Executive Assistant

The Executive Assistant provides comprehensive, high-level, and proactive administrative support to C-suite and Senior Leaders in the firm with a focus on the CPO. This role is crucial in enabling those leaders to focus on delivery of the strategy, governance and operational process by efficiently managing all their complex administrative needs, ensuring seamless operations, and contributing to the overall effectiveness of the functions and the firm. The Executive Assistant will operate within the firm's new national administrative framework, leveraging standardised processes and technology.

Key Accountabilities:

• Proactive Diary & Inbox Management: Proactively manage complex diaries, scheduling internal and external meetings and workshops, appointments, and conference calls, anticipating potential conflicts and resolving them efficiently. Using tools such as CoPilot, monitor and manage email inboxes for assigned individuals, prioritising communications, drafting responses, and flagging urgent matters. Resolve diary conflicts through active stakeholder engagement and negotiation, applying judgment to reprioritise commitments in line with business and client priorities.
• Travel & Logistics Coordination: Coordinate all aspects of national and international travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, ground transportation, and detailed itineraries. Process expense claims accurately and in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with firm policies.
• Meeting & Event Support: Organise and prepare for meetings, including booking appropriate venues (physical or virtual), arranging catering, preparing agendas, collating and distributing meeting materials, and using technology to create meeting precis and minutes where required. Provide administrative support for departmental events, external networks/functions or internal workshops.
• Correspondence & Document Management: Draft, proofread, and format correspondence, presentations, reports, and other documents to be “Executive Board ready”, ensuring accuracy and adherence to firm branding and style guidelines. Manage physical and electronic filing systems, ensuring documents are organised, accessible, and compliant with firm policies and data protection regulations.
• Stakeholder Liaison & Communication: Act as a professional and discreet point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, industry bodies, Partners, and firm leadership. Facilitate effective communication flow within the functions and with other departments.
• Administrative Process Adherence & Technology Utilisation: Adhere strictly to firm-wide administrative processes, policies, and procedures, including those related to document management, data security, and confidentiality. Utilise the firm's ServiceNow platform for logging and managing administrative requests, ensuring transparency and efficient workflow. Actively participate in the adoption of new administrative tools and technologies to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
• Functional /Departmental Support & Collaboration: Develop a deep understanding of the assigned functions activities and priorities to provide tailored and proactive support. Collaborate effectively with other Executive Assistants, Legal Administration Executives, and other Administration Services teams to ensure seamless support delivery and share best practices. Take ownership of small operational projects on behalf of Senior leadership team. Track plans and programmes of delivery in the functions.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience as an Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant supporting C-suite leaders, preferably both within a legal or professional services environment and in wider industry.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, anticipate needs, and work effectively under pressure.
• Advanced proficiency in CoPilot, Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with complex diary management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with impeccable grammar, spelling, and attention to detail.
• Discreet, professional, and able to handle highly confidential information with integrity and sensitivity.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Experience with travel coordination and expense management.
• Familiarity with ServiceNow or similar service request management platforms is desirable, or a strong willingness to learn.
• A client-focused and service-oriented approach.

Become part of the team at Freeths. If you’re someone who cares deeply, communicates openly and collaborates effectively, then we’d love to have you join our diverse, inclusive team.