Executive Assistant in Crawley

About Us

The Jonathan Lea Network is an ambitious, entrepreneurial law firm based in Haywards Heath. We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding legal advice while building a business that people genuinely enjoy being part of. We’re collaborative, supportive and down-to-earth. We believe in high standards, common sense and treating people well. As we’ve grown, we’ve remained committed to creating a workplace where everyone contributes, everyone is respected, and no one is too important to roll up their sleeves and help.

We’re now looking for an exceptional Executive Assistant to become a trusted member of our leadership team. This is an opportunity to play an important role in the continued growth of the firm by supporting our leadership, helping deliver projects and making a meaningful contribution to the day-to-day success of the business.

The Opportunity

Let’s start by saying what this role isn’t. If you’re looking for a traditional Executive Assistant role centred around diary management and travel bookings, this probably isn’t the right opportunity. Of course, there will be some diary management and administrative support, but that’s only a small part of what you’ll do. Instead, we’re looking for someone who enjoys variety, thrives on solving problems and gets genuine satisfaction from making life easier for the people around them.

You’ll work closely with the firm’s leadership and support the wider team, taking ownership of a huge variety of work. One day you might be researching a new AI tool, coordinating a client event, helping with recruitment or supporting a compliance project. The next you could be preparing briefing papers, assisting with client onboarding, drafting correspondence or helping the administration team during a particularly busy period. No two days are ever the same.

The common thread is simple: whatever lands on your desk, you’ll take ownership, think it through, ask sensible questions where needed and see it through to completion. We’re looking for someone who measures success not by how busy they are, but by how much easier they make life for the people around them.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Supporting the Leadership Team
• Providing day-to-day support to the firm’s leadership.
• Taking ownership of tasks and projects from initial brief through to completion.
• Drafting correspondence, reports, presentations and briefing papers.
• Coordinating meetings, actions and priorities where required.
• Managing diaries and travel arrangements when needed.
• Helping ensure important actions, deadlines and commitments don’t fall through the cracks.
• Supporting the Business
• Supporting a wide variety of business projects and initiatives.
• Assisting with client onboarding and administrative processes.
• Supporting compliance activities and regulatory administration.
• Helping improve internal systems, processes and ways of working.
• Assisting with recruitment, onboarding and team initiatives.
• Supporting business development, networking events and marketing activities.
• Researching ideas, gathering information and helping turn plans into action.
• Supporting the Team
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the firm.
• Providing administrative support whenever an extra pair of hands is needed.
• Building positive relationships with clients, consultants and colleagues.
• Contributing to a supportive, friendly and professional working environment.
• Technology & AI
• Using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity as part of your everyday work.
• Using technology to draft, summarise, research and improve efficiency.
• Looking for smarter ways of working and sharing ideas that improve how we operate.

About You

This role is about attitude every bit as much as experience. We’re looking for someone who is naturally organised, intelligent and curious. Someone who enjoys learning, communicates confidently with people at every level and takes genuine pride in producing excellent work. Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who measures success not by how busy they are, but by how much easier they make life for the people around them.

We’re also looking for someone who is confident enough to work independently, but humble enough to ask for help, pitch in wherever needed and celebrate the success of the wider team. We don’t expect you to have all the answers. We do expect you to be curious, ask good questions, communicate openly and take ownership of finding the right solution.

You’ll be someone who:

• Is bright, proactive and quick to learn.
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Is highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
• Can confidently manage multiple priorities without becoming flustered.
• Is trustworthy and completely comfortable handling confidential information.
• Takes ownership of work and enjoys seeing tasks through to completion.
• Works confidently from a broad brief, asking thoughtful questions where needed and taking ownership of delivering a great outcome.
• Enjoys variety and can comfortably switch between different tasks, projects and priorities.
• Works collaboratively and builds positive relationships across the business.
• Has an interest in compliance and understands the importance of accuracy and doing things properly.
• Embraces technology and enjoys using AI to improve the way they work.
• Has a positive attitude, a good sense of humour and enjoys being part of a close-knit team.
• Is happy to roll up their sleeves and help wherever needed.

Experience as an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant or in another professional support role would be advantageous, but we’re equally interested in finding someone with the right mindset, potential and attitude.

The Kind of Person Who Will Thrive Here

You’ll probably love this role if you:

• Like variety and would be bored doing the same thing every day.
• Naturally think, “Leave it with me, I’ll sort it.”
• Enjoy taking ownership and finding practical solutions.
• Get satisfaction from helping other people succeed.
• Prefer working as part of a collaborative team rather than working in silos.
• Believe no task is beneath you if it helps the business move forward.
• Want to build a long-term career in a growing business where your contribution genuinely matters.

Why Join The Jonathan Lea Network?

This is an opportunity to become an integral part of a growing, ambitious law firm where you’ll make a real difference from day one. You’ll work closely with the firm’s leadership, build relationships across the business and be trusted with interesting, varied work that genuinely contributes to our success. We’ll give you responsibility, encourage you to use your initiative, support you as you develop your skills and provide opportunities to grow as the firm continues to evolve.

If you’re looking for a role where you’ll be trusted, challenged, supported and valued — and where no two days are ever the same — we’d love to hear from you.

The Details

• Salary: £30,000–£35,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Location: Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9.00am–6.00pm and Friday, 9.00am–5.00pm.
• Working Pattern: Full-time, office-based.

As you'll be working closely alongside Jonathan throughout the day, this is a full-time, office-based role. Working together in person is an important part of the role, allowing you to provide responsive support, build a strong working relationship and adapt quickly as priorities change.

How to Apply

If you would like to apply, please send your CV and covering letter to:

A Final Thought

We’re not looking for someone to simply manage a diary. We’re looking for someone who enjoys making things happen. Someone who takes ownership, thrives on variety, loves solving problems and gets genuine satisfaction from helping the people around them succeed. If you’re the sort of person who naturally thinks, “Leave it with me, I’ll sort it,” we’d love to hear from you.