Executive Assistant/PA Maternity Cover

Bidwells; Greater London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension match

Holiday allowance

Birthday off

Wellness day

Sabbaticals

Private medical

Medicash plan

Lifestyle discounts

Professional development

Flexible working

Family leave

Work-life balance

Job summary

Bidwells is seeking a highly organised Executive Assistant to support the National Head of Planning and London Planning Lead for a 12-month contract in London. You will act as a trusted partner to two senior leaders, managing complex diaries, travel, and high‑level correspondence.

The role requires discretion, excellent communication, and the ability to juggle competing priorities. You will coordinate meetings, prepare materials, process expenses, support billing and client onboarding, and help

Qualifications

• Experience as an Executive or Personal Assistant to senior leaders.
• Highly organised with strong prioritisation and time management.
• Confident managing multiple diaries and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commercially aware, supporting financial and client-related processes.
• Proactive, independent work style with discretion handling confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Proactive diary and inbox management for the Head of Planning and London Head of Planning.
• Coordinate internal and external meetings, including large project and client meetings.
• Arrange travel and itineraries, manage logistics.
• Draft correspondence, presentations, agendas, minutes and other documents.
• Process expenses, timesheets and maintain administrative records.
• Support billing, fee proposals tracking and client onboarding documentation.
• Act as a key contact for clients, colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate team meetings, events and social activities.
• Support office hospitality and visitor management.
• Provide wider administrative support to ensure smooth running of the Planning team.

Skills

Executive Assistant

Diary management

Stakeholder management

Discretion

MS Office

Communication skills

Tools

Outlook

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Bidwells is seeking a highly organised, proactive and professional Executive Assistant to provide dedicated support to our National Head of Planning and London Planning Lead for a period of 12 months. This is a pivotal role, acting as a trusted partner to two Senior leaders and ensuring the efficient running of a busy London Planning team through high-quality administrative, organisational and stakeholder support.

The successful candidate will have proven experience in a similar Executive or Personal Assistant role, ideally gained within a property consultancy or professional services environment. We're looking for an exceptionally organised and proactive individual with outstanding attention to detail, excellent communication skills and the ability to manage competing priorities with confidence. The role requires someone who can build trusted relationships at all levels, exercise sound judgement and maintain the highest levels of discretion when handling sensitive and confidential information.

We anticipate this contract will be for a minimum of 12 months.

What you’ll be doing:

• Proactive diary and inbox management for the Head of Planning and London Head of Planning.
• Coordinate internal and external meetings, including large project and client meetings.
• Arrange travel, prepare itineraries and manage associated logistics.
• Draft correspondence, presentations, agendas, minutes and other business documentation.
• Process expenses, timesheets and maintain accurate administrative records.
• Support billing, fee proposal tracking and client onboarding documentation.
• Act as a key point of contact for clients, colleagues and external stakeholders, building strong professional relationships.
• Coordinate team meetings, events and social activities.
• Support office hospitality, including meeting room preparation and visitor management.
• Provide wider administrative and organisational support to ensure the smooth running of the Planning team.

About You

• An experienced Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant upporting senior leaders.
• Highly organised with excellent prioritisation and time management skills.
• Confident managing multiple diaries and changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A strong communicator with exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Commercially aware and comfortable supporting financial and client-related processes.
• Proactive, resourceful and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Professional, discreet and trustworthy when handling confidential information.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

What Success Looks Like

• Senior leaders are supported effectively and able to focus on strategic priorities.
• Meetings, travel and administrative processes run seamlessly.
• Client and stakeholder interactions are professional, responsive and well-coordinated.
• Team operations are organised, efficient and delivered to a consistently high standard.
• Key deadlines, actions and commercial processes are proactively monitored and completed.

What’s in it for you

Competitive Salary: We recognise and reward talent with generous salary and bonus scheme. As a Real Living Wage employer, we’re committed to fair pay that reflects the true cost of living.

Comprehensive Benefits: Including up to 8% matched pension, 28 days holiday (+ bank holidays) as a minimum, along with your birthday off work, a wellness day, paid sabbaticals, private medical cover, medicash plan, lifestyle discounts and perks, and more.

Professional Development: Continuous learning, study support and promotion opportunities.

Innovative Culture: Be part of a forward-thinking team at the forefront of industry trends.

Family Friendly: We offer enhanced family leave policies to support individuals close to you.

Work-Life Balance: We value your well-being and offer agile working to support it.

Bidwells is dedicated to fostering a truly inclusive culture of belonging, where everyone can thrive and succeed as their true and authentic selves at every level. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and positively encourage applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of race, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief. Flexible working requests are considered from day one.

Recruitment agencies: Bidwells do not require agency support for this role. Bidwells only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and that agency has been previously contacted and specifically directed by a member of our recruitment team. We do not pay agency fees when speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to Bidwells or any of our employees other than via our careers website and through our recruitment process. If this is not adhered to, agency fees will not be paid. Submission of any unsolicited CVs or proposals to Bidwells will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this approach.