Luton Cultural Services Trust
36,362 per year
Luton
Full-time
Job Description

  Executive Assistant to Chief Executive

Job Title

Executive Assistant to Chief Executive

Grade

L7  £36,362.00

Reports to

Chief Executive of the Culture Trust

JOB PURPOSE:  To provide full administrative, secretarial support to the Chief Executive and Board of
Trustees. To produce and keep up-to-date the board documentation, data and rolling schedule of
meetings for the board and leadership team. To plan and prepare for key meetings, coordinate
reports and papers, take minutes and assist with corporate events and Company Secretary Duties.

To organise the Chief Executive’s office functions and ensure efficient and professional operations
whilst communicating with a range of stakeholders, staff and customers and presenting clear
information. To ensure that data and information is collated and managed appropriately in verbal,
written and digital formats.

ORGANISATION CHART:

Board

Chief Executive

Executive Assistant

Director of Finance & Resources

Director of Customer Experience

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1

2

3

4

5

6

Organise and maintain the Chief Executive’s Office functions and diary including
assisting in planning through prioritisation, allocation and organisation of
appointments within a scheduled work programme. Liaise with a wide range of
people to ensure that all appropriate arrangements are made for meetings,
seminars etc, organising travel and accommodation as necessary.

Assist with Company Secretary admin support for the Culture Trust, working with
the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources providing administrative
support to ensure that the organisation complies with its responsibilities both as a
company and a charity. This includes coordinating information for the charity’s
annual returns to Companies House, ensuring timely filing of accounts, maintenance
of the company’s records and legal documents and for calling meetings of the
Directors and Trustees including the AGM.

Prepare and coordinate the rolling 12-month forward plan of Board and Chief
Executive meetings. Plan meetings and invite participants, draft agendas and
reports for meetings and coordinate all administrative and hospitality aspects of
Board meetings, sub committees, leadership team meetings and special project
meetings. Ensure information is accurately recorded and sensitive and confidential
issues appropriately dealt with. Organise and/or provide hospitality for meetings
and Board or key stakeholder corporate events.

Coordinate special projects and minute take key meetings on behalf of the Board
and Chief Executive. To accurately record key meetings and maintain
documentation, circulate in a timely manner and coordinate the completion of key
actions prior to the next strategic meeting.  Projects may range from co-ordinating
content for publications, researching and reviewing documents to leading external
initiatives such as facilitating national networking groups in the cultural sector.

Professional communications with wide range of stakeholders.
Respond to customer feedback directly, delegate to colleagues for reply where
appropriate and filter incoming visitors and a heavy volume of communications with
the Chief Executive from a wide range of sources including the public, colleagues,
Trustees, and stakeholders, partners and funders at a local, regional and national
level. Exercise judgement in prioritisation, dealing with matters within own remit
and / or referring them to the Chief Executive as and when necessary, ensuring tact,
discretion and courtesy at all times.

Draft reports, data presentations and correspondence on behalf of the Chief
Executive, trustees and leadership team, research key data and information to
support meetings and events and present data to the Chief Executive and
leadership team. Including quarterly reports to funders such as Arts Council and
Luton Rising. Utilise a range of IT applications to enable this, presenting work to a
high standard of communication and to strict deadlines. Exercise personal
judgement in ensuring that written communications are professional, accurate,
fluent and unambiguous. Provide KPI Data coordination and reporting.

%

25

15

15

10

10

10

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

7

8

Organise and coordinate corporate events and seminars/away days for staff (up to
300 people) and partners. Organise and distribute programmes and presentations
and be responsible for ensuring all equipment, refreshments and room
requirements are in hand for the smooth delivery of the event. Initiate and deliver
evaluation requirements and follow up actions from the events.

Ensure efficient and compliant digital records and files and new and existing
administrative systems including distributing data, seeking and collating responses
from others, locating and collating files, correspondence or information. To manage
the online board portal and other online data systems effectively and efficiently.
Files may be of a sensitive nature and should comply with data protection in line
with GDPR

%

10

5

DIMENSIONS:

Indirect Supervisory Management:

Some supervision of administrative assistants and project
assistants where relevant.

Financial Resources & Responsibilities: N/A

Physical Resources:

N/A

Working Environment:

Normal office environment

Context:
The Culture Trust, Luton is a charity Established in 2008, the Culture Trust, Luton is a vibrant and
progressive independent charity, and our mission is ‘to connect communities through culture’. We
do this through our accredited museums, theatres, galleries, creative workspaces and Arts Centre in
Luton. We animate: The Hat Factory Arts Centre, Hat House creative workspace, Wardown House
Museum & Gallery and Stockwood Gardens & Museum. We present multi-cultural and year-round
programme of events, exhibitions, workshops and performances. We support creative talent and
skills by providing opportunities, platforms and cultural career progression for young people. We
care for a collection of over 2 million artefacts, 1.5 million photographs and maps and hold the most
extensive and complete hat and headwear collection in the UK. We co-produce activity with our
community, Museum Makers volunteers and team of cultural experts.

Equalities:
The postholder will ensure that procedures and activities for service delivery are implemented and/
or revised in a way that supports equality for all. These activities should also reflect The Culture
Trust’s commitment to work in active partnership with the community to regenerate Luton and to
improve the quality of life for all who live, work or visit the town.

Work Ethos:
Respect colleagues and work together to achieve high standards of customer excellence in all our
work.  Work flexibly and positively to achieve the business objectives of the Trust.

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

Other:
•  Able to work across Trust sites when necessary to support other teams to meet the business

requirements of the organisation.

•  Able to work evenings and weekends as required.

The post will report to the Chief Executive of the Culture Trust, Luton. The Chief Executive works
closely with colleagues across the UK in the cultural sector. This post is therefore key to ensuring
that the Chief Executive is fully briefed and prepared for their long and short-term work programmes
by making verbal and written information available and liaising with colleagues and partners.

The postholder will be based at the Hat Factory Arts Centre or other such location the Chief
Executive is based. Travel for meetings may be required several times per week.

Some limited regional and national travel may be necessary from time to time.

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

Person Specification
This acts as selection criteria and gives an outline of the types of person and the characteristics required to
do the job.

Essential (E):  without which candidate would be rejected
Desirable (D): useful for choosing between two good candidates

Please make sure, when completing your application form, you give clear examples
of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

Attributes

Experience

Skills/Abilities

Essential

In depth experience providing
secretarial/administrative support
to a senior manager or board of
trustees/company.

How
Measured
1,2

Desirable

In-depth experience
undertaking an
executive assistant role
supporting senior
management.

How
Measured
1,2

Excellent verbal communication
skills and able to demonstrate and
deal effectively with a wide range
of people in a courteous, helpful
but assertive manner and able to
exercise high levels of tact and
diplomacy.

Excellent written and minute
taking communication skills. Able
to produce accurate and concise
minutes/notes.  Able to compile
well-written and grammatically
correct documents and letters to a
professional standard from the
CEO and board.

In depth IT skills, including the use
of word processing, spreadsheet
and email applications and use of
online data systems and portals for
secure information share.

1,2,5

1,2,3, 5

1,2,3, 5

Demonstrable experience
organising corporate events and
seminars for staff, partners and /
or stakeholders to a high standard

1,2

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

Please make sure, when completing your application form, you give clear examples
of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

Attributes

Essential

Be highly organised and able to
effectively and efficiently plan and
organise own workload and that of
others to meet organisational
priorities and deadlines and to
facilitate the progression of
important events and issues.

Proven track record of being able
to use own initiative to make
informed, appropriate and
professional judgements with
limited supervision and guidance.

Experience advocating for Equality
Inclusion and diversity in the
workplace and planned events and
activities.

Equality Issues

Specialist
Knowledge

Education and
Training

RSA III Typing or higher WP
qualification or equivalent
qualification or experience.

Other
Requirements

Able to attend occasional evening
meetings and work flexibly.

Able to attend sites (frequency: 2-3
times per week) and undertake
limited regional and national
travel.

How
Measured
1,2

Desirable

How
Measured

1,2

1,2

1,2,

1,2

1,2

Some experience of
working as Executive
Assistant for a Chief
Executive.

1,2

(1 = Application Form    2 = Interview    3 = Test    4 = Proof of Qualification    5 = Practical Exercise)

NB: This job description reflects the requirements the Culture Trust as of August 2025. The role and duties of
the post are subject to change in line with the future development of the Trust.  The Culture Trust reserves
the rights to make such changes as are necessary and any changes required will be discussed with the post
holder as appropriate.

We will consider any reasonable adjustments under the terms of the Equality Act (2010), to enable an
applicant with a disability (as defined under the Act) to meet the requirements of the post.

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25

The post holder will ensure that Luton Culture’s policies are reflected in all aspects of his/her work, particularly
those relating to:

(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Equal Opportunities
Health and Safety
Data Protection Act (2018) & General Data Protection Regulations (2018)

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Date JD last reviewed: 18/8/25