Executive Assistant to Chief Executive Officer - London Area, United Kingdom - The Portman Estate

Description

The Estate aims to operate to high standards of equity, diversity and inclusion. We therefore welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

ROLE OVERVIEW

One of the seven essentials for a CEO is to have a good EA. "You need a good ambassador who is adept at spotting things and creates an impression of accessibility and openness". Reporting directly to the CEO, the Executive Assistant (EA) provides support in a one-on-one working relationship. The EA serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external communication for matters pertaining to the CEO's Office and also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and senior management teams. The EA should also have the ability to work proactively and independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

OUR MISSIONS AND VALUES

The Portman Estate is a forward-thinking property company with an enduring heritage and a commitment to promoting and protecting the long-term success of Marylebone and London's West End. In August 2022, the Portman Estate became the first estate to be certified as a B Corp. This means that we meet high standards of social and environmental performance and have made a commitment to continuous improvement.

We recognise our responsibility to provide a high quality, sustainable environment while seeking to safeguard our community, manage responsively and evolve our portfolio for the benefit of all. We aim to do this with a Clean Heart and a Cheerful Spirit, as the family motto directs.

At The Portman Estate we prioritise particular values:

Respect: maintaining relationships; ability to listen; understanding another's viewpoint; acknowledging other's efforts

Ethical: moral principles; knowing what is right and wrong; high standards

Inclusivity: ensuring sense of belonging; being open and fair to all; making individuals feel valued and able to reach their full potential; approachable; accessible; open; easy to talk to; welcoming; friendly

Integrity: honesty; trustworthy; decency; honour; sincerity; high standards of competence and skill; strong code of conduct; loyal to colleagues

and we do so with

Moral courage: standing up for what is right; taking action for moral reasons.

STRATEGIC DELIVERABLES:

The Strategic Deliverables detailed below summarise longer term objectives that the post holder will be expected to achieve. These objectives are subject to change in line with business requirements:

• Board and Remuneration Committee Papers – Prepare the agendas, coordinate papers required, prepare packs and distribute to meeting attendees. Working with the CEO, Head of HR and Executive Committee as appropriate.
• Annual Reception – Plan the Annual Reception (with the CEO), including liaison with the Family, the Chairman of the Board and the Chairman of the Trustees to ensure the event is a success.
• Keeper of the Estate Brand – With the Marketing and Communications Team, ensure that any correspondence or material presented internally or externally meets the brand guidelines and is formatted correctly, and contribute to the development of the internal intranet.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Job Responsibilities detailed below are not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may be reasonably expected within the scope and role:

CEO Support:

• Organise the CEO's diary, planning workload, coordinating with other PA's and amending the diary as required.
• Understand the business needs and its direction, and plan accordingly.
• Be prepared to offer ad-hoc support to the CEO outside of normal working hours.
• Ensure all communication between the CEO's office and the Family, Trustees and Non-Executive Directors is carried out clearly and efficiently at all times.
• Manage telephone, voicemail and email messages for CEO when they are not available and redirecting as necessary.
• Act as a filter for all papers and meetings required by the CEO. Including managing the review process for, and amendments to, the papers for all Board and Trustee Meetings.
• Ensure that the administration is operating efficiently and effectively (all papers and work presented to the CEO should be on time and complete; the same is true for appointments).

General Support:

• Organise both internal and external meetings, arranging rooms, equipment and catering as required. Coordination, preparation, maintenance and distribution of reports and meeting documents.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the PA Team, coordinating as required and seeking improvements to the way the team works. Including chairing a monthly PA Meeting and providing cover for PA's when they are on annual leave.
• Sit on, and act as secretary to, the EDI Committee. Strive to bring about positive change to the Estate and act as liaison between the CEO's Office and the EDI Committee as required.
• Plan and organise any dinners or events required.
• Organise the end of month team brief, including any presentations and refreshments required and provide a summary update to the Family and All Trustees' afterwards.
• Produce a monthly update for all staff compiling any useful information and highlighting any forthcoming events in the local area. (Estate Round Up).
• Ensure electronic and hard copy filing is managed in a timely and efficient manner, in accordance with corporate and best practice standards.
• Provide cover throughout the business as required, including support for other teams during busy periods and absences, reception cover.
• Liaise with other support teams as required e.g., IT, Finance and HR in order to meet the needs of the business.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

The below specification details the set of criteria that outlines the essential and desirable traits a candidate should have to be considered for the role.

Essential:

• Prior PA / EA experience supporting the C-Suite.
• Experience of complex diary management.
• Experience of understanding business strategy to better anticipate needs and prioritise workload.
• Competent Microsoft Office skills (good working knowledge of Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Outstanding ability to adapt and manage time effectively, prioritise conflicting demands, multi-tasks and work to tight and structured deadlines.
• Ability to build close working relationships with the relevant stakeholders so that you are able to anticipate future needs.
• High standards of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Discreet and able to handle highly sensitive information in confidence.
• Alignment with The Portman Estate's values.
• High visibility, presence across a company and the ability to act as a pivotal influencer liaising with all levels / peer groups.
• A natural problem solver and rigorous planner.

Desirable:

• Relevant EA qualification (i.e., Pitman or equivalent).
• Knowledge of iManage (electronic document management system).
• Knowledge of SharePoint and Adobe Acrobat.
• Experience of working within estate / property management or a professional services environment (i.e., financial or legal) where a high degree of technical language and numerical data are used.