Executive Assistant

PRINCIPAL MEDICAL LIMITED; Bicester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

PRINCIPAL MEDICAL LIMITED in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Senior Administrative Assistant to provide high-level support to the Executive team. You will manage diaries, coordinate correspondence, and prepare papers and meetings in line with NHS governance.

The role requires discretion, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to handle confidential information while delivering accurate documents and timely responses.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting an Executive Director or CEO.
• Experience preparing papers, agendas and action logs.
• Experience handling confidential information with discretion.
• Strong IT skills with Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Minute-taking or capturing decisions in senior meetings.
• Experience supporting multiple senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to senior leaders.
• Manage executive diaries and scheduling.
• Prepare reports, agendas and meeting packs.
• Take accurate minutes and track actions.
• Ensure confidential and GDPR-compliant information handling.
• Support governance and governance documentation.
• Coordinate communications with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Executive support

Diary management

Stakeholder engagement

Discretion & confidentiality

IT proficiency

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Prioritisation

Education

GCSEs A-C incl English

NVQ Level 4 in Business Administration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Provide comprehensive administrative support, managing a range of routine tasks and some moderately complex activities within defined procedures.
• Complete administrative tasks such as data entry, document production, meeting preparation, filing systems maintenance, and correspondence handling with accuracy and minimal checking required.
• Support the organisation of schedules, appointments, and service workflows, seeking guidance for non‑routine issues when necessary.
• Prepare reports, spreadsheets, and documents based on established templates or guidance, ensuring accuracy and professionalism.

Information & Records Management

• Maintain, update, and organise records and data systems in line with organisational and NHS procedures.
• Identify basic data inconsistencies and escalation issues appropriately.
• Support data collection, simple analysis, and the preparation of information for audits or monitoring activities under direction from the Specialist Administrator or Manager.
• Ensure secure handling and storage of information, following GDPR, confidentiality, and governance standards.

Communication, Coordination & Service Support

• Act as a professional and reliable first point of contact for internal and external enquiries, including patients, colleagues, and partner organisations.
• Respond to enquiries with confidence, using judgement to resolve routine matters and referring more complex or specialist queries appropriately.
• Support effective communication within the team by circulating information, following up on actions, and ensuring accurate message handling.
• Demonstrate strong customer service skills, with sensitivity to patient needs and service user experience.

Confidentiality, Compliance & Governance

• Work in full compliance with organisational and NHS policies, carrying out tasks in line with established processes and governance frameworks.
• Recognise when issues fall outside role boundaries and escalated appropriately
• Maintain high standards of accuracy and adherence to confidentiality, ensuring safe handling of sensitive information.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, supporting team objectives and contributing to a positive, professional working environment.
• Assist in guiding and supporting less experienced administrators (e.g., entry‑level roles or new starters) by sharing knowledge and demonstrating good practice.
• Prioritise workload effectively, working without close supervision but within clear parameters and defined tasks.
• Participate in service improvement activities, offering suggestions to improve administrative processes, while recognising limits of own authority and seeking approval before implementing changes.

Executive Support & Diary Management

• Manage executive diaries, appointments, and scheduling to support effective time management.
• Manage and prioritise correspondence, calls, and communications.
• Provide timely reminders and follow-up support to ensure deadlines are met.
• Support the Executive Assistant with day-to-day coordination and administrative tasks.

Corporate Meetings & Governance Administration

• Coordinate the scheduling and logistics of corporate meetings.
• Prepare and distribute agendas, papers, and meeting packs.
• Produce accurate minutes and track actions to support follow-up and accountability.
• Maintain governance documentation in line with organisational standards.

Stakeholder Engagement & Information Management

• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date stakeholder and contact records.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including in the absence of the Executive Assistant.
• Coordinate content for internal communications such as website and newsletters.
• Act as a link between senior leaders and IT teams to support information sharing.

Operational & Research Support

• Conduct research and prepare briefings to support decision‑making.
• Assist in the preparation of reports, presentations, and correspondence.
• Provide logistical and coordination support for events and key activities.
• Ensure documentation is accurate, well‑organised, and accessible.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Minimum of five GCSEs A to C including minimum grade C in English. Essential
• NVQ Level 4 in Business Administration or experience of working as a senior administrative support to a senior manager or Executive. Desirable

Experience

• Experience supporting an Executive Director, CEO or similarly senior leader. Essential
• Experience preparing, collating and quality‑checking papers, agendas, action logs and correspondence. Essential
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information with tact, discretion and emotional intelligence. Essential
• Strong experience using Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams. Essential
• Experience minute‑taking or capturing decisions, actions and key discussion points in senior meetings. Essential
• Experience working in an organisation undergoing growth, service change or operational development. Desirable
• Experience supporting more than one senior stakeholder while maintaining clarity of priorities. Desirable

Skills & Knowledge

• Comfortable working at pace while maintaining quality. Essential
• Comfortable being office based and helping create visible, reliable executive presence. Essential
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage own workload within defined procedures Essential
• Ability to follow established policies, guidance, and processes reliably Essential
• Good written and verbal communication skills Essential
• Confident in responding to routine enquiries and knowing when to escalated appropriately Essential
• Competent IT skills including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and data systems Essential
• Ability to prepare basic reports, spreadsheets, and documents independently Essential
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and contribute to team priorities Essential
• Understanding of confidentiality, GDPR, and safe information governance practices Essential
• Understanding of customer service principles Essential
• Comfortable supporting new or less experienced colleagues Desirable
• Awareness of the role of administrative governance in a healthcare or organisational setting Desirable
• Knowledge of NHS systems, processes, or terminology Desirable
• Accurate data entry and strong attention to detail Desirable
• Professional, polite, and approachable manner Essential
• Commitment to teamwork and supporting others Essential
• Maintains calm and professionalism when dealing with enquiries or busy periods Essential
• Positive attitude toward learning, improvement, and service quality Essential
• Willingness to undertake training and development related to the role Essential
• Flexible approach to meeting service needs Essential
• Ability to maintain high accuracy and confidentiality at all times Essential
• Demonstrates reliability, responsibility, and a proactive approach to tasks Essential
• Ability to work without close supervision while knowing when to seek guidance Essential