Personal Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Operations

Personal Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Operations

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the executive team at John Lyon School.  We are seeking a Personal Assistant on a permanent basis to provide a high-quality service to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Director of Operations (DOO) and the School. This is an exciting time to join the School, as we have recently merged with Quainton Hall prep school and are starting our second year of co-education at the senior school.

The PA will support both the COO and DOO in providing administrative and secretarial support, being a key part of the link between the School, the Alumni Team and the Governing Body, coordinating activity across the entire support staff area, and supporting activity in essential and growing areas like use of school facilities by external organisations.

The successful candidate will have outstanding communication skills, with the confidence to deal with a wide range of people sensitively and with discretion.  They will have excellent IT skills and be capable of prioritising their workload to deliver the highest quality products against challenging deadlines, whilst remaining calm and approachable under pressure.  Whilst previous experience as a PA or working in a school might be advantageous, more important is a sense of self-motivation and an ability to seek and deliver solutions at pace.

This role is on a ‘term-time only plus’ basis, based on the weekly working hours.  Nevertheless, we will also require a flexible approach to working hours from the post holder (for example in support of Governors’ Meetings, Alumni events or outside of term time), and there may also be a requirement to occasionally undertake work at the prep school site.

Salary: c£27,378 p.a. FTE (£21,378 pro-rata for weeks below), depending on skills and experience

Hours: 35 hours per week plus one hour for lunch, 37 weeks p.a. (term time plus 3weeks)

The School’s benefits include:

  • Complimentary lunch during term-time
  • Fees remission for children of staff
  • Use of the School’s Sports Centre (including swimming pool) at designated times
  • Discount membership to Harrow School’s Golf Club
  • Cycle to Work Scheme
  • Commitment to professional development

For further information and to apply please refer to the job description, person specification and application forms at the bottom of the page.


Completed applications should be returned to [email protected]

Please be aware that CVs alone will not be accepted.

Closing date for applications: 12:00pm on Monday 5th September 2022.

Applications will be assessed in order of receipt and interviews may occur at any stage after applications are received. Please apply as soon as possible.


The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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