Executive / Personal Assistant - Education Sector

Howard James Recruitment Consultancy Ltd; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational institution is seeking a dynamic Executive / Personal Assistant to provide high-level administrative support to senior leadership. The ideal candidate will possess 3-5 years of experience supporting executives, outstanding organisational skills, and proficiency in MS Office. Responsibilities include managing schedules, organising meetings, and liaising with stakeholders. This role promises a diverse work environment with opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a PA or EA supporting senior-level executives (3-5 years).
• Exceptional organisational capabilities with attention to detail.
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal.
• High level of discretion and integrity in handling sensitive matters.
• Familiarity with scheduling tools like Teams or Zoom.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex calendars and schedules for senior leadership.
• Organise meetings, conferences, and events with logistical oversight.
• Compile and edit reports and presentations for senior leadership.
• Act as the first point of contact, managing sensitive communications.
• Coordinate travel arrangements and manage itineraries.

Skills

Organisational skills

Time-management

Multitasking

Written communication

Verbal communication

Discretion

MS Office Suite proficiency

Adaptability

Tools

MS Office Suite

Scheduling tools

Job description

Overview

We're seeking a dynamic and organized Executive / Personal Assistant to provide high-level administrative and personal support to senior leadership within an educational institution. This multifaceted role is ideally suited to a proactive individual who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and values collaboration, discretion, and versatility.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Support
  • Manage complex, evolving calendars and schedules, using discernment to prioritise and adapt rapidly.
  • Organise and coordinate meetings, conferences, and events—preparing agendas, logging minutes, and overseeing logistics.
  • Compile and edit correspondence, reports, presentations, and briefing documents for senior leadership.
  • Act as the first point of contact internally and externally, managing sensitive communications with discretion.
  • Coordinate travel arrangements (e.g. flights, accommodation) and manage itineraries efficiently.
• Personal and Project Support
  • Assist with personal tasks as needed, maintaining professionalism and trust.
  • Support ad-hoc projects, research, and task coordination, adapting to shifting priorities swiftly.
  • Manage filing systems, confidential records, databases, and document storage with attention to detail.
• Educational & Institutional Liaison
  • Liaise effectively with students, staff, parents, and external stakeholders to ensure seamless communication within the institution.
  • Assist with administrative tasks specific to educational environments, such as budget tracking, HR paperwork, onboarding support, and policy implementation.
  • Support academic or central trust functions, including quality assurance initiatives, safeguarding audits, or event coordination.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience (typically 3-5 years) as a PA, EA, or similar role supporting senior-level executives.
• Exceptional organisational, time-management, multitasking, and attention-to-detail capabilities.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication, with professionalism and clarity.
• High level of discretion, integrity, and confidentiality in handling sensitive matters.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with scheduling tools or platforms (e.g. Teams, Zoom).
• Adaptability, resilience, and a proactive approach to changing demands in an academic setting.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience supporting leaders within educational settings or higher education institutions.
• Exposure to academic governance, trust-wide administration, or quality assurance processes.
• Familiarity with educational systems (e.g. SIMS) or sector-specific regulatory frameworks.
• Comfort with hybrid working patterns—balancing in-person presence and remote support as needed.
• Positive, calm demeanour with a service-oriented mindset—especially invaluable in educational environments.

Why This Role?

This position offers a richly varied environment where no two days are the same. You'll be at the heart of institutional operations—supporting leadership, facilitating smooth workflows, and often stepping in to lead on initiatives that shape the educational experience.

For more information or indeed to apply please send your CV via the "Apply Now" button and one of the team will call you back to discuss your application in greater detail.