Vanquis Banking Group has a rich history dating back to 1880. The company was founded in Bradford by Joshua Kelley Waddilove as The Provident Clothing and Supply Company to help people access finance and goods who couldn’t from traditional lenders.
Today, Vanquis Banking Group is a FTSE All Share company listed on the London Stock Exchange with around 1.6 million customers and plays the same role in people’s lives today, as it did when it was founded.
Vanquis Banking Group is a unified group made up of two brands: Vanquis (cards and loans) and Moneybarn (vehicle finance). While they offer different products and services, they share the common purpose and customer-centric values at the heart of our group. We understand our customers are real people with varied life experiences, so everything we do from our products to our customer experience is designed with this in mind.
Role purpose
To provide professional and proactive EA and support services to the Vanquis Banking Group Cards MD & their respective senior leadership team (SLT). To form part of the Group Exco EA support team, providing support and assistance to the broader Executive team where required.
Key Responsibilities
- Executive level administrative support to the MD and their respective SLT
- Diary management using Microsoft Outlook to include, booking appointments, arranging meetings, conference calls, sending and responding to meeting invites. Preparing meeting documentation and first point of contact for all visitors for the MD when in the office
- Proactive management of the MD inbox including responding on behalf of, flagging items for their attention, filing and following up on outstanding tasks whilst maintaining an up to date email filing system and alleviating work pressures for the MD
- Acting as an extension of the MD at all times when engaging with all levels of seniority throughout the business and its divisions
- Confidence to delegate work on behalf of the MD; whether that to be a direct report or themselves in order to get the task completed, anticipating the MD’s requirements
- Cascading information upwards to the Group, on behalf of the MD as and when required
- Acting as secretary to the on the various Committees run by the MD; attending meeting to document minutes, recording and following up on actions, compiling and circulating meeting packs and chasing outstanding documentation in order to adhere to deadlines. Keeping all records and meeting attendee’s / delegates updated as part of the process
- Producing and formatting management reports and presentations as requested, to high standards and to strict deadlines
- Reviewing and summarising key documents for the MD
- Understanding of critical meetings, communication and subject matter, prioritising as appropriate
- Co-ordinate travel arrangements for MD as well as direct report team members as necessary
- Setting up and maintaining filing systems and storage and / or disposal of confidential documents on behalf of the MD
- Coordinating with external and internal stakeholders to set up meetings & departmental events – specifically running the Cards Team Townhalls alongside communication colleagues to assess and book venues, refreshments and undertake event management where required.
- Support cards communications across all channels as required to include writing of some communications
- Working with the EAs/PAs within the business to provide administrative support across the Group when necessary
- Providing adequate cover to the Group EA’s during absence and annual leave
- Be an experienced and advanced user of the key software packages; Word, PowerPoint and Excel, and have experience of using features such as tracked changes, cross referencing and mail merge
- Experienced and advanced user of Microsoft Teams and the full functionality of the programme
- To support and build working relationships with Group Board Directors, NEDs, and Executive Directors to actively work for the interests of the whole team
- Familiarise with important external stakeholders building key relationships
- Manage expenses on behalf of the MD
- Any ad hoc duties requested by the MD and their direct reports
Interaction
Internal - Group Executive Directors and Non-Executive Director’s, Cards Senior Management, Group Executive committee members, EA’s / PA’s across the Group
External - External companies and agencies, Regulators
Skills & Capabilities
- Strong MS Package skills – Outlook | Excel | Powerpoint
- Strong diary and inbox management
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Extensive EA experience at Executive level
- Previous Board level stakeholder management experience
- Previous experience of working in within Financial Services sector
- Ability to use initiative and problem solve
- To show a positive approach and interest in the work that you are undertaking
- Show initiative when responding to queries and actively try to seek solutions to problems
- Ability to prioritise workloads and deliver results in a fast paced environment
- To support and build working relationships with your colleagues to actively work for the interests of the whole team, and Group
- Ensure confidentiality, be reliable with a professional approach, while remaining helpful, friendly and sociable, even when under pressure
- To immediately clarify instructions and deadlines should they be unclear and communicate effectively regarding potential delays in order to manage expectations
- To embrace change and be proactive within the department, evolving as teams / demands grow with the business
- Confident and professional with an ability to use own judgment
- Essential to be flexible to work outside core hours, potentially on a regular basis. Making yourself contactable to your Director when needed
- Strong understanding of work commitments of the MD and confidence to take on tasks as delegated
- Willingness to integrate themselves as part of the Group EA department and constantly striving to better processes, advocating change where require
- Functionality for home working – reliable internet connection | dedicated work space setup
Working Conditions
Contractually based at 20 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BY. Occasional travel to other sites as required. Combination of office / home based working permitted. Requirement to be office based on same days as MD (approx. 2 days per week)
Why Vanquis
The satisfaction of working for a successful and ethical business who are here to help people is a big benefit of joining us, but it is not the only one. We will invest in your development, giving you the support and training to become better and better at your job. We take the work/life balance seriously, with plenty of flexible working options. Working in a bright and refreshingly relaxed environment, you will find your opinions are valued and listened to.
Vanquis was established in 2003, offering a credit card designed to help customers improve their credit score. In 2016, Vanquis introduced personal loans to give customers additional opportunities on their credit-building journeys. Vanquis brings together our lengthy history in the financial sector with modern money management through its online and app-based accounts.
Our colleagues are the most important part of delivering our purpose to put customers on a path to a better everyday life. If it wasn’t for their amazing efforts, ideas and energy we wouldn’t be the successful business that we are today.
On top of all this, we will give you a package including:
- Competitive salary
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Hybrid working considered
- Up to 30 days holidays in addition to bank holidays
- Pension Scheme with matched company contributions up to 5%
- Private Medical Insurance
- Extensive opportunities for personal and career development
- Opportunity to grow, develop and learn
- Colleague Perks at Work discount platform
- Season ticket loan
- 1 paid day to ‘give back’ to local communities or chosen charity
We strive to constantly improve the way we look after our people and have created an environment where everyone feels valued and can be themselves. We know that by having a better, more inclusive culture and a diverse group of colleagues, we can support our customers and each other in the best way possible. We also believe this goes a long way to helping us live our purpose and defines why we’re here in the first place: to help put people on a path to a better everyday life.
We’re an equal opportunities employer and we want people to join us no matter how they identify, their sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, or age.
We want to attract and retain the best people. So, we make sure that, if people need it, they’re given all the extra support and reasonable adjustments to take part in any part of our application or interview process. We’ve also got lots of colleagues who choose to work flexibly, so please feel free to talk to us about how you prefer to work at any time.