Executive Assistant to the Headmaster and Head of School Office - WCIL

Wellington College International Lagos (WCIL) is a world-class co-educational day and boarding school opening in September 2027 in Alaro City, Lagos, Nigeria. The School will deliver premium British education for pupils aged 3–18, rooted in the English National Curriculum and Wellington's core values of Kindness, Courage, Respect, Integrity and Responsibility. As part of the global Wellington family of schools, the College is committed to providing an exceptional, future-focused education that prepares young people to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Position Overview

The Executive Assistant to the Headmaster & Head of School Office serves as the principal executive support to the Headmaster while providing operational leadership and coordination for the School Office.

The post-holder will manage the Headmaster's schedule, priorities, communications, governance support, stakeholder engagement, and key strategic projects while ensuring the effective operation of the College Office. The dual role acts as a critical link between the Headmaster, academic leaders, operational departments, parents, governors and external stakeholders.

Working closely with School leaders and administrative teams, the Executive Assistant will promote operational excellence, professional standards, consistency of practice, and exceptional stakeholder service across the School.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support to the Headmaster

• Manage the Headmaster's diary, appointments, travel arrangements, correspondence, and meeting schedules.
• Coordinate priorities and ensure the effective management of the Headmaster's commitments and workload.
• Draft, review, and prepare reports, presentations, speeches, correspondence, and other official communications on behalf of the Headmaster.
• Prepare briefing materials and background information for meetings, events, and external engagements.
• Coordinate leadership meetings, including agenda preparation, minute taking, action tracking, and follow-up.
• Maintain strict confidentiality in relation to sensitive personnel, student, financial, and governance matters.
• Act as the primary point of contact for matters requiring the Headmaster's attention and exercise sound judgement in prioritising requests.
• School Office Leadership
• Oversee the effective operation of the School Office and provide leadership, guidance, and support to administrative staff (reception, communications, events and administration) within the College Office.
• Collaborate with office managers for junior and senior schools to promote consistency, efficiency, and high service standards of administration across school divisions.
• Review and improve administrative processes and systems to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Support the development of a culture of professionalism, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

• Serve as a key liaison between the Headmaster and internal and external stakeholders.
• Support communications with parents, staff, governors, regulatory bodies, educational organisations, and community partners.
• Coordinate Headmaster communications including newsletters, community updates, speeches, and special announcements.
• Support initiatives that strengthen engagement and relationships within the School community.
• Ensure all communications reflect the values, ethos, and standards of the College.

Event Management and Special Projects

• Lead the planning and coordination of strategic College events involving the Headmaster.
• Support the organisation of high-profile events including parent forums, staff events, accreditation visits, VIP visits, graduation ceremonies, and community engagement activities.
• Coordinate logistics, protocols, stakeholder communications and event delivery standards.
• Manage special projects assigned by the Headmaster and Senior Leadership Team.
• Monitor project timelines and ensure successful implementation of key initiatives.

Operational Coordination

• Work collaboratively with academic, admissions, marketing, finance, human resources, facilities, and operations teams to support School priorities.
• Assist in coordinating institutional reporting requirements and strategic planning activities.
• Support implementation of systems and technologies that improve operational efficiency and communication.
• Monitor progress against key actions and strategic priorities on behalf of the Headmaster.

Leadership Behaviours

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic Perspective: Ability to understand the broader strategic objectives of the College while managing operational priorities.
• Service Excellence: Commitment to providing exceptional support and service to all stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Ability to build strong relationships across academic and operational teams.
• Professional Judgement: Capacity to handle confidential matters with discretion, diplomacy, and integrity.
• Continuous Improvement: Proactive identification of opportunities to improve systems, processes, and stakeholder experience.
• Leadership and Team Development: Ability to mentor, support, and develop administrative staff while promoting accountability and high performance.

Governance and Board Support

• Provide administrative support to the Board, Advisory Board, Governors, and relevant committees as required.
• Coordinate board meetings, prepare documentation, maintain records, and ensure timely circulation of meeting papers.
• Track actions arising from governance meetings and support follow-up activities.
• Maintain secure and confidential governance records and documentation.

Other Responsibilities

Health, Safety and Safeguarding

Support the College's commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, and healthy environment by adhering to all Health and Safety policies, risk management procedures, emergency protocols, and safeguarding requirements, and by reporting hazards, accidents, near misses, or unsafe practices in a timely manner.

Professional Development

Maintain and enhance professional knowledge, skills, and effectiveness through continuous professional development, active participation in College training and meetings, reflective practice, and collaborative engagement with colleagues.

Founding Culture and Engagement

As a member of the founding team, actively contribute to building awareness, engagement, and confidence in the College through participation in admissions, promotional, community and stakeholder engagement activities, while consistently serving as an ambassador for the school's values and vision.

Requirements

Person Specification

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Education, Communications, Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7–10 years' experience in executive support, office management, administration, or operations.
• Experience supporting senior executives, school leaders or board-level stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational, project management, and administrative skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
• Previous experience within an international College, educational institution, or multinational organisation.
• Experience supporting boards, governors, or governance committees.
• Experience coordinating major events and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
• Familiarity with school information systems and digital communication platforms.

Personal Attributes

• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities effectively, maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrates discretion, integrity, and sound judgement when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Professional, approachable, and diplomatic, with the ability to interact confidently with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proactive and solutions-focused, with the ability to anticipate needs, exercise initiative, and respond effectively to changing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish credibility and foster positive working relationships across the College community.
• Resilient, adaptable, and able to remain calm and effective in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence, professionalism, and a commitment to supporting the values, culture, and strategic priorities of the College.
• Committed to continuous improvement and delivering a high standard of service and support.