Personal Assistant - Group Chief of Staff (9 month FTC)

Howden; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Who are we?

Howden is a collective – a group of talented and passionate people all around the world. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 18,000 employees spanning over 100 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

Role Purpose

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a PA to support our Chief of Staff and the existing Executive Assistant to our CEO. This is a unique opportunity to join our fast-growing and transformational business at a pivotal moment in its evolution.

This role will provide administrative support to the Chief of Staff and the Executive Assistant to the CEO which will range from arranging complex travel (including visas), through to events and meetings.

You will thrive in this role if you are extremely organised, with excellent verbal and written communication skills and an ability to form relationships quickly. The role requires IT skills, including MS Office products such as PowerPoint and Excel. Additionally, you will be confident and able to take the initiative in ambiguous circumstances coupled with excellent time management skills. The ability to adapt priorities to meet deadlines and constantly changing demands are essential, as are accuracy and attention to detail.

Key Responsibilities

• Full inbox and diary management for Chief of Staff
• Ensure Chief of Staff completes board reports and other necessary reports in a timely fashion
• Screen calls and e-mails, prioritising items for response and answering routine enquiries. Redirect items as appropriate
• Plan, organise and support internal and external meetings and provide necessary documentation which includes proactively arranging agendas and notes ahead of meetings in a timely and efficient way
• Act as meeting secretary, recording and distributing notes, actions and following up as appropriate
• Arrange international travel itineraries
• Manage attendee lists for events and where appropriate manage execution of events
• Provide project administrative support including but not limited to, formatting documents, reports and presentations
• Manage invoicing process and approvals
• Handle confidential information in a discreet, sensitive and diplomatic manner, ensuring security of access to such information is maintained at all times

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• The successful applicant will have a proven track record of delivery in a PA/Team Assistant type role
• Strong interpersonal skills – enjoys interacting with people and creates a positive and professional impression
• An ability to prioritise is key as is the ability to manage a broad range of tasks
• The ability to demonstrate attention to detail and pride in their delivery is highly valued
• Ability to work effectively within a team with strong internal networking skills
• A natural ability to seek out and connect with 'solution providers/fixers'
• A positive, can-do approach to work, and transparency in communication/sharing ideas, issues, needs, concerns
• Ability to work in fast-paced and ambiguous environments, and a proven ability to be proactive/work on own initiative
• Need fully operational knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word), must also have basic Excel knowledge.
• Excellent time management/organisational skills and high throughput of quality work
• Excellent written and verbal communication

What do we offer in return?

A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new

• We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges

• We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond

Reasonable adjustments

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours or hybrid working.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.

Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)