Diary & Events Manager

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About the role:

About the role

Sitting at the heart of the Group CEO's Private Office, this is a fast-paced, purposeful role that ensures exceptional diary management, smooth coordination of meetings, events and visits, and first-class communications and briefings. You will work closely with the Group CEO, the Group Executive Leadership Team and colleagues across Elevare to enable agile decision-making, outstanding stakeholder experience and seamless delivery of high-profile engagements.

What you will do

• Own and optimise complex diary management for the Group CEO-prioritising requests, sequencing meetings, and resolving conflicts across Group operations.

• Plan and deliver multiple events and visits for the Private Office including but not limited to Group Annual Conferences and Annual Award Ceremonies, landmark lectures and Strategic Elevare Events and visits of high profile political and local dignitaries and stakeholders.

• Draft clear, accurate communications and coordinate with the Communications team on public engagements and media interactions.

• Use social media and digital tools appropriately to support timely, effective communication.

• Prepare briefings and commission analysis ahead of internal and external meetings, ensuring the CEO is well-briefed on priorities, risks and opportunities.

• Champion great service and streamlined processes, using Microsoft 365 and ethical AI tools to improve workflows across the Private Office.

• Maintain policy awareness across FE, HE and schools, producing succinct updates on education policy changes, media coverage and legislative developments.

• Support high-profile visits and engagements alongside Group Executive colleagues-always with meticulous preparation and customer focus.

• Contribute to Private Office systems and procedures, including papers flow, meetings, travel and wider business coordination; deputise for the Head of Private Office when required.

• Work closely with the Group Chief of Staff & Group Chief Governance Officer on governance-related activities that involve the Group CEO and Private Office operations.

What you will bring

Essential

• A degree (or equivalent experience).

• Proven experience in business operations within an education or comparable setting; confident in project/diary/event management.

• Outstanding written and oral communication skills; comfortable drafting on behalf of senior leaders and using social media appropriately.

• Excellent IT skills across MS Office with the aptitude to adopt new systems and a good understanding of AI.

• Highly organised, methodical, able to juggle multiple priorities and present complex information clearly.

• Collaborative, customer-focused approach; able to network and engage confidently with stakeholders at all levels.

• UK driving licence and ability to travel across Elevare sites.

• Personal qualities that align with our values: commitment to student success, equality, diversity and inclusion, integrity and confidentiality, resilience, and the Nolan Principles.

Desirable

• Project or Event Management qualification; prior PA/EA experience and change-influencing exposure.

Additional requirements

This role involves out-of-hours working (evenings/weekends) as needed, including travel with the Group CEO; occasional overnight stays and working from the CEO's home office may be required. You will also contribute to business continuity planning with the Group Chief of Staff & Governance Director.

Working arrangements

This is a full-time role (1.0 FTE) based primarily at Bromley and Orpington with hybrid and flexible working and travelling across all school and college sites in SE London, Surrey and East Sussex. Evening and weekend working and occasional overnight stays may be required to support the Group CEO's schedule and or event planning. UK Driving Licence is essential as travelling with and driving the Group CEO will be required.

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About Us

About Us

The College

London South East Colleges (LSEC) is one of London's largest and most successful further education providers, with seven campuses across Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lambeth and around 1,000 staff. Each year, we support more than 13,000 students through a wide portfolio of vocational courses, apprenticeships and other programmes that are closely aligned to employer and industry need.

What brings people to work here, and keeps them here, is the sense of purpose. We exist to change lives through learning, and that ambition runs through everything we do. Our staff work with learners from all backgrounds, many of whom face significant barriers, and play a direct role in improving social mobility and life chances across south east London and beyond.

We are committed to developing our people. This includes high-quality professional development, leadership and management training, and clear opportunities for progression across the College and the wider Group. We encourage colleagues to develop their skills, share expertise and build long-term careers with us, supported by a culture that values collaboration, professionalism and continuous improvement.

We invest heavily in our learning environments, with modern facilities and strong partnerships with employers, universities and local communities. This enables our staff to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality education and training that equips learners with the skills, confidence and resilience to succeed in work and in life.

LSEC is part of the Elevare Civic Education Group, which also sponsors London South East Academies Trust. The Trust is a growing and successful Multi-Academy Trust, currently comprising mainstream, special and alternative provision schools across Bromley, Bexley, Surrey, Sussex and Lambeth. This gives colleagues the opportunity to work within a genuinely joined-up education system, spanning schools, colleges and higher education.

The Group has also recently established the Elevare Education Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and families across the region through targeted programmes and practical support. This reflects our wider civic mission and commitment to making a meaningful difference beyond our campuses.

With a combined turnover of around £130m and clear ambitions for growth and improvement, this is an organisation that is forward-looking, values expertise and encourages people to contribute ideas and shape the future. There has rarely been a more interesting time to join us.

Benefits

We offer a highly competitive benefits package, including excellent annual leave and a generous pension through the Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme depending on role.

Additional benefits include:

• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Free on-site parking
• Cycle to work scheme
• Annual season ticket loan
• Access to the Discounts for Teachers portal
• Free Wi-Fi access in over 10,000 locations worldwide through Eduroam
• Access to our on-site gym at Bromley campus and discount at other local gyms
• Discounts in our in-house restaurants and on hair and beauty treatments

Equal Opportunities

London South East Colleges is fully committed to equality of opportunity and to creating a diverse, inclusive and respectful working environment, free from discrimination and harassment. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, parental status or marital or partnership status.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we guarantee an interview to applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected] .

In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, we carry out social media checks on shortlisted candidates to assess suitability for working with children and young people.

Because we work with children and vulnerable adults, all roles are exempt from Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and, where relevant, a Children's and/or Adult's Barred List check. Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if these checks are unsatisfactory. Self-disclosure is required as part of the recruitment process, and failure to disclose relevant information or provide a DBS certificate is likely to result in withdrawal of an offer. Our DBS policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request.

All appointments are also subject to verification of the right to work in the UK, in line with Home Office requirements. Original documentation will be required prior to commencement of employment.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• F9 - Move focus from the edit area to the Footer Toolbar
• F10 - Move focus from the edit area to the first toolbar button
• Shift + TAB - Move focus from the edit area to the last toolbar button