Executive Assistant to Managing Partner

Carnall Farrar (CF) is a growing consultancy working across all aspects of the health sector from supporting the NHS to serving major life science companies. Founded in 2013, we have grown a core staff base of management consultants, technical consultants, a data operations team and corporate functions. CF is highly regarded for the level of support and development we give our people. Our purpose is to have an enduring positive impact on health and healthcare. Our mission is to be invaluable to our clients, support them to innovate and make lasting improvements, and to build an exceptional company that attracts, develops, and retains a trusted and uniquely talented team.

Our strategic intent is to build the leading consulting company dedicated to the health sector, serving healthcare systems, life sciences, health investing, health tech, and the wider suppliers to the sector. We provide consultancy across a broad spectrum of services, including access to data for board‑level insights and direct client services. We are growing a team of expert consultants who want to be at the leading edge of the profession and have a passion for health. With structured career development from Analyst to Partner, we are cultivating the leaders of the future.

Role Summary

This role provides comprehensive support to one of the CF Managing Partners, helping them meet professional commitments and maintaining a balance between their professional and personal life. The candidate must strategically manage a large volume of competing deadlines, thrive in a fast‑paced environment, and become a trusted partner to the Managing Partner.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactive Diary Management and Prioritisation: Support the Managing Partner in managing team meetings and priorities, scheduling meetings, booking rooms, contributing to agendas and taking actions/minutes. Maintain and prioritise the Managing Partner’s schedules and appointments, working agility to accommodate urgent priorities. Build a deep understanding of the Managing Partner’s varied commitments to confidently prioritise their time. Ensure the Managing Partner’s time is used effectively between corporate, client and business development requirements, capturing correct time coding for weekly analysis. Prepare and plan the Managing Partner’s client relationship meetings, maintaining a “scheduling list” to support transparency and timely follow‑up. Plan travel arrangements (international flights, hotels, visas) seamlessly, booking all trip components in advance and recording them in the diary. Coordinate with the EA for the CEO to ensure compatibility in work schedules and personal matters. Take sensitivity to time zones into account when scheduling meetings across CF’s international operations. Work with client delivery managers to ensure the Managing Partner’s requirements are clear and adequately scheduled.
• Correspondence and Inbox Management: Manage email and LinkedIn inboxes, ensuring timely responses, actioning, deleting or filing messages. Support drafting and responding to emails on the Managing Partner’s behalf. Maintain inbox filing and flagging according to the team’s shared approach. Engage with the Managing Partner on urgent requests in a timely manner, providing feedback and “managing up.”
• Corporate Responsibilities: Work closely with managers for practices that the Managing Partner chairs, enabling effective practice running. Collaborate with business development teams to support core opportunities. Use CRM logs to spot business development opportunities, planning relationship maintenance meetings. Organise steering groups for practices, including scheduling, commissioning papers, coordinating content, and owning action and risk registers. Maintain practice risk logs and communicate newly escalated or closed risks. Update CRM with business development meeting logs and keep the BD team informed of progress. Coordinate with the governance coordinator to ensure the Managing Partner has time to prepare for key governance meetings. Work with the People Team to ensure Partners meet with sponsees, complete development cycle requirements, and prepare for training sessions.
• Building Brand Profile: Assist the Managing Partner and marketing team to deliver social media commitments and brand messaging. Use LinkedIn to support business development and cultivate new clients. Orchestrate content creation within the business for the Managing Partner’s social media. Seek opportunities and organise speaking and podcast engagements aligned with business objectives. Build and maintain relationships with client EAs, expanding personal network. Forge trusted relations with the internal administrative team and key client offices to strengthen CF’s brand.
• Personal Support: Source venues and make reservations for work and personal requirements. Meet guests and provide refreshments as needed. Provide lunch and refreshments for the Managing Partner and the senior team when required. Run ad‑hoc errands and make purchases on the Managing Partner’s behalf. Build an understanding of the Managing Partner’s family calendar and commitments.
• Budget and Expense Management: Support the Managing Partner in managing his budget through careful planning and attention to detail. Manage purchases, invoices and expenses, ensuring accurate coding to the appropriate budget.

Requirements

Mandatory: Educated to degree level or equivalent experience. Previous experience in a professional services environment in an executive‑assistant capacity. Experience supporting C‑suite level personal work. Exceptional diary management and organisational skills. A passion for data and interpreting data to make a Partner successful. Ability to work in a fast‑paced, quickly changing environment. Ability to prioritise workload and meet tight deadlines. Proactive, flexible, organised and able to problem‑solve. Polite, direct and a positive “can‑do” attitude. Empathetic and understanding of workload pressures, distinguishing between personal and professional. Thriving in a teamwork environment, prepared to support others and take a “lean‑in” approach. Interest in healthcare and making a social impact. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, including Outlook and LinkedIn.

Desired: Previous experience supporting leaders at Partner or CEO level. Experience or knowledge of working with an individual with ADHD or other neurodiversity.

Benefits: Holiday entitlement: 25 days/year for staff and 30 days/year for leadership, increasing by 1 day per year of service up to a maximum of 35 days. Company contributes 7% of salary into pension, employee contributes 3% (or more if desired). Flexible benefits programme enabling increased pension contributions, health cash plan, or ClassPass subscription.