Executive Assistant to the MD

Manchester, M5 3EQ (Office-based) Salary: £32,000–£40,000 depending on experience. WHAT WILL I BE DOING? Mi PA believes extraordinary people are at the centre of every successful business – and that’s where you come in! As Executive Assistant to the Managing Director, your role will be to create structure and ensure the MD is focused on the right things, has the information they need, and is not pulled into tasks, meetings, or decisions that do not genuinely require their attention. You’ll be their trusted right hand. So, to be successful, you'll need to be calm under pressure, confident enough to challenge their thinking, push back when they're taking too much on, and help keep people, projects, suppliers, and priorities moving in the right direction. In practice, that means: Protecting the MD’s time by managing their diary, priorities, meetings, inbox, and commitments. Telling the MD when there is too much booked in, when priorities are unclear, or when something needs to move. Understanding the business goals and being confident enough to say, "I don’t think we should do this," or "Have you thought about this another way?" Anticipating what the MD needs before they ask– spotting risks, gaps, blockers, and opportunities early. Help coordinate internal projects such as office moves, supplier changes, business improvements, and company events. Speaking confidently with suppliers, negotiating where needed, pushing for better deals, and ensuring Mi PA gets the best possible outcome. Holding others to account when work is late, incomplete, unclear, or below standard. Working closely with members of the Leadership Team to keep communication clear, actions moving, and priorities aligned. Preparing information, agendas, updates, and follow-ups so meetings are focused and productive. Bringing calm, structure, and clarity to a busy, fast-moving environment. This role is about far more than completing tasks. Success will be measured by the impact you create: how effectively you protect the MD’s focus, drive projects forward, clarity of communication, and help the business progress. IS THIS ROLE FOR ME? If you’re nodding along to the below, we’d love to meet you. You’re driven by results, not activity – you want to make a real difference, not just tick things off a list. You’re a natural leader and organiser, who enjoys taking ownership, owning results, and seeing projects through. You are unflappable. When things are busy, unclear, or changing quickly, you stay calm, practical, and focused. You can challenge respectfully, ask difficult questions, and tell senior staff what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear. You're commercially aware, understanding that time, money, quality, and reputation matter, and you make decisions with the bigger picture in mind. You're confident dealing with suppliers. You can ask for the detail, challenge vague answers, negotiate when needed, and avoid accepting poor service. You maintain high standards – you challenge poor work directly and professionally. You're proactive. You don't wait to be told every instruction, and instead work out what needs to happen, clarify where needed, and then get on with it. You're both resilient and dependable. People trust you to follow through, stay calm, and keep things moving. You're comfortable working with senior leaders. You can communicate clearly with the MD, Leadership Team, suppliers, and colleagues at all levels. You are confident using Office 365, managing email, scheduling, documents, meetings, and project plans. ABOUT US We don't mean to brag... but we’re an award-winning place to work! Mi PA provides Virtual PA and Reception services to businesses of all sizes, but we’re not just virtual assistants. Over the last decade, we’ve carved out a niche as the ultimate support service, delivering a world-class experience built on passion, trust, and intelligence. Our mission is simple: to be the number one support company for growing businesses. We’re now looking for an exceptional Executive Assistant to work directly with our Managing Director – someone who can bring structure and calm to a busy MD's day, with the confidence to both represent and challenge the MD accordingly to drive the business forward. WHY YOU’LL LOVE WORKING HERE An environment we’re proud of: We’re a close-knit team of 20 passionate professionals (plus an office dog – the real boss!) It’s a growing team, where we believe work should be enjoyable as well as rewarding. A genuinely influential role: You’ll work directly with the Managing Director, helping to protect their time, challenge their thinking, manage priorities, and keep key projects moving. You’ll be trusted to speak up, push back, and make things happen. Real ownership: You’ll have visibility across the business and will work closely with suppliers, internal teams, and members of the Leadership Team. You’ll be expected to take ownership, spot risks, ask the right questions, and drive outcomes. Genuine career growth: We’re committed to team development and offer regular training, career progression, and new opportunities as the business grows. You’ll have clear guidance, achievable goals, and a genuine place to thrive. Perks and benefits: a competitive starting salary of £32,000–£38,000 (with a yearly review), a full health