Private PA - HNW Family - London

As Private PA, working to the Executive Assistant, you’ll be a close knit team providing a core linchpin to the smooth running of the family’s private lives. You’ll support the effective day to day administration and coordination, as well as assisting with the management of the Family’s Household team and private residence. You’ll coordinate, streamline and deliver on the priorities of the Principal and be key in upholding the family’s values and principles. Being central to their day to day lives and privileged to sensitive information, you will need to have discretion and confidentiality at the forefront of your mind.

The Role

• Contract type: Full - time
• Location: London (primarily office based)
• Reporting to: The Executive Assistant

Private Residence

• Support the coordination and planning of home maintenance at the Principals’ residences, attending on site as and when required
• Support the management of utility bills, family vehicles, other household day to day requirements for all properties
• Research and purchase household items for the family as and when requested
• Support the recruitment of household staff for the family, ensuring their skills sets are aligned with the requirements of the roles and they are aligned with the family’s principles and values
• Assisting with household accounts and budgets
• Assisting with the management of house staff, including rota management

Travel Management for the Principals (and their family members)

• Arrange all aspects of private and corporate worldwide and domestic travel including the preparation of ever-changing comprehensive itineraries, flights, hotel bookings, car parking and car hire etc.
• Private plane logistics and liaising with the management company
• Assist with travel arrangements for external / internal visitors as and when required
• Arrange visas and keep passports and other travel documents up to date
• In consideration of time zones, should urgent matters arise, be contactable after hours and on weekends when the Principals are travelling abroad
• Maintain the travel record spreadsheet

Diary Management

• Effective communication and coordination of the Principal’s diaries, with contacts at affiliated companies, family members and other guests
• Ensure the Outlook calendars reflect all known business and private appointments (meetings, lunches, and dinners), travel commitments and reminders

Administration

• Implement and maintain an efficient filing system
• Review, proofread and edit documents prepared /required for signature
• Assist with the preparation and finalisation of presentations
• Professionally respond to worldwide affiliated offices / external company and internal queries
• Collate and accurately process invoices and the submittance of expenses
• Support with administrative work for the Principals’ children, liaising with the nursery and schools, medical consultations/vaccinations, activities and preparing schedules
• Undertake ad hoc personal errands for the Principals

Communication

• Act as the first point of contact, managing incoming communication (including e-mails, messages and telephone queries) promptly, efficiently and professionally, and draft/transcribing appropriate replies where necessary
• Establish and build effective, professional relationships with all contacts of the Principals, representing them in the best possible way
• Ensure that household staff, contacts in overseas offices and other relevant parties are updated on any relevant travel, meeting and guest arrangements, and the household staff schedules/work is managed during travel periods

Additional Projects

• Coordinate and organise events to a high standard within defined budgets and timescales. (Attendance may be required at these events outside normal working hours)
• There may be, at times, the need to travel with the Principals and their families
• Undertake other duties and tasks as required

About you

• Previous experience demonstrating a high-level of private PA support. Experience supporting a family with young children would be highly preferable
• Previous experience in coordinating high volume complex diary management, meetings (domestic and international) and ever-changing travel arrangements
• Some experience in managing properties and overseeing maintenance
• Experience in managing event coordination
• Financially minded with experience in managing budgets, ensuring value for money is achieved with a creative approach and good negotiation skills
• Discreet with experience in being accountable for sensitive and confidential information
• Emotionally intelligent with strong and effective interpersonal and communication skills
• Approachable and a real team player, holding the ability to build and maintain key working relationships
• A positive outlook, with a ‘can do’, determined approach
• Proactive, solutions focused and used to anticipating and looking ahead to requirements
• Motivated to make improvements to current practices, with a creative approach to solving issues
• Strong planning and organisational skills with a flexible approach and proven ability to multi-task and work at pace
• Integrity, professionalism, trust and confidentiality are key requirements
• Experience working autonomously with the ability to work on own initiative, holding good decision making skills and sound reasoning and judgement
• Proven analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail and ability to focus and hone in on relevant information
• Good, effective administrative skills
• A strong learning ethic and ability to undertake investigative work on own initiative
• Flexibility in relation to working hours and last-minute requests
• Advanced knowledge and proven ability in the use of Microsoft Office applications i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Ideally graduate level or equivalent