Operations Manager & Executive Assistant

ZipRecruiter; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a proactive Business Operations Manager to oversee daily operations and support the CEO. This hybrid role requires strong organisational and communication skills, with a focus on efficiency and team support. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic environment, managing multiple priorities while ensuring operational excellence. Benefits include a competitive salary, training allowance, and flexible working options.

Benefits

Training Allowance

Enhanced Pension Contributions

Annual Bonus Scheme

25 Days Annual Leave

Life Insurance

Cash Healthcare

Holiday Buy/Sell

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operations or office management.
• Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations and manage office environment.
• Support CEO with project coordination and HR tasks.

Skills

Organisational Skills

Problem Solving

Communication

Leadership

Numerical Skills

Tools

Google Suite

Job description

Job Description

Location: Sawston, Cambridge, UK (Hybrid role – 3-4 days per week in-office)

Salary: £42-50k, plus benefits

Employment Type: Full-time

We’re looking to appoint a highly organised and proactive Business Operations Manager to oversee daily operations, manage the office environment, support the CEO across a variety of projects and workstreams, and coordinate HR for our small team. This role is pivotal in ensuring the smooth running of the company, optimising processes, and enabling the team to do their best work.

This position requires someone who thrives on variety, problem-solving, and multitasking, someone who can confidently manage multiple priorities at once while ensuring efficiency across all aspects of the business. It also requires strong upward management and communication skills, the highest levels of integrity and confidence working in a small business environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business Operations and Office Management

• Implement and manage business operating systems and processes, ensuring key meetings, reports and other important components are carried out with consistency, purpose and to a high standard.
• Oversee office facilities, supplies, and maintenance to ensure a productive work environment. Manage and optimise operational budgets.
• Manage operational suppliers, including cleaning, IT, utilities, and office services. Checking and passing over invoices and expenses.
• Implement and maintain policies and procedures that enhance efficiency.
• Coordinate IT requirements, working with external providers.
• Handle day-to-day problem-solving, as first line operational support.
  

2. HR & People Coordination

• Support and manage People related initiatives. Liaise with external HR advisors as required.
• Oversee holiday tracking, team benefits, and internal communications.
• Organise team events and initiatives that support company culture.
• Assist with recruitment, onboarding, maintaining HR documentation.
• Identify team development and training opportunities.
• Support activities relating to freelance and contract resources.
  

3. Founder / MD Support

• Act as the right hand to the CEO, managing schedules, correspondence, and key priorities.
• Support cohesion and coordination amongst CEO direct reports
• Maintain a projects, tasks and actions schedule to ensure visibility and accountability.
• Support a variety of ongoing projects and workstreams, monitoring tasks and actions.
• Provide administrative and operational support for business initiatives.
• Handle confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Support CEO productivity through regular check-ins and upward accountability.
• Manage travel arrangements and other travel related logistics as needed.
  

Experience and Key Traits

• Proven experience in operations, office management, or a similar role in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• A proactive problem solver who works independently and takes ownership of tasks.
• Previous experience in a similar role, including having designed and implemented improvements to drive better organisation, communication, efficiency and accountability. Interest in continuous improvement, and initiative to impact.
• Comfortable working under (reasonable) pressure while maintaining high attention to detail. An ability to prioritise and communicate effectively when expectations are misaligned.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work across teams. Strong upward management skills, and a naturally trusted disposition.
• Confident numerically, managing project and workstream budgets.
• Technology savvy, with knowledge of IT systems, security, and office tools (e.g., Google Suite, Productive). Can utilise to provide analysis and task tracking.
• A natural leader who fosters a collaborative and efficient work environment.
• Interest in Artificial Intelligence and a desire to maximise its use to increase output, productivity and efficiency.

Performance Measures

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Efficiency of business operations and smooth day-to-day running of the office.
• CEO’s ability to focus on strategic priorities, supported by effective coordination.
• Employee satisfaction with HR processes, office environment, and internal initiatives.
• Cost savings and operational improvements implemented over time.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys being the backbone of a business—keeping things running, solving problems, and enabling a high performing team to do their best work.

• Salary: £42-50k depending on experience. Benefits include training allowance, enhanced company pension contributions, annual profit and performance related bonus scheme, 25 days annual leave plus your birthday and Christmas eve. Optional additional benefits including life insurance, cash healthcare and holiday buy / sell.
• Reduced hours: This role is being advertised as full time but we believe that it could be worked on a reduced hours basis, with pro-rata salary and benefits.