STRATEGIC RIGHT-HAND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO CEO

We have a truly fantastic opportunity to support a hardworking and charismatic CEO as his business enters an exciting new phase of growth, becoming a trusted strategic partner and true extension of him. This is the first time he has appointed an EA at this strategic level, creating a genuine opportunity to shape the partnership from the ground up

This is a particularly exciting time to join the company as it enters its next phase of growth following significant new investment. With new stakeholders, an evolving Board and ambitious plans ahead, the CEO is looking for a highly capable EA who can bring greater structure to his working life, create capacity for him to focus on the business and become a trusted extension of him internally and externally

This is far more than a traditional diary management role. The CEO is incredibly busy, entrepreneurial and accustomed to operating at pace, often with numerous competing priorities. He openly thrives within a certain level of chaos, so he isn't looking for someone to completely change the way he works. Instead, he needs an EA with the patience, confidence and emotional intelligence to understand how he thinks, introduce structure where needed and develop a way of working that allows him to operate at his best

A major priority will be giving the CEO back time. He wants to remain a visible and present leader, with time to engage with new starters and teams across the business. The successful EA will take genuine ownership of his time, inbox and priorities, anticipating what requires his attention, protecting him from unnecessary noise and ensuring nothing important falls through the cracks

The ideal candidate will genuinely love being an EA and take pride in making their executive more effective. You will sit at the centre of the business, building strong relationships with everyone from junior colleagues through to senior leadership, Board members, investors, and external partners. The CEO is incredibly down to earth and operates with very little ego, and the culture reflects this. He wants his EA to be approachable and well-liked, whilst maintaining the professionalism and boundaries that come with being an extension of the CEO

The role is based five days per week from the company's modern Farringdon offices. Some flexibility may develop over time, but presence is important, particularly when the CEO is travelling, as the EA will represent him within the business and ensure his office remains connected and accessible

DUTIES TO INCLUDE:

• Acting as a strategic partner and extension of the CEO, understanding his priorities, working style and longer-term objectives
• Working closely with the family's Private PA to ensure seamless coordination between business and personal commitments
• Taking ownership of a complex and evolving diary and high-volume inbox, effectively prioritising operational, commercial and strategic matters
• Protecting the CEO's time whilst ensuring he remains visible, accessible and connected across the business
• Acting as an intelligent gatekeeper, prioritising meetings, communications and requests and ensuring the CEO is fully briefed and prepared
• Preparing agendas, briefing papers, presentations, executive reports and other meeting materials
• Attending relevant meetings, tracking actions and commitments and ensuring deadlines and deliverables are followed through
• Building strong relationships with Board members, private equity investors and other senior stakeholders, coordinating communications, meetings and follow-up actions
• Supporting Board and investor activity, including Board packs, investor presentations, performance updates, governance and reporting
• Managing complex domestic and international travel, including itineraries, accommodation, visas, transport and last-minute changes
• Coordinating Board and leadership meetings, customer events and offsites, including logistics, venues, catering and technology requirements
• Managing expenses, purchase orders, invoices, budget monitoring and relevant expenditure reporting
• Introducing sensible systems and processes to improve organisation, communication and efficiency whilst working with the CEO's existing style
• Remaining flexible and responsive as the CEO's role and the wider business continue to evolve

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• At least ten years of experience as an Executive Assistant supporting a CEO, Founder, or similarly senior executive
• Proven experience within a fast-paced, high-growth or evolving business environment
• A genuine passion for the EA profession and desire to build a long-term strategic partnership
• Exceptional diary, inbox, travel and stakeholder management skills
• Down-to-earth, collaborative and approachable whilst maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
• Strong commercial awareness and genuine interest in understanding the business, its people and strategic priorities
• Experience preparing Board papers, executive presentations, reports and meeting materials
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with confidence communicating across all levels of a business and with senior external stakeholders
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgement and the confidence to know when to push and when to step back
• Naturally proactive and forward-thinking, with the ability to anticipate needs and act independentlyResilient, adaptable and solutions-focused, with the ability to remain calm as priorities change
• Advanced Microsoft 365 skills, including Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word and Excel
• Knowledge of CRM, ERP and project management systems such as Salesforce, NetSuite or Asana
• Experience within a private equity-backed organisation, investor relations, Board governance, M&A, transformation or executive reporting would be advantageous
• Experience within technology, engineering or infrastructure would also be advantageous
• Comfortable working five days per week from the Farringdon office, with flexibility for occasional travel and out-of-hours requirements
• The right to work in the UK
• Excellent verifiable references