PA to Headmaster of Senior School

Runnymede College is a private non-denominational British school in Madrid offering a British education to boys and girls of all nationalities from the age of two to eighteen. The education offered follows the British National Curriculum.

Founded as a private school in September 1967, the primary school was inaugurated in 1987, and since 1990, the whole School has been located in La Moraleja, in the north of Madrid. The School is divided into Pre-Prep (Pre Nursery to Year 3), Prep (Years 4 to 8) and Senior School (Years 9 to 13).

Academic levels are high at Runnymede College. In June 2025, 57% of our students achieved A-A* at A level. This is particularly impressive when compared with the 48% of A*-A grades achieved at independent (private) schools in England this year. In addition, 67% of our pupils gained A*-A grades at IGCSE. Once again, this is a truly excellent achievement when compared with the 48% of A*- A grades at GCSE obtained in the English independent (private) school sector.

In the graduating class of 2025 83% of pupils going to the UK will be attending Top 10 universities (as ranked by the Sunday Times Good University Guide). Top-ranking UK universities welcoming this year’s graduates include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and LSE. Students in the US have already started their higher education at Harvard, Columbia, UPenn and Brown, amongst other excellent colleges.

A number of our students will be staying in Spain, at top-notch places including ICADE, IE and ICAI; others will continue their education elsewhere in Europe in world-leading institutions in France and Ireland. 

Join a rewarding and exciting learning environment, both within and beyond the classroom. Any candidate should be willing to play an active role in the co-curricular life of the school.

The school is looking to recruit a PA for the Headmaster of Senior School (Years 9-13) for July 2026.

Tasks and responsibilities:

Administrative Support

• Provide day-to-day administrative and secretarial support to the Headmaster of Senior School (Years 9-13)

• Manage written, email and telephone enquiries, responding directly where appropriate and prioritising urgent matters

• Prepare and distribute letters, reports and other communications

• Draft, proofread, and format correspondence

• Maintain robust accurate electronic and paper records, files and documentation

• Assist with presentations, papers and other meeting materials as needed

Diary and Meeting Co-Ordination

• Manage diaries and arrange meetings and appointments

• Co-ordinate meeting arrangements, including rooms, papers and hospitality where required

• Prepare agendas, take minutes and follow up on agreed actions

• Monitor progress against actions and deadlines, ensuring matters are progressing appropriately

• Ensure all school events are posted in the Headmaster's calendar

Liaison and Co-ordination

• Liaise with colleagues, departments and external contacts to support the smooth running of the offices and wider school activities

• Work closely with teams such as Finance, HR and Operations on administrative processes and coordination

• Use initiative and judgement to deal with routine issues independently and know when matters need to be referred on

• Assist with the setup and organisation of school events including Parents' Evenings, Open Days, Information Evenings - including facilities booking, registration and front of house.

Operational and Project Support

Provide administrative support for a range of school activities, including:

• Inspection preparation - BSO

• Critical incident planning and logging

• Staff induction

• Staff observations, appraisal and annual review

• Co-curricular programme

• School trips and events

General

• Welcoming the Headmaster's visitors

• To act as first line contact for the Headmaster

• Ensuring good relationships are built between the Headmaster, staff, parents and pupils
  Work closely with other PAs and administrative colleagues to maintain a coordinated and cohesive approach across the school and to help balance competing priorities

• Handle confidential information sensitively and professionally

• Support the effective day-to-day running of the offices

• Organise travel arrangements

• Undertake any other duties as reasonably requested and in line with the nature of the role

The successful applicant will have:

• a British education/qualifications

• knowledge of the British education system - IGCSEs, A Levels and university application process and systems

• be a native level English speaker

• previous experience in a PA role

• previous experience working in an independent / international school 

• excellent communication skills - verbal and written

• excellent organisational skills, problem solver and attention to detail

• outstanding time management with the ability to multitask and prioritise under pressure

• strong administrative and IT skills - mastery of office software and database management

• previous experience using iSams

• to build strong working relationships across the school

• good judgement and discretion

• ability to demonstrate a ‘can-do’ attitude

• flexibility, tact, diplomacy and patience

• enthusiasm, energy, initiative and a sense of humour

• a working knowledge of Spanish

• willingness to promote safeguarding and welfare of pupils

Please complete the online application form and attach your CV and covering letter.

Final date for applications- 30th June 2026

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and first round interviews will take place via Zoom on a rolling basis. The final round interview will be held face-to-face at Runnymede College in Madrid. The School reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date if a suitable candidate is found. If you have not heard from us within six weeks of submitting your application, please assume you were unsuccessful this time.

We are an equal opportunities employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Hiring decisions are based on skills, experience and attributes required for the role. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

Runnymede 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 check with past employers and the ACRO Criminal Records Office.