Senior Executive Assistant in Chelmsford

SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / PRIVATE OFFICE MANAGER TO FOUNDER & CEO

King Safety and Security Ltd

Full-time | Chelmsford, Essex | Regular UK travel | Occasional international travel

Initial six-month fixed-term contract, with a genuine opportunity to become permanent based on performance and ongoing business requirements

King Safety and Security is looking for an exceptional Senior Executive Assistant / Private Office Manager to work directly with our Founder & CEO.

This is not a conventional administrative EA role. We want a capable, discreet and commercially aware person who will become the CEO’s operational right hand. You will control the flow of information around him, protect his time, maintain visibility across the business and make sure decisions turn quickly into action.

The purpose of the role is simple: to keep the CEO fully informed and in control of the business without him personally processing every email, message, meeting, request and follow-up.

THE ROLE

• Own the CEO’s business inbox, diary and day-to-day communications. Decide what needs his decision, what needs his awareness, what can be delegated and what you can handle yourself.
• Produce a concise daily briefing covering priorities, decisions required, deadlines, client matters and emerging issues.
• Draft correspondence in the CEO’s voice and, within an agreed authority framework, respond and act on his behalf.
• Monitor business WhatsApp and other channels, making sure important matters are captured and progressed.
• Protect the CEO’s time by filtering meetings, interruptions and low-priority demands.
• Attend meetings and calls where needed, record decisions and follow actions through to completion without the CEO having to chase.
• Maintain visibility across operations, clients, finance, people and business development, working closely with the Security Operations Manager and Business Operations Manager.
• Prepare briefing notes, proposals and executive material.
• Coordinate travel and business commitments, and work alongside the CEO when he is working away from Chelmsford.
• Act as a trusted point of contact for clients, suppliers, team members and senior external stakeholders.
• Build and maintain systems that materially reduce the CEO’s administrative and coordination load.

This is a high-trust position with significant access to confidential company, client and executive information. Exceptional discretion and judgement are essential.

You will need to know when to act, when to delegate, when to escal and when something simply does not warrant the CEO’s attention.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Within the first two months, the CEO no longer manages his own inbox day to day. He starts each day with a clear briefing and a short list of decisions. Commitments are tracked and closed without him chasing, and you are handling a growing range of matters independently.

Success in this role means reducing the volume of information and administration reaching the CEO without reducing his visibility or control.

THE PERSON

We are particularly interested in candidates who have supported:

• founders or entrepreneurial CEOs;
• UHNW individuals, family offices or private offices;
• senior executives operating internationally; or
• principals working in fast-moving, confidential or high-pressure environments.

You will be comfortable working with incomplete information, using your judgement and taking ownership rather than waiting for instruction. You will need exceptional organisation and written communication skills, together with the ability to understand how the CEO works, anticipate what he needs and progressively operate with greater autonomy.

We are looking for someone who is:

• exceptionally organised, dependable and persistent about closing actions;
• calm and effective under pressure;
• highly discreet;
• commercially aware and confident with senior and UHNW stakeholders;
• an exceptional written communicator;
• technologically capable across multiple communication platforms;
• confident enough to challenge the CEO constructively; and
• pragmatic about separating what matters from noise.

Experience in a private office, family office, security, professional services or other discretion-sensitive environment is an advantage but not essential.

WORKING ARRANGEMENTS

The role is based at our office in Chelmsford, Essex, and is open to candidates within commuting distance.

This is a highly embedded role, particularly during the first months. Periodically, you will work alongside the CEO elsewhere in the UK for up to a week at a time. There may also be occasional international travel. Accommodation and travel for all time spent away are arranged and paid for by the company.

Once the working rhythm is established, some remote working may be possible, but this is not a conventional hybrid position.

Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00. Because the business operates internationally, the role will occasionally involve early starts, late finishes or travel outside those hours.

The position includes a company benefits package, details of which will be discussed with shortlisted candidates.

ABOUT KING SAFETY AND SECURITY

Founded in 2014, King Safety and Security is a UK-based security and risk management company. We provide protective services, residential security, secure transportation, intelligence and risk advisory services to private clients, family offices, senior executives and organisations in the UK and internationally.

Our work is built on integrity, quality, consistency and intelligent, proportionate protection.

Because of the nature of our clients and operations, appointment is subject to appropriate pre-employment screening and vetting, references, right-to-work verification and confidentiality obligations.

King Safety and Security is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

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