EA to Secretary

The Vacancy
The Royal Academy of Arts is currently seeking a highly organised and experienced Executive Assistant to provide trusted aide to our Secretary & Chief Executive.

An extremely varied and busy role, the EA will be responsible for many duties including managing the office of the Secretary & Chief Executive by providing discreet and high-level support, acting as a representative for the Secretary & Chief Executive across the Academy, maintaining relationships and proactively responding to issues as they arise.

About The Secretary & Chief Executive
Simon Wallis became Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts in August 2025. He leads the UK\’s oldest artist-led institution at a key moment of organisational evolution, driving its charitable mission, artistic leadership and public-engagement strategy.

Wallis previously served as the founding Director of The Hepworth Wakefield, joining as its first employee in 2008 and overseeing the opening of its £35 million David Chipperfield-designed building in 2011. Under his leadership, the gallery won Art Fund Museum of the Year, grew its collection by over £220 million through philanthropy, established a nationally recognised exhibitions and learning programme, delivered a Tom Stuart-Smith-designed garden and played a major role in the cultural regeneration of Wakefield\’s waterfront.

About You
To be considered for this role, you will have previous experience as an Executive/Personal Assistant, ideally within a complex organisation, along with a keen interest in arts and culture. You will be highly organised, proactive and able to anticipate and respond appropriately to issues arising, using initiative. Ability to work with tact, discretion and effectively manage sensitive matters is key to the success of this role, as is excellent communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships.

The Company
The RA dates way back to 1768 when a group of artists and architects persuaded King George lll to help them to \’establish a society for promoting the Art of Design\’. The original academy, in Pall Mall, was less than 10 meters long. Since then, there have been many changes, though the RA\’s core purpose of bringing art and design to a broad audience and championing art and artists still holds true.

Today we are a contemporary art organisation hosting internationally acclaimed exhibitions and through investment in employee training and development, with courses such as Unconscious Bias, LGBTQ+ Awareness, Bystander, and Mental Health First Aid training, we are striving to foster a safe space for everyone through positive action. We also have Employee Network Groups, Ways In Groups, and an Employee Council so every employee has a voice and a way to feel heard by colleagues through the CEO.

The RA is truly a unique place, both as an attraction to our visitors, but also as a workplace. Our people are at the heart of all we do, and we support a broad and inspiring mix of departments; from exhibitions, curators, art handlers, researchers, publishers, and digital to schools and education, visitor welcome, fundraisers, and corporate support.

The Benefits
Exhibitions

Reciprocal Agreements with galleries across the UK

Enhanced Pension

Generous employer contributions

Enhanced Holiday

25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays

Wellbeing

Access to a virtual GP Service and Mental Health First Aiders

Agile Working

The opportunity to work flexibly

RA Staff Council

Where your views are heard and listened to

Employee Clubs

Football, Staff Choir and more