Executive & Project Assistant

Why join us? Join us to work side by side with senior leadership and gain a unique view of both executive and project operations within a leading UK law firm. This dynamic role combines executive support with hands‑on project work, giving you experience beyond traditional EA responsibilities. Thrive in a collaborative, professional environment that values initiative and impact. The role is a one‑year fixed‑term contract with a clear route to permanency, competitive salary, benefits, and plenty of opportunities to grow your skills and advance your career.

Role Overview

We are seeking an organised and business‑aware Executive & Project Assistant to provide high‑quality executive and project support to our Managing Director (MD). The role combines traditional EA responsibilities with structured project and operational support, enabling the line manager to focus on strategic leadership and business priorities. The role will suit a proactive individual who is comfortable supporting both senior stakeholders and delivery‑focused initiatives within a professional services environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive & Business Support
  • Act as the primary point of contact for the MD, managing and prioritising all incoming communications.
  • Triage emails, identifying urgent, sensitive, or business‑critical matters and ensuring timely action or escalation.
  • Draft, respond to, and manage correspondence on behalf of the line manager where appropriate.
  • Manage the line manager’s diary, scheduling meetings efficiently, resolving conflicts, and ensuring optimal use of time.
  • Prepare agendas, briefing papers, reports, and follow‑up actions for internal and external meetings.
  • Maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgement in handling sensitive information.
• Project & Operational Support
  • Provide project coordination support across firm‑wide and departmental initiatives.
  • Track actions, milestones, and deliverables to ensure projects progress as planned.
  • Prepare project documentation, status updates, and briefing notes.
  • Liaise with partners, fee‑earners, and business services teams to support delivery of agreed actions.
  • Assist with operational tasks that contribute to the smooth running of the firm.
• Email & Workflow Management
  • Proactively manage the line manager’s inbox, ensuring urgent matters are flagged and addressed promptly.
  • Track actions arising from emails and meetings, following up with stakeholders to ensure completion.
  • Organise and maintain electronic filing systems to ensure information is accessible and well‑structured.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience
  • Proven experience in an Executive Assistant or similar senior support role, with a minimum of around 2 years relevant experience.
  • Project Assistant experience is desirable.
  • Experience working within a professional services environment, ideally a law firm.
  • Demonstrable experience of supporting senior leaders or partners in fast‑paced organisations.
• Knowledge & Skills
  • Strong diary and email management skills, including prioritisation, scheduling, and coordination of meetings.
  • Experience in project administration, tracking tasks, milestones, and deliverables.
  • Ability to prepare clear, concise reports, briefing papers, and documentation for senior stakeholders.
  • Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and document management systems.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, and use judgement in handling sensitive information.
  • Organisational skills to manage competing priorities and deadlines across executive and project tasks.
  • Commercial awareness and understanding of how professional services firms operate, including basic workflow knowledge.
• Personal Attributes
  • Highly professional, discreet, and trustworthy.
  • Proactive, solution‑focused, and able to anticipate needs.
  • Confident and credible when dealing with senior stakeholders.
  • Calm under pressure, with a flexible and resilient approach.
  • Strong attention to detail while maintaining a strategic overview.

Desirable Criteria

• Prior experience supporting a Managing Partner or equivalent senior role.
• Experience with project management tools and methodologies.
• Exposure to operational improvement or change initiatives within a law firm.
• Knowledge of UK legal regulatory frameworks (e.g. SRA environment) at a practical level.

Contract & Salary

• Contract type: Fixed‑term contract for 12 months, with the possibility of renewal.
• Salary: Up to £35,000 per annum, dependent on experience.
• Benefits: Competitive benefits package.

Working Arrangements

• Location: Hybrid 3 days in office, 2 days WFH
• Hours: 9:30 am - 5:30 pm
• Reporting to: Managing Director