conjunction with SLT T&L lead.

Inform HR of staff absences and record relevant data in the cover diary and HR systems used for staff cover, supply staff hours, sickness absence, INSET and personal leave.

Maintain HR data and reports on sickness and other absence in conjunction with Colleagues.

Monitor the usage of agencies in relation to Agency Workers Regulations and workforce legislation regarding protection of teacher planning, preparation and assessment time.

To maintain supply agency/ supply teacher listings, keeping contact details, pricing etc up to date.

Liaise with supply agencies to achieve best value and organise long term cover when required.

Authorise payment of supply staff/ agency invoices against the cover diary and budget in line with finance system.

Notify relevant teaching staff of any need to provide appropriate work for pupils who are to be supervised.

To provide basic induction for supply teachers and cover staff, ensuring that: those new to the school can locate relevant facilities and fully understand what is expected of them in terms of policy and procedure (including Health and Safety and Behaviour policies); and those who have previously worked at the school are fully up to date with information.

Contribute to the development of, and implement agreed procedures for receiving, recording and acting on notification of planned and short-notice unplanned absence, communicating with relevant colleagues (SLT) as appropriate.

In consultation with all relevant colleagues to evaluate the impact of cover provision, preparing cover and absence returns for the school leadership team.

Produce regular reports for senior management and Governors on cover provision including costings.

Make changes to cover and rooms as required during the day in response to emergencies/unforeseen circumstances in conjunction with MIS team.

Local Governing Body (LGB) Admin

Provide a single point of contact for the schools LGB. You will liaise with School Governors, the Trust Central Team, Senior Leadership Team and any other bodies as required.

Use the Trust Governance calendar of activity to maintain the LGB and subcommittees calendar.

Use Trust templates and agendas to prepare LGB and committee agendas and paperwork for all meetings, in liaison with the central team, the Principal, Chairs and other appropriate staff.

Provide a clerking service for all LGB governor meetings and other administrative duties.

Maintain compliant LGB files in school as required, and all key documentation reflecting outstanding practice guided by the Trust central team. Keep governor minutes and records in line for ESFA/DFE guidance and best practice.

Administer the recruitment of Parent Governors/elections as required directed by the central team.

Organise and co-ordinate permanent exclusion and other statutory suspension panels as required, in line with guidance and as directed by SLT/Principal.

Clerk permanent exclusion panels, liaising with parents, Governors, the Local Authority, and school or central team staff as required.

Support for the trust/school

Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.

Work in a flexible way to respond to the needs of the trust and to fulfil other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the grade and role as and when required.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure equal opportunities for all.

Appreciate and support the role of other professionals.

Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required.

Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the trust/schools.

Participate in relevant training, other learning activities and performance management as required.

Team responsibilities: all staff are considered part of the overall trust team and may be required to provide assistance to colleagues in other areas from time to time commensurate with the role, skillset and grade.

From time to time, to meet the needs of the trust, you may be asked but not expected to work hours additional to your normal working hours. The Trust will give you as much notice as possible and you will be paid/recompensed for such work. Situations where this might be required are, for example: relevant key school events such as open evenings, exam results days, trips, clubs, training etc.

Changes to these duties

The above duties are not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake tasks, roles and responsibilities as may be reasonably assigned to them by the Headteacher.

The job description and allocation of particular responsibilities will be kept under review and may be amended via consultation with individuals, the governing body or board of trustees and/or senior leadership team as required. Trade union representation will be welcomed in any such discussions.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Hope Valley College

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 11 to 18
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 518 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 18
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Hope Valley College website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/hope-valley-college-hope-valley

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