Executive Assistant (LR07)

About Aquila ATMS

At Aquila Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS), we are dedicated to creating a workplace where innovation, collaboration, and excellence thrives. As a joint venture between NATS and Thales, we combine the expertise of leading air traffic control services and global systems integration to deliver cutting-edge solutions in air traffic management. Join us in shaping the future of air traffic management, and together, we will elevate aviation safety and efficiency worldwide!

The Role

We are looking for an Executive Assistant to the CEO to join our team. The role acts as a trusted executive support and governance partner to the CEO and wider Aquila Executive Team, using business understanding and organisational insight to prioritise activity, improve governance and administrative processes, and support cross-directorate projects that contribute to Aquila’s strategic and operational objectives.

Your core responsibilities will include:

• Act as a trusted operational partner to the CEO, using sound judgement, discretion and knowledge of Aquila's business to support effective prioritisation, decision-making and delivery of strategic objectives.
• Maintain oversight of CEO and Executive Team priorities, connecting meetings, correspondence, actions and follow-up activity to wider business objectives and ensuring progress is tracked.
• Coordinate cross-directorate initiatives and executive activity, aligning stakeholders, monitoring delivery and maintaining visibility of risks, dependencies and actions.
• Drive continuous improvement of CEO and Executive Team ways of working, governance processes, meeting cycles, action tracking and administrative practices to enhance efficiency, accountability and effectiveness.
• Coordinate and quality assure executive submissions and supporting materials for key governance and Annual Cycle meetings, including AET Workshops, Aquila Next, Aquila Business Reviews and Project Contract Boards.
• Manage the CEO's diary, inbox and correspondence, balancing business priorities, governance requirements, stakeholder needs and reputational considerations.
• Coordinate engagement with senior internal stakeholders, joint venture partners, Board members, Ministry of Defence representatives and other key external stakeholders, ensuring the CEO is appropriately briefed and supported.
• Prepare and quality assure executive agendas, presentations, briefing packs and supporting materials, drawing together input from multiple directorates as required.
• Attend executive meetings where required, capture decisions and actions, and follow up with senior stakeholders to support delivery, accountability and progress.
• Facilitate effective communication and information flow between the CEO, Executive Team, Board, external stakeholders and the wider business, ensuring alignment, consistency and timely escalation.
• Organise executive offsite events, site visits, stakeholder engagements and team events, managing objectives, logistics, security requirements and supporting materials.

This is a hands-on role where you’ll contribute to meaningful work and play a part in helping the organisation achieve its objectives.

About You

You are a highly organised and professional Executive Assistant who combines exceptional organisational skills with strong business awareness. You build effective relationships across all levels of the organisation and with external stakeholders, exercising discretion, diplomacy and sound judgement in everything you do. You can see the bigger picture, connect priorities across the business, and proactively manage competing demands to support effective decision-making and delivery. Adaptable and resilient, you bring a practical, solutions-focused approach and a commitment to excellence in supporting executive leadership, governance activities and organisational priorities.

To be successful in this role, you’ll:

• Demonstrate sound judgement, discretion and professionalism when operating close to senior decision-making.
• Understand the wider business context and use this insight to anticipate needs, prioritise activity and support effective outcomes.
• Build trusted relationships across senior stakeholders and work confidently across directorates to connect people, information and activity.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with internal and external stakeholders, adapting style and approach to the audience and context.
• Take a proactive approach to improving processes, simplifying ways of working and strengthening governance routines.
• Work collaboratively to remove barriers, coordinate action and support progress across multiple teams and directorates.
• Maintain a strong focus on confidentiality, governance, compliance and professional integrity.

You also:

• Promote Aquila’s Just Culture, reporting incidents, safety non-compliance, or potential issues in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Consistently demonstrate behaviours aligned with Aquila’s core values and leadership behaviours in all actions and decisions.

What We're Looking For

Essential Criteria

• Experience providing proactive executive support to a CEO, Executive Director or Senior Leadership Team.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders, with an understanding of business priorities, organisational context and governance requirements.
• Experience coordinating projects, workstreams or improvement activities involving stakeholders across multiple functions or directorates.
• Demonstrable capability in executive support, governance, business administration or organisational coordination gained through qualification and/or equivalent experience.
• Strong ability to understand business context, priorities and stakeholder dynamics, and use this insight to support effective executive decision-making.
• Excellent diary, inbox and meeting management skills, with the ability to prioritise activity in line with strategic importance, urgency, governance requirements and stakeholder impact.
• The ability to identify process improvements, simplify ways of working and implement practical changes that improve clarity, efficiency and accountability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, professional correspondence, agendas, briefings, presentations and action summaries.
• High levels of competence using digital productivity, collaboration and AI-enabled tools to support executive administration, information management and coordination.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in a regulated, defence, aviation or joint venture environment.
• Experience supporting organisational governance, transformation, business planning or continuous improvement activity.
• Professional development in executive support, business administration, project management, governance support or continuous improvement.

If you don’t meet every requirement but feel you have relevant experience, we’d still like to hear from you. This role is based at Aquila's Whiteley office. Due to the nature of the role and the close support provided to the CEO and Executive Team, regular office attendance is required, typically 3-4 days per week, with flexibility to attend additional meetings and events when business needs require. We support flexible working arrangements and encourage applications from candidates seeking part-time roles.

Benefits

Core Benefits

• 201 hours (approx. 27 days) annual leave + 1 Company Day to be used at Christmas (Excluding Bank Holidays).
• Time off to volunteer (up to 3 days per annum)
• Company Pension Plan (Aquila contribution = employee contribution + 1%, up to 7%)
• Life Assurance (2x basic salary or up to 8x if in the pension scheme)
• Income Protection
• Company paid Healthcare Cash Plan
• Gain Share Incentive Plan (discretionary bonus)
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 support and counselling

Flexible Benefits

Through Aquila’s flexible benefits platform, you can tailor your package, including:

• Additional Healthcare Cash Plan options
• Additional PMI cover
• Buy or sell annual leave
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Discounts at high street retailers

Family, Wellbeing & Lifestyle

• Enhanced Maternity pay
• Enhanced Paternity leave & pay
• Enhanced Occupational Sick pay
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Recognition through Altair Award
• Employee referral bonus

Security Clearance Statement

Due to the nature of the work that we do, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a Non-ITAR country may be considered.

Equal Opportunities, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Aquila ATMS is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Applications are welcomed from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds. Employment decisions are made fairly and without discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, or any other characteristic protected by law.