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Senior Clerical Officer

12/2/2025

The Senior Clerical Officer provides administrative, clerical, and secretarial support to the Principal, school staff, and Board of Governors. This role includes supervising staff, managing office processes, and maintaining records and financial procedures.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

10,001+ employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

About The Company

The Education Authority (EA) was created on 01 April 2015 as a new organisation responsible to the Department of Education (DE) for the delivery of education services to schools and youth centres across Northern Ireland. The work we do impacts the lives of tens of thousands of children, young people and their families every day. The services we provide are essential in supporting, encouraging and facilitating learning within our communities to develop generations of young people who are equipped to succeed in life and work in the modern world. As a public sector organisation, we must continue to deliver these vital services in a challenging environment of increasing financial pressure and under intense public scrutiny. EA is at the beginning of an exciting journey of organisational transformation and modernisation. Emerging from the five Education and Library Boards (ELBs) our aim is to build a new organisation which is focused on meeting the needs of all our young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

About the Role

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST TITLE: Senior Clerical Officer

LOCATION: Name of school

RESPONSIBLE TO: The School Principal

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Maximum of five staff (see paragraph 1 below).

JOB PURPOSE

To provide administrative, clerical and secretarial support to the Principal, school staff and Board of Governors and assist with the organisation and management of the school office.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervision

Allocate, control and monitor work of appropriate staff.
Identify and provide on the job training to appropriate staff.

Note: This is a discretionary element of the job description. The grade may be awarded if supervision is not a component of the post.

General Administrative Processes and Records

Provide administrative, clerical and secretarial support for Principal, school staff and Board of Governors.
Develop, maintain and operate manual and/or computerised information systems in connection with pupils, staff, budgets, meals, maintenance, examinations, care, medical services, recruitment, transport, etc.
Complete and submit all returns/records as required.
Contact with relevant personnel to receive and provide information.

Purchasing and Supplies Administration

Operate/oversee requisitioning procedures, including the ordering, purchasing, receiving, checking, storage and distribution of resources.
Stock control of resources.
Arrange for the maintenance of equipment in association with other school and board staff.

Finance

Receive, receipt and account for all cash.
Bank monies and maintain banking records.
Communicate with relevant personnel and provide assistance in relation to financial procedures.

Reception, Secretarial and Secretariat

Operate the telephone/switchboard, receive visitors and provide hospitality as required.
Provide word processing/typing, filing, duplication and photocopying word processing in support of administrative processes, including the use of E-mail, intranet and internet facilities, where appropriate.
Sort, screen and distribute all mail.
Ensure the secure storage of valuable items and confidential documentation.
Draft correspondence, obtain and update lists of guests, issue invitations, prepare tickets and programmes as required for school functions.
Maintain diaries, arrange appointments, meetings and provide secretarial service for all staff within the school.
Communicate on a regular basis with professional staff from outside agencies in order to receive. Provide information e.g. medical personnel, social services agency personnel etc.
Keep staff, pupils and parents informed of matters relating to school activities.
Service meetings and draft minutes as required.

Other duties

Assist work placement students with practical tasks and assignments within the school officer (where appropriate).
Such other duties as may be assigned within the level of the job.

It is acknowledged that the contents of this generic job description are not subject to appeal.

This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet any desirable criteria.

SECTION 1 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Qualifications/ Experience	Hold 5 GCSE’s (Grades A*-C) including English Language and Mathematics, or equivalent or higher level qualifications. Have 1 year’s experience in an administrative/clerical role in a busy office environment.	Shortlisting by Application Form
Skills / Abilities	Evidence of proficiency in the use of computer systems and packages, to include use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.	Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Knowledge	Evidence of knowledge of: The requirements of a Senior Clerical Officer. General office administrative processes and records.	Interview
Skills / Abilities	Proven effective planning and organisational skills and an ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines within a job share role. Evidence of a customer focused approach to work. The ability to work as part of a team, liaising with Leadership and Staff to support the needs of the school. Demonstrate the initiative to effectively prioritise workload in a busy environment. Evidence of sound interpersonal and communication skills.	Interview
Values Orientation	Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s/the School’s Values/ethos. You will find information about our Values www.macosquinps.co.uk	Interview

SECTION 3 - DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates. Desirable criteria will be applied in the order listed. You should make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet the desirable criteria, as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor

Desirable Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Previous experience of working in an administrative role within a school environment.

Experience of operating schools-based computer applications/systems within a school setting (eg C2K SIMS, I-PROC, Parent Pay, Any Coms).

Ability to assist the promotion of the school on social media and website.

Shortlisting by Application Form

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Key Skills

Administrative SupportClerical SkillsSecretarial SkillsSupervisionOrganizational SkillsCommunication SkillsCustomer ServiceFinancial ProceduresComputer ProficiencyRecord KeepingPlanningTeamworkProblem SolvingInterpersonal SkillsTime ManagementTraining