Executive Assistant in Cheltenham

A&E Fire & Security are proud to strive to be the leading service provider for all Fire Prevention and Security Systems. Our goal is to always make our customer feel they are receiving our personal attention at all times regardless of project size or service requirement.

We are a local, family run and well-established company, founded in 1965 who have continued to provide full 24-hour, 365 days a year support to businesses throughout the Midlands, South West and South Wales. With approximately 100 directly employed fire and security specialists, we have your needs covered.

The Role Brief: We are seeking a highly capable Executive Assistant to work directly alongside the Managing Director. This is not a traditional PA or admin role. The person we are looking for will help the Managing Director operate across the whole business — keeping him organised, on track and focused on the things that matter most, while making sure the right things actually happen across the teams.

The immediate priority is pipeline: making sure the Managing Director has full visibility of the sales pipeline across all five service areas, that actions are being followed through, and that nothing falls between the cracks. Once rhythm is established there, the focus shifts to the management team — supporting the Managing Director in driving performance and accountability across all areas.

This is a close working role that requires discretion, commercial awareness and a genuine understanding of how a field-based service business operates. For the right person, the role carries significant responsibility and genuine scope to grow.

Targets and Goals (Measurable): Specific monthly and quarterly objectives will be agreed based on the current performance of each team. Indicators of success include:

• The Managing Director’s time is protected and focused on strategy, key accounts and direction.
• The pipeline of work across all five service areas is visible, tracked and followed through.
• Recruitment and capacity for growth becomes well-structured organised process.
• Actions from meetings and decisions are chased, completed and reported back without the Managing Director having to chase them himself.
• The management team is supported, briefed and held to account through the Managing Director’s direction.
• The Managing Director is less overloaded, more organised and able to be more present with the business and its people.

In the First 12 Months: Within the first year, we would expect the Executive Assistant to have:

• Established a clear rhythm for the Managing Director’s diary, priorities and weekly focus.
• Built a system for tracking and chasing actions across the management team so nothing is missed.
• Given the Managing Director full pipeline visibility across all five service areas with clear follow-through on quotes and conversions.
• Noticeably reduced the volume of operational detail and administration landing on the Managing Director’s desk.
• Become a trusted, discreet and effective partner to the Managing Director across every area of the business.

Key Responsibilities of the Role:

• Managing the company structure and roles – supporting the Managing Director assessing capacity, redundancy and pipeline of employees for growth.
• Manage the Managing Director’s diary, priorities and daily schedule so his time is focused on the highest-value activities.
• Prepare the Managing Director for meetings, decisions and key conversations — briefing notes, context, relevant data.
• Act as the bridge between the Managing Director and the management team — communicating decisions, chasing actions and making sure things happen.
• Handle correspondence, calls and coordination on behalf of the Managing Director with discretion and professionalism.

Pipeline and commercial visibility (initial priority):

• Give the Managing Director clear, up-to-date visibility of the sales pipeline across all five service areas — quotes, conversion, deal flow and follow-up.
• Chase pipeline actions and follow-ups across the teams so the Managing Director does not have to chase them himself.
• Flag risks, gaps and commercial opportunities across the pipeline to the Managing Director before they become problems.

Management team support:

• Support the Managing Director in holding the management team accountable — tracking actions, following up on commitments and reporting back.
• Help prepare management meetings — agendas, data, follow-up notes — so they run efficiently and decisions are captured.
• Be a trusted, discreet point of contact for the management team when they need to reach the Managing Director or need direction.

Administration and operations support:

• Manage incoming correspondence, emails and calls — filtering, prioritising and drafting responses where appropriate.
• Coordinate travel, site visits and external meetings efficiently.
• Handle ad-hoc projects, research and tasks as directed — the kind of work that currently sits on the Managing Director’s desk and shouldn’t.

Requirements for the Role:

Essential:

• Exceptional organisational skills — able to manage a busy, complex diary and competing priorities without dropping anything.
• Commercially aware — understands how a service business works, what matters on a P&L, and can read a financial report without needing it explained.
• Strong people skills and emotional intelligence — able to deal with a wide range of people at all levels, inside and outside the business.
• Discreet and trustworthy — this is a close working role with access to sensitive business information and conversations.
• A self-starter who takes initiative, spots what needs doing and acts without being asked.
• Articulate and well-presented — able to communicate clearly in writing and in person, and to represent the Managing Director professionally.
• Able to juggle multiple tasks and priorities without losing grip — calm, methodical and reliable under pressure.
• Comfortable working closely alongside a hands-on owner-Managing Director — takes direction well, voices a view when needed, and gets on with it.
• An early starter — comfortable with the pace and energy of a business that starts early and moves fast.
• Able to provide references from previous employers who can speak to their reliability, discretion and work ethic.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a field-based or technical service business — fire, security, electrical, construction or similar.
• Previous experience as an EA or PA to a senior leader in a fast-paced SME environment.
• Familiarity with CRM, job management or pipeline tracking tools.
• Experience supporting a sales or operational pipeline — tracking quotes, chasing conversions, reporting on progress.

The Package: The role is based at our Cheltenham head office (Bamfurlong), with travel to client sites and our regional offices as required. Dependent on the candidate’s skills and experience, we are offering a salary of £40,000–£50,000 per annum, along with our company benefits package.

Application Details: Please submit your CV to the following address: Edward Stallard – Managing Director A&E Fire & Security Ltd Unit 4 Bamfurlong Industrial Park Staverton, Cheltenham Gloucestershire, GL51 6SX Or alternatively email –