Personal Assistant in Bristol

The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education in England. We aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. The Chief Executive’s Office plays a critical role in the running of the OfS. Our purpose is to get the best out of our leadership and organisation, to enhance our reputation and deliver for students. Our team provides an excellent private office service to the OfS chief executive (CE) and chair, and ensures that business critical work is delivered on their behalf. We are also responsible for keeping internal processes running smoothly and ensuring the wider executive team work together effectively. Our work is varied, fast paced and impacts numerous stakeholders across the OfS and wider higher education sector.

The Personal Assistant (PA) is a key role in our team, providing high quality, effective and proactive support to the chair. You will be accountable for managing the chair’s diary, correspondence and travel, as well as ensuring they have everything they need to work effectively. You will also provide administration and project support when required within the wider private office. The successful candidate will be exceptionally organised, have a keen eye for detail and be able to keep many plates spinning. You’ll be calm and controlled under pressure, have excellent judgement and confident in helping other team members to prioritise. This is an exciting role at the centre of the organisation, working directly with the chair in a dynamic and fast paced private office team.

Responsibilities

• Delivering high quality administrative support, including diary and mailbox management, meeting logistics, arranging travel and managing correspondence.
• Ensuring the chair is well prepared for each day, anticipating their needs and ensuring all diary details are correct, day packs are prioritised and up to date, and papers and briefings are available on time and in the correct format.
• Handling and responding to internal and external queries effectively, autonomously, and accurately representing views of the chair.
• Maintaining administrative systems and databases, in line with organisation‑wide policies where appropriate, to enable effective team working and information management.
• Building effective working relationships with external stakeholders and maintaining the highest standards of professional and effective communication, while handling sensitive information with discretion.
• Supporting in meetings where required, drafting and circulating agendas and minutes promptly, and following up efficiently and robustly on outstanding actions.
• Maintaining a strong understanding of the chief executive’s priorities and the wider context in which the OfS operates, to effectively prioritise the chief executive’s time and the work of the team, while effectively escalating risks.
• Demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement, identifying and progressing improvements to administrative systems and team ways of working.
• Providing project support and delivering tasks as required on the chair’s behalf, working closely with other members of the chief executive’s office.

Essential qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to work accurately in a fast‑paced environment and deliver to a high standard under pressure, with a keen attention to detail.
• Ability to take the initiative, exercise judgement and make effective decisions aligned with the strategic priorities of a senior leader.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise efficiently and juggle multiple tasks in the face of competing demands.
• Resourceful in resolving scheduling conflicts and addressing operational challenges.
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office (or equivalent software suite) and managing information in a hybrid team.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an environment with a complex range of internal and external stakeholders with competing interests.
• Previous experience of supporting a senior leader.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

Working for us

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do. We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that it can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation‑wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. This would usually mean working from the office for two or three days in a typical week.

Closing date for applications

Noon Wednesday 24 June 2026