Personal Assistant

About Carnall Farrar

Carnall Farrar (CF) is a growing consultancy which works across all aspects of the health sector from supporting the NHS to serving major life science companies. We are passionate about, and experts in, health and healthcare. Founded in 2013 we have grown to a core staff base of management consultants, technical consultants, a data operations team and corporate functions. We have a strong reputation with the NHS, and we are actively seeking to spread awareness of our brand and offers across the health sector more broadly. We are highly regarded both internally and externally for the level of support and development we give our people. As a professional services business, CF has three primary assets – its people, its knowledge and its data and associated products.

Role Summary

The Personal Assistant provides proactive planning, organization, and executive support to three Senior Leadership Team members, enabling them to maximise their impact across client delivery, business development, and corporate leadership. Success in this role requires exceptional diary management in a fast‑paced consulting environment where priorities shift constantly. You will balance competing demands – making space for urgent business development opportunities (our top priority), ensuring appropriate time allocation across client projects, and protecting time for corporate responsibilities and team leadership. This means frequently moving meetings, making proactive suggestions, and maintaining strong relationships with internal teams and client PAs to enable seamless access and coordination. Strong attention to detail and excellent stakeholder relationships are essential – ensuring no errors are made and that everyone affected by changes feels valued and informed. You will need to understand billing requirements and work closely with project managers to ensure Partners allocate their time appropriately across engagements without overrunning budgets. Supporting Partners’ corporate responsibilities is a key part of this role. You will work closely with the People Team to ensure Partners meet regularly with their sponsees, complete development cycle requirements on time, and prepare for training sessions they facilitate. You will also support business development activities, maintaining our CRM database (CMap) proactively, researching information to strengthen client relationships, and working closely with our BD team. Exceptional teamwork underpins everything – this role requires a fluid and flexible approach to covering colleagues, supporting other PAs, and leaning in where needed. You must be unfazed by changing priorities, recognise that business development opportunities are time‑sensitive and not disruptive, and bring a straightforward, solutions‑focused approach when engaging with Senior Leadership Team members. Equally important is your ability to demonstrate kindness, diplomacy, and professionalism when working with colleagues, clients, suppliers, and prospective clients – embodying CF’s values in every interaction.

Responsibilities

• Proactive diary planning and management
• Manage and maintain three Partners’ schedules and meetings in Outlook calendars, including coordination across time zones and international locations as CF expands
• Ensure Partners’ time is allocated effectively across corporate responsibilities, client delivery, and business development priorities
• Act with agility on changing priorities, managing any impacted individuals with care and clear communication
• Maintain a log of business development meetings, update CRM (CMap) proactively, and keep the BD team informed
• Build trusted relationships with client assistants and offices so CF is seen as a professional and valued partner
• Plan travel arrangements meticulously (including international flights, hotels, and visas), providing clear instructions especially for new locations
• Demonstrate sensitivity to different time zones and working days when scheduling meetings across CF’s international operations
• Correspondence and inbox management
• Monitor inboxes and support inbox management by organising, filing, prioritising, and flagging emails
• Respond to emails on Senior Leadership Team members’ behalf where appropriate
• Organisation and preparation of meetings and events
• Ensure Senior Leadership Team members have necessary paperwork and are fully prepared for all meetings
• Work closely with business development teams to support and prioritise BD opportunities
• Coordinate with client delivery managers to clarify Partner requirements and ensure appropriate time allocation on projects
• Source appropriate venues and make reservations for business meetings and events
• Support Senior Leadership Team members in meeting corporate policy obligations by scheduling time for feedback completion, mid‑year and end‑of‑year processes, and development sponsor meetings
• Ensure Senior Leadership Team members fulfil appropriate governance responsibilities by scheduling preparation time, prioritising their attendance, and communicating any conflicts promptly to chairs and secretariats
• Personal support
• Welcome and take care of guests visiting the office
• Arrange lunch and refreshments when required
• Demonstrate flexibility in working hours to ensure overlap with Senior Leadership Team members, including when they are working across different time zones

Requirements

Mandatory:

• Educated to degree level or with equivalent experience
• Ability to work in a fast paced and quickly changing environment
• Ability to prioritise workload and work to tight deadlines
• Excellent organisational skills with high attention to detail
• Proactive, flexible and able to problem‑solve
• Polite, direct and a positive ‘can‑do’ attitude
• Empathetic and understanding of workload pressures
• Interest in healthcare and making a social impact
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Suite including Outlook
• Thriving in teamwork environment, prepared to support others and take a ‘lean‑in’ approach

Preferred Experience:

• Previous experience in professional services environment in a personal assistant capacity
• Previous experience of supporting senior leaders
• Previous experience of supporting a business with international reach

Benefits

What benefits would you get?

• Holiday entitlement: 25 days/year for staff and 30 days/year for leadership, increasing by 1 day for every year of service up to a maximum of 35 days of holiday per year
• We contribute 7% of your salary into your pension, while you contribute 3% (or more if you like)
• Access to a flexible benefits programme giving you the chance to increase pension contributions, gain access to a cash plan or benefit from a ClassPass subscription
• Annual leave purchase: employees with less than 35 days annual leave entitlement can purchase additional annual leave days
• Income protection: in the event of long‑term incapacity and a qualifying claim, 75% of salary will be paid
• Enhanced sick pay benefit beyond Statutory Sick Pay for up to a total 12 weeks in any 12‑month period
• Life insurance covering four times your basic salary in a tax‑free lump sum payable to your beneficiaries in the event of your death whilst in service
• Enhanced family leave policies: additional pay for parents who have a baby or adopt
• Access to an interest‑free loan of up to £10,000
• Access to an interest‑free season ticket loan, repayable by 12 monthly instalments
• Workplace nursery scheme: access to a scheme to help working parents save tax and NI on the cost of the nursery care
• Flexible working policy: including the ability to work fully remotely for up to 4 weeks a year
• An employee assistance and wellness Program: including access to telephone counselling, life coaching, interactive tools online and digital content downloadable from Lifeworks
• Seasonal flu jabs: provided by Boots annually
• Eye care tests: vouchers and discounts at Vision Express
• Ride to work scheme, saving up to 42% on bikes and cycling accessories at Evans Cycles
• Membership to the Health Service Journal (HSJ)