Senior Executive Support Lead

Job purpose

The Senior Executive Support Lead will provide comprehensive, proactive and confidential executive support to the Commissioner and members of the IAA Executive Team and support corporate governance arrangements across the organisation.

The postholder will play a key role in ensuring the smooth operation of executive business, governance meetings and strategic programmes by overseeing and providing high-quality secretariat, administrative and coordination support. They will build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, enabling the Commissioner and Executive Team to focus on delivering the IAA's strategic objectives and improvement agenda.

Key responsibilities

Executive Support

• Lead and co-ordinate a proactive, comprehensive and confidential executive support service to the Commissioner and Executive Directors, promoting consistency, quality and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the management of Commissioner’s and Executive Team diaries, mailboxes and correspondence, exercising judgement to support the Executive Officer in prioritising, redirecting and responding appropriately to queries.
• Develop and maintain executive support procedures, templates and standards.
• Oversee and where necessary coordinate meetings, events and engagements on behalf of Commissioner and Executive Directors.
• Arrange travel, accommodation and associated logistics in accordance with organisational policies.
• Prepare briefings, reports, presentations and supporting information for executive meetings and external engagements.
• Where appropriate monitor actions, commitments and deadlines on behalf of Commissioner and Executive Team, ensuring timely follow-up and completion.

Governance and Secretariat Support

• Oversee secretariat support to IAA Audit & Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) and Advisory Board, Executive Management Team and governance meetings.
• Coordinate submission, and provide quality assurance, of agendas and papers for governance meetings developed by the Executive Officer, in consultation with Chairs and senior officers.
• Ensure governance meetings operate in accordance with agreed terms of reference, governance frameworks and organisational policies.
• Oversee the recording of accurate minutes and actions arising from governance meetings, ensuring decisions and actions are clearly recorded and monitored.
• Support the tracking of executive actions, commitments, and deadlines, providing assurance and progress reporting to the Commissioner and Executive Team.
• Support the maintenance and continuous improvement of governance processes and documentation.
• Ensure governance records are maintained in accordance with data protection, records management and organisational requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Build effective working relationships with colleagues, Board members, auditors, local authority representatives and other stakeholders.
• Act as a professional first point of contact for the Executive Team.
• Provide advice and guidance to IAA colleagues on the relevant support and administrative processes.
• Liaise confidently with a broad range of internal and external partners to facilitate delivery of business objectives.
• Line management for Executive Officer

Additional responsibilities

Undertake any other work reasonably required by the Head of Commissioner’s Office

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV and completed application form (available for download via advert on CSJ) to recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk 15th October 2026.

Please note that if you do not meet the essential criteria outlined in the application form, your application will not be progressed. We therefore encourage you to review the criteria carefully before applying.

We do not accept applications submitted via Indeed or through recruitment agencies. Applications will only be considered if they are submitted using the official application form accompanied by a CV sent directly to recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk.

If you have any issues please contact Recruitment@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk

As you apply you will be invited to complete an Equality and Diversity Questionnaire. This is to assist the IAA in ensuring its recruitment processes are fair to all. The questionnaire is not seen by anyone involved in the selection process. Completing the questionnaire is not mandatory. Please send to astrid.murray@immigrationadviceauthority.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.