Executive Assistant

Wycombe Abbey; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Fee remission

CPD training

Free parking

Free meals

Sports centre access

Eye tests

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Wycombe Abbey invites applications for an exceptional Executive Assistant to the Headmistress. This role provides high-level executive and administrative support in a fast-paced environment, supporting the Headmistress and leading a small admin team.

It is a maternity cover with potential for permanency, placed at a busy independent school in High Wycombe. The successful candidate will be highly organised, proactive and discreet, capable of handling multiple priorities and building relationships

Qualifications

• Previous experience supporting senior leaders and managing complex workloads is essential.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise discretion at all times.
• Proven experience leading a small administrative team.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex priorities and coordinate key communications and relationships.
• Prepare briefings and presentations for the Headmistress.
• Ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Headmistress's office.
• Lead a small administrative team and support the School's strategic objectives.

Skills

Executive support

Organisation

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Discretion

Senior leadership support

Team leadership

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional Executive Assistant to the Headmistress to provide high-level executive and administrative support in a fast-paced and varied role. Whilst this role is a maternity cover position, there is the potential for the post to become permanent, subject to organisational needs and ongoing staffing recruitments.

Working closely with the Headmistress, you will manage complex priorities, coordinate key communications and relationships, prepare briefings and presentations, and ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Headmistress's office. You will also lead a small administrative team and play a pivotal role in supporting the School's strategic objectives.

The successful candidate will be a highly organised and proactive professional with excellent communication skills, exceptional attention to detail and the ability to exercise discretion and sound judgement at all times. You will thrive in a busy environment, confidently managing multiple priorities while building effective relationships with staff, parents, pupils and external stakeholders. Previous experience supporting senior leaders and managing complex workloads is essential.

This is a full-time, year-round position offering an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a thriving school community. In return, you will join an organisation that values trust, encouragement, mutual respect, innovation, excellence and service, while working at the heart of the School's leadership team.

Reports to:

The Headmistress.

Contract:

This is a full-time, temporary (maternity cover) contract with the potential to become permanent, subject to staffing recruitment. The first three months will be a probationary period.

Hours of Work:

40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, throughout the year. Normal working hours are 08:30 to 17:30, with a one-hour unpaid lunch break. As the role works closely with the Headmistress, some flexibility will be required to meet the School’s operational needs.

Line Management:

The EA to the Headmistress (Maternity Cover) line manages the School Office Administrator and the Reception Administrator.

Salary:

£42,500 - £53,750, depending on skills and experience.

Wycombe Abbey is a world class full-boarding school for girls, located on a beautiful site in the centre of High Wycombe. With its distinctive heritage, magnificent 170-acre campus and impressive resources, the School provides an outstanding education for 650 pupils aged 11-18.

We have been at the forefront of girls’ boarding education for over 130 years. Superb academic outcomes are the School’s hallmark and pupils regularly secure places at the most prestigious universities across the globe. Known for its world-class education, Wycombe Abbey encourages curiosity, innovation, leadership and delight in learning among its pupils.

The School benefits from easy access to London (24 minutes to Marylebone), the Chiltern Hills and attractive towns such as Marlow, Henley-on-Thames and Beaconsfield. Heathrow is also just 20 miles away plus good transport links to other London airports.

Wycombe Abbey has its own salary scale which compares favourably with other independent schools and is well above that of the maintained sector.

Benefits of working at Wycombe Abbey include:

• Enrolment in the School’s generous pension scheme.
• Fee school remission at Wycombe Abbey and selected prep schools.
• Generous CPD training and development scheme.
• Free parking.
• Free meals.
• Free use of the Sports Centre.
• Free eye tests.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme.

Closing date for applications:

22 November 2026

Interview date:

3 December 2026

We reserve the right to appoint to this position before the closing date, should we receive a high volume of suitable early applications.

Wycombe Abbey is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced DBS check. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity with children.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all applicants are required to declare all unspent convictions and conditional cautions, and any spent convictions or adult cautions that are not protected, as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

Further information regarding filtered convictions, please refer to Filtering Guidance by the Ministry of Justice and Nacro Guidance.

Wycombe Abbey is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community in which everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, identities and experiences.