Executive Assistant to Chief Executive Officer

St Monica Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

St Monica Trust is seeking an exceptional Executive Assistant to partner with our Chief Executive, providing strategic, high‑level support and acting as a trusted advisor across the Executive Office.

This role goes beyond diary management, offering the chance to drive governance, coordinate important initiatives and help shape a values‑led organisation that positively impacts thousands of lives across the region.

Responsibilities

• Manage a complex and fast-paced diary, ensuring the CEO's time is focused on key organisational priorities
• Prepare high-quality briefings, presentations, reports and correspondence for the CEO, Board and Executive Team
• Coordinate Board, Committee and Executive meetings, ensuring effective governance, action tracking and follow-through
• Act as a key point of contact on behalf of the CEO, building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Support strategic projects and organisational initiatives, helping to drive progress and maintain momentum
• Maintain oversight of key actions, decisions and commitments, ensuring priorities remain on track
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism, discretion and sound judgement
• Work collaboratively across the Trust to provide a seamless and proactive Executive support function
• Identify opportunities to streamline, automate and improve processes, embracing digital tools and new ways of working to increase efficiency
• Be proactive in approach rather than reactive. Anticipating problems and improvements before they are actually needed and executing on them
• Automate and digitalise processes and practices where it makes sense to do so.

Job description

At St Monica Trust, we're creating communities where older people flourish, feel valued and enjoy meaningful lives. With over 100 years of history and a clear ambition for the future, we're looking for an exceptional Executive Assistant to partner with our Chief Executive and help drive our organisation forward.

This is far more than diary management and a basic Executive Assistant role. It needs to add real tangible value! It's an opportunity to become a trusted advisor, strategic coordinator and key member of the Executive Office, operating at the heart of an organisation that positively impacts thousands of lives across the region.

You'll be the person who anticipates what comes next, creates order from complexity, and ensures our Chief Executive has the insight, information and support needed to focus on what matters most.

The Role:

You’ll be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, navigating competing priorities, engaging with senior stakeholders and influencing outcomes. You’ll be trusted with highly confidential matters, involved in key organisational initiatives and have a front-row seat to some of the most important decisions shaping our future.

This is a role for someone who enjoys being one step ahead, thrives on variety and wants to make a genuine impact.

What You’ll Be Doing:

As Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, you'll be a trusted partner, providing high-quality support that enables the CEO to focus on delivering St Monica Trust's strategic priorities.

You will:

The Basics

• Manage a complex and fast-paced diary, ensuring the CEO's time is focused on key organisational priorities
• Prepare high-quality briefings, presentations, reports and correspondence for the CEO, Board and Executive Team
• Coordinate Board, Committee and Executive meetings, ensuring effective governance, action tracking and follow-through
• Act as a key point of contact on behalf of the CEO, building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Support strategic projects and organisational initiatives, helping to drive progress and maintain momentum
• Maintain oversight of key actions, decisions and commitments, ensuring priorities remain on track
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism, discretion and sound judgement
• Work collaboratively across the Trust to provide a seamless and proactive Executive support function

The Added Value We Require

• Identify opportunities to streamline, automate and improve processes, embracing digital tools and new ways of working to increase efficiency.
• Be proactive in approach rather than reactive. Anticipating problems and improvements before they are actually needed and executing on them.
• Automate and digitalise processes and practices where it makes sense to do so.

About You:

We're looking for a highly capable and forward-thinking Executive Assistant who combines exceptional organisational skills with commercial awareness, strategic thinking and a passion for continuous improvement and technology innovation. We are also searching for someone who operates with high energy and vibrancy. Who you are matters as much as what you can do.

You will be comfortable operating at Executive level, building trusted relationships, influencing stakeholders and bringing clarity to complex and fast-moving priorities.

You'll be able to demonstrate:

• Significant experience supporting a CEO, Director or Executive team as an Executive Assistant, Executive Business Partner or Senior PA
• The ability to think strategically, understanding organisational priorities and helping translate them into effective plans, actions and outcomes
• Strong commercial awareness and sound business judgement, enabling you to make informed decisions and effectively prioritise competing demands
• Experience supporting governance processes, including Board and Committee administration, meeting coordination, action tracking and ensuring effective decision-making frameworks
• A proactive approach to identifying opportunities to improve ways of working, streamline processes and increase organisational effectiveness
• Advanced levels of confidence using technology to automate administrative tasks, improve workflows and drive efficiencies across the Executive Office
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail
• Outstanding communication and relationship‑building skills, establishing credibility with colleagues, Trustees, partners and external stakeholders
• Resilience and adaptability, remaining calm and solutions‑focused in a dynamic environment
• High levels of professionalism, discretion and integrity when handling confidential and sensitive information
• High levels of energy and vibrancy which makes people want to engage and listen

What You’ll Gain:

In return, you'll join a values-led organisation with a reputation built over more than a century.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Work in partnership with an experienced and ambitious Chief Executive
• Influence how the Executive Office operates and evolves
• Develop your career in a role with significant visibility and impact
• Be part of a caring, supportive and collaborative culture
• Make a meaningful contribution to improving the lives of older people

Alongside a competitive salary, you'll benefit from a generous pension scheme, Life Assurance, annual leave entitlement, wellbeing support, subsidised facilities, staff discounts and much more.

Additional Information:

• Duties must be carried out in compliance with St Monica Trust’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
• Duties must be carried out in compliance with current UK GDPR and with St Monica Trust’s Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy.
• This role profile contains the principal accountabilities relating to this post and does not describe in detail all the duties required to carry them out.
• This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and this means that any criminal conviction, including spent convictions, must be made known at the time of the application