Executive Assistant and Travel Manager

L3Harris; Tewkesbury; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A defense technology firm in Tewkesbury is looking for an experienced Executive Assistant to support the Managing Director and other executives. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in a similar role, manage sensitive information with utmost discretion, and possess exceptional organizational and communication skills. This position offers a hybrid working model, competitive benefits, and requires adherence to security protocols.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Half day finish on Fridays

25 days holiday per year

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme with employer contribution

Life Assurance

Income protection

Flexible opt-in extras

Employee assistance program

Professional membership reimbursement

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience supporting senior executives, ideally in defense or aerospace.
• Experience managing sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Managing Director’s complex calendar and appointments.
• Arrange domestic and international travel and accommodation.
• Draft and manage correspondence, presentations, and briefing materials.
• Coordinate leadership meetings and prepare agendas, minutes, and tracking.
• Act as a liaison between the MD and senior executives and other stakeholders.
• Monitor and prioritize incoming communications and manage follow-ups.

Skills

Organizational skills

Confidentiality

Interpersonal skills

Stakeholder management

Microsoft Office Suite proficiency

Communication skills

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris Technologies is the Trusted Disruptor in the defense industry. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title – Executive Assistant

Job Location – Tewkesbury

Job ID – 30285

About this opportunity and L3Harris UK

From 11 UK sites, our team of nearly 1,000 people delivers unique capabilities across space, air, land, sea and cyber for military, security and commercial customers across the UK and worldwide.

L3Harris in Tewkesbury is our HQ for our Intelligence & Cyber International division. In the land domain, our T7 and T4 multi-mission robots deliver next-generation remote capabilities and uncompromised performance. We design and manufacture world-leading land force protection systems, cyber and electromagnetic activities (CEMA), electronic warfare (EW) and encryption capabilities. Our cyber capabilities provide an information advantage in the fields of kinetic conflict, cyber warfare, force protection and counterterrorism.

A few of our employee benefits are:

• Hybrid working where possible, three days onsite per week
• Half day finish on a Friday
• 25 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays), increasing with long service and with the opportunity to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Private medical insurance with optional family cover
• Pension scheme of up to 7% employer contribution
• Life Assurance 4x salary (flexible up to 10x)
• Group income protection
• Flexible opt-in extras such as a health care cash plan, dental insurance, gym membership, critical illness cover and cycle to work scheme
• Employee assistance program providing mental health and wellbeing support
• Professional membership reimbursement (discretionary)

What the role will involve

We are seeking a highly professional, discreet, and proactiveExecutive Assistant (EA)to provide comprehensive support to theManaging Directorand other executive leaders within our defence sector business. This is a pivotal role requiring exceptional organizational skills, confidentiality, and the ability to operate effectively in a complex and fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with sensitive information, liaising with high-level internal and external stakeholders, including government and defense partners—and managing multiple priorities with precision and discretion.

The responsibilities of your role will include the following:

Executive Support:

• Manage the Managing Director’s complex calendar, including scheduling internal and external meetings, prioritizing appointments, and coordinating across time zones.
• Arrange complex domestic and international travel, accommodation, itineraries, and expense claims in compliance with internal policies and relevant regulations.
• Draft, format, and manage correspondence, presentations, and briefing materials for internal and external use noting and respecting confidentiality.
• Coordinate board and senior leadership meetings, including agenda preparation, minute-taking, and tracking of action items.
• Serve as a trusted liaison between the MD and senior executives, clients, government stakeholders, and staff.
• Ensure the MD is fully briefed ahead of meetings, events, and strategic engagements.
• Prioritize conflicting needs, handles maters expeditiously, proactively, and follows through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Administration & Operational Support:

• Maintain strict confidentiality of highly sensitive business and personnel information.
• Monitor and prioritize incoming communications, flagging urgent matters and managing follow-up as needed.
• Support planning and execution of key internal and external events, site visits, and conferences.
• Coordinate with security teams to ensure compliance with defence sector standards and visitor protocols.

Travel Coordination:

• Act as the primary point of contact for all travel enquiries within the ICI EMEA business, coordinating with a designated third-party travel provider.
• Support employees and in how to access and use the travel booking system when they are coordinating their own travel.
• Be an escalation point for travel when issues arise with third party providers
• Ensure adherence to corporate travel policies and escalate exceptions when necessary.

What you’ll bring

The role requires the following experience and skills:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience supporting senior executives, ideally within defense, aerospace, engineering, or a related government-regulated sector.
• Experience managing sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Proven ability to handle complex travel, logistics, and scheduling with a high level of accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, including with senior government, military, or commercial partners.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and familiarity with digital tools and platforms for communication and project tracking.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Important to know

Due to the nature of our work many our roles require a UK nationality and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to government security checks.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and offers equal opportunities for all. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.