Role Introduction

As an Investigations Assistant, you will work closely with the school’s in-house lawyer, supporting all aspects of the internal legal services provided to the school. This will be a mixed role, with responsibility for the completion of specific tasks as well as general legal administration. Your role will also involve working closely with members of the school’s Leadership Team on a variety of investigations

Due to the needs of the school and the department, we may interview suitable candidates before the closing date. This job may also close early if a large number of applications are received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid missing your chance to apply.

Main Duties

• Supporting senior members of the school with the completion of internal investigations, both those involving pupils and members of staff. This may include, for example, taking statements from witnesses, interviewing or assisting with interviewing individuals involved in a case, taking clear notes, reviewing investigation reports, accurately redacting information, and creating document packs;
• Researching information for legal cases and preparing internal reports;
• Preparing legal documents and organising legal files;
• Working closely with other departments in the school, such as the Head Master’s Office, the Lower Master’s Office and the HR Department, and building close and trusting relationships;
• Undertaking general office administration to support the smooth running of the department;
• Maintain the College’s licences;
• Commitment and promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion;
• All positions at Eton are classed as ‘regulated activity’ as per the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022 guidance, therefore a good understanding of safeguarding procedures is essential;
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including by not limited to, completing safeguarding training as required, and ensuring any safeguarding updates issued by the College are read and understood;
• Understand and comply with procedures and legislation relating to confidentiality.

The Ideal Candidate

To be successful in this role you will need:

• Legal Secretary/ Paralegal experience: ILEX qualified or part qualified or the equivalent (eg paralegal or chartered or company secretary qualification);
• Previous experience working as a legal secretary, paralegal or equivalent;
• Relevant experience providing administrative support to senior management level;
• Familiarity with using online legal document sharing systems;
• Advanced MS Office skills: Word, Outlook, Excel and Powerpoint;
• Thorough understanding of GDPR;
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal;
• Ability to prioritise apparently conflicting requirements;
• Very high degree of accuracy/attention to detail;
• Self-motivated, able to take own initiative and able to work independently;
• Logical, methodical, thorough and well-organised;
• Conscientious, personable, confident and courteous;
• Calm under pressure;
• Diplomatic, trustworthy and discreet;
• The ability to take shorthand notes would be a distinct advantage.

You may enjoy this role if:

• You have a ‘can-do’ attitude – you love getting stuck in and you’re not phased by a heavy volume of work and fast changing priorities;
• You’re flexible – you’ll have to juggle lots of competing tasks so you’ll enjoy having lots of different things on the go, and you’re able to organise your time and to prioritise your to do list so nothing slips through the cracks;
• You have an eye for detail – you are naturally detail orientated and you’re able to maintain your attention to detail, even when working under pressure;
• You’re happy to get stuck in and handle the administration and less glamorous tasks, as well as the more complex and visible ones;
• You’re a great communicator – you enjoy engaging with a variety of different people, you’ll always try to meet face to face or pick up the phone rather than email if you can;        
• You are able to communicate complex information in a clear and easy to understand manner – you avoid jargon and you are able to flex your style to meet the needs of your audience;
• You have tact and sensitivity – you are able to handle confidential and sensitive information and you won’t share this information with people who don’t need to know;
• You’re confident to use your own initiative, but you also know when to ask for help and guidance;
• You’re naturally resilient and able to deal with ambiguity and change;

You’re a team-player – you are naturally collegiate and happy to work with a variety of people who have different levels of understanding of the law and legal processes.

Benefits

Eton College offers a wide range of benefits, including; an 11% employer contribution to your pension (with 4.9% employee contribution), Employee Assistance Programme, enhanced Maternity / Paternity scheme (where applicable), free eyecare vouchers, a cycle to work scheme, subsidised lunches during term time, free access to the College’s sport and leisure facilities and discount at local retailers and businesses.

About the College

We are an equal opportunities employer and are seeking applications from suitable candidates from all backgrounds. We are dedicated to creating and sustaining an environment that values individuality and difference and celebrates the diversity of both staff and pupils by fostering perseverance, tolerance and integrity. We believe in equal opportunity for everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

If you have any queries about the application process or any problem with submitting your application online, the Recruitment Team will be happy to help. Should you require any reasonable adjustments to be made or facilities provided to enable you to apply online, please do not hesitate to contact us on recruitment@etoncollege.org.uk so we can make adjustments accordingly. 

DISCLOSURE CHECKS

Eton College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including reference checks with past employers, an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service and, where applicable, a Barred List, Prohibition and EEA checks. If you are successful in your application, you will be required to complete a DBS Disclosure Application Form.  Any information disclosed will be handled in accordance with any guidance and/or Code of Practice published by the DBS. The College is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings (including those which would normally be considered as “spent” under the Act) must be declared, subject to the DBS filtering rules. It is a criminal offence for any person who is barred from working with children to attempt to apply for a position at the College.

Eton College