Executive Assistant

£38,976 - £47,229 Permanent Full Time Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

Objective of role

Are you ready to be the driving force behind a senior leader and help shape the future of our boroughs? As Executive Assistant, you’ll be the trusted right hand to the Executive Director of Growth and Place, making sure they can focus on the big picture while you manage the detail. From inbox and diary management to coordinating meetings, briefings, and presentations, you’ll keep everything running smoothly and anticipate what’s needed before it’s asked. This is a brand-new directorate, created to bring fresh thinking to how we plan, grow, and invest in our places. We’re building something from the ground up – so if you’re energetic, proactive, and thrive in fast-paced environments, this is your chance to make a real impact.

About The Role

In this role, you’ll provide high-level executive support to the Director of Growth and Place, ensuring they can focus on strategic priorities while you manage the detail. You’ll help stand up new governance structures, manage directorate meetings, and create systems for reporting and approvals. You’ll work closely with senior leaders across the council, ensuring the Executive Director’s time is optimised and that Growth & Place operates with strong governance and clear priorities. You’ll be at the heart of a brand-new directorate, helping to shape how we plan, grow, and invest in our boroughs – and you’ll also play a key role in wider work such as supporting projects and helping to establish the directorate from the ground up.

What The Role Involves

• Managing inboxes and complex diaries, prioritising effectively.
• Coordinating meetings, agendas, briefings, and presentations.
• Acting as a key link between senior leaders, councillors, and stakeholders.
• Handling confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Supporting wider projects and directorate set-up activities.
• Anticipating needs and solving problems in a fast-paced environment.

Key Criteria For Success

• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Resilience, tact, and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive issues.

Knowledge You’ll Need

• Understanding of local government and its challenges.
• Familiarity with administrative processes and business support systems.
• Proficiency in IT tools for documents, presentations, and data management.

Essential Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• Proven experience in providing high-level executive support, including complex diary and inbox management and governance coordination (e.g., agendas, action logs, forward plans).
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to design and maintain systems, prioritise competing demands and work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to draft clear, professional correspondence and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively with senior leaders, councillors and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in IT systems and tools, including Microsoft Office, for creating accurate and high-quality documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
• Sound understanding of local government and the challenges it faces, or the ability to quickly develop this knowledge.

Closing Date: Friday 23rd January 2026

Shortlisting Date: Monday 26th January 2026

Interview Date: Thursday 29th January 2026

Test: Short test will be provided at interview on Thursday 29th January 2026

We may close this vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.