Senior Executive Assistant

People, we hire People, not numbers! So, if you like the sound of one of our jobs, please apply - you could be just who we're looking for! Of course, experience and track record are important, but we're more interested in hiring someone that embodies our People Promises. That's someone that does the right thing, is enthusiastic and motivated to grow, believes in Community spirit, is respectful and enjoys their work. As the UK's leading Social Enterprise we're dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving Communities for both our Customers and Employees.

So, what are you waiting for? Join a community that cares about you!

More about your role

As a Senior Executive Assistant, you will provide proactive, highly effective and confidential support to the Managing Director (MD) of Places Leisure. You will support the MD to optimise their productivity,  through putting in place robust systems for diary and inbox management,  coordinating meetings and events.  Through ensuring everything runs smoothly,anticipating needs and resolving issues independently you will become a key partner to the MD.

 You will plan and support business events, site visits,executive engagements and support the onboarding of new senior leaders into the business.  You , will also manage travel, expenses, purchasing  and budget tracking on behalf of MD. Working across the senior team, you will research and collate data and information, preparing high-quality reports and presentations, and supporting board-level activity. Working closely with other Executive Assistants, you will contribute to continuous improvement, the adoption of new technologies including Gen-AI, share best practice and help ensure key deadlines are consistently met.

Essential criteria

• Significant experience working as an Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant supporting Director-level stakeholders within a large, complex organisation
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, Co Pilot) and wider digital tools
• Demonstrable experience managing complex diaries, inboxes and coordinating meetings independently
• Proven experience producing high-quality reports, presentations and board-level documentation
• Strong track record of handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion and integrity
• Ability to create plans and co-ordinate actions and activity that achieve overall outcomes as set out by the MD.
• Able to attend face-face meetings in central London at least two days each week.

More about you

You are highly organised, proactive and thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly. You take pride in delivering high-quality work, with excellent attention to detail and strong written skills. You are comfortable working independently, using your initiative to solve problems and manage competing demands. You build effective working relationships across teams and bring a calm, professional approach, even under pressure. You are motivated to continuously improve, embrace new technology and contribute positively to a collaborative EA network.

Benefits

We are a large diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for.

We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:

• Competitive salary with regular annual review
  • Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
  • Bonus scheme for colleagues at 2%
  • 35 days holiday (including bank holiday) with option to buy or sell days
  • Healthcare cashback plan for everyday medical costs - up to £500 savings per year
  • Access to wellbeing support such as counselling and flu jabs
  • Private GP and health support services available
  • Access to a rewards platform with retail and lifestyle discounts
  • Savings on groceries, travel, shopping and home products
  • Ongoing training and development opportunities
  • Access to professional qualifications and career progression
  • Internal development programmes and learning support
  • Recognition schemes such as Star Awards and Colleagues Awards
  • Strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing and colleague engagement
  • Free membership to Places Leisure Centres

What's next?

If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then apply following our simple 5 minute application process, upload a CV and a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the role. If you have any questions please email the recruitment team [email protected]

As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we offer a guaranteed interview to candidates who are disabled, neurodiverse, or have served in the Armed Forces, provided you meet the essential criteria for the role. If you would like to be considered under this scheme, please indicate this in your application. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview experience, please let us know. We're happy to work with you to ensure you have the opportunity to perform at your best.

If you are a Places for People customer and you're looking for support with your application, please contact our skills and employment team on [email protected] .

Please note that we may bring the closing date forward, if we receive a large number of quality applications. If you are interested in this role we would advise applying immediately to avoid disappointment.

If you are using a mobile device such as an iPad then ensure your CV is stored in the cloud, we currently support Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox.

W e understand the importance of a supportive and inclusive work culture so please talk to us at interview about flexibility you may need. We can't promise to give you exactly what you want, but we promise not to judge you for asking. For this role we are open to discussing the possibility of reduced hours, flexible start and finish times or compressed hours.

If you are a recruitment agency please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls

Safeguarding

At Places for People, safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We are committed to creating safe communities for our customers and colleagues by protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from harm, abuse, and neglect.

We follow robust safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring all employees, volunteers, and contractors uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and accountability. Our recruitment process includes pre-employment checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where applicable, to promote a safe and secure working environment.

By joining Places for People, you are expected to contribute to our safeguarding culture, following our policies and reporting concerns to protect those in our communities