Director Level Personal Assistant - Short Term Contract

The location of the role is Paddington, London (hybrid working). The duration of the contract is 4 weeks. The pay rate on offer is 175 per day (via PAYE).

Key accountabilities of the role:

• Provide support to the Directors/Heads of in your appointed business areas.
• Complex diary management for both internal and external events, meetings and appointments, ensuring suitable facilities are available and briefing documents are distributed appropriately.
• Provide administrative support including complex UK and overseas travel arrangements, POs and expense claims.
• Identify and implement opportunities to create simpler, faster and more effective processes.
• Act as a first point of contact for your appointed Director/Head of to internal and external personnel, representing them and managing issues as appropriate.
• Maintain a clear understanding of your Director or Head of's deadlines, priorities and goals and keep up to date with Business priorities and adapt to any changes.
• Provide support for key meetings, including drafting agendas, collating pre-reads, distributing papers and following up on actions to ensure they are completed within agreed timeframes.
• When required, directly follow up emails and Teams messages, when appropriate on behalf of your Director/Head of.
• Support with the preparation of presentations/reports for internal and external meetings and events.

Key skills and experience:

• Maintain a high level of confidentiality at all times and be an M&S brand ambassador by role modelling our behaviours.
• Work collaboratively within the PA community to maximise efficiency and effectiveness.
• Build good working relationships with key internal colleagues and stakeholders.
• IT Skills: Highly skilled in using software such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), MyHR, internal finance systems or other office productivity tools.
• Keep up to date with Business technology to support effective working e.g. Co Pilot, Clarity (expenses).
• Email and Calendar Management: Effective management of emails and calendars, organizing schedules, setting up appointments, responding to emails and ensuring that important dates and deadlines are not missed with minimal errors made.
• Exceptional planning and organisational skills and ability to coordinate events.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to act at pace and work efficiently to ensure high levels of accuracy are achieved.
• Ability to handle competing priorities, time-sensitive projects and potential conflicts; making decisions and demonstrating sound judgement while maintaining excellent attention to detail, professionalism and confidentiality.