Personal Assistant (Hybrid Working) based in Derby

MHA; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

MHA is seeking an experienced Personal Assistant to support a member of the Executive Leadership Team in a hybrid Derby-based role. The PA will manage complex diaries, coordinate governance activities and draft high-quality communications to enable senior leaders to focus on strategic priorities.

The role emphasises proactive problem solving, discretion and strong collaboration with the wider executive support team.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of managing complex diaries and executive priorities.
• Experience supporting formal governance arrangements and tracking actions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with minimal supervision.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with proactive problem solving.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and discretion when handling sensitive matters.
• Proactive approach to improving processes and ways of working.

Responsibilities

• Proactive executive support and acting as trusted partner to the Executive Director.
• Strategic diary and priority management, negotiating changes and safeguarding time.
• Governance support: prepare agendas, papers, minutes and actions.
• Draft professional correspondence, briefings, reports and presentations.
• Coordinate and deliver: track actions and deadlines, liaise to maintain progress.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Maintain confidentiality and escalate where appropriate.
• Collaborate with the wider executive support team to improve processes.

Skills

Diary management

Executive support

Governance support

Written communication

Stakeholder management

Discretion

Microsoft 365

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Personal Assistant (Hybrid Working) based in Derby

Personal Assistant to a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT)

£40,274 per annum, rising to £41,793.00 after successful completion of the probationary period (6 months)

Full-time, 37 hours per week, Hybrid working

About the role

We're looking for an experienced and proactive Personal Assistant to provide high-quality support to a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) at MHA.

This is an opportunity to join our Executive support team at an exciting time, as we strengthen the way we work and the support we provide to our senior leaders.

We're looking for someone who can offer more than traditional administrative support. You'll be a trusted partner to an Executive Director, helping them manage competing priorities, anticipate what's needed and ensure things run smoothly.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Proactive executive support - act as a trusted partner to your Executive Director, anticipating their needs, identifying potential issues and taking the initiative to resolve them.
• Strategic diary and priority management – manage complex diaries and competing demands, exercising judgement to prioritise commitments, negotiate changes and protect time for key organisational priorities.
• Governance and senior leadership support – coordinate and support formal committees, senior leadership meetings and other governance arrangements, including preparing agendas, collating and reviewing papers, producing minutes and ensuring actions are followed through.
• High quality written communication – independently draft and prepare correspondence, briefings, reports, presentations and other documents, ensuring accuracy, professionalism and appropriate tone.
  
• Coordination and delivery – proactively track key actions, deadlines and workstreams on behalf of the Executive Director, liaising with colleagues to maintain progress and escalating issues where appropriate.
• Stakeholder relationships – build effective relationships with senior colleagues, Trustees and external stakeholders, acting as a professional and trusted point of contact and exercising discretion in managing requests.
• Confidentiality and judgement – handle sensitive and confidential information with a high degree of professionalism, recognising when to act independently and when matters require escalation.
• Continuous improvement and team collaboration – work closely with the wider Executive support team, sharing knowledge, improving processes and providing mutual support to ensure a consistent and resilient service across MHA.

Above all, you'll be expected to take ownership, think ahead and make things happen, enabling your Executive Director to focus their time on leading their areas of responsibility and delivering MHA's priorities.

About you

You'll be an experienced Personal Assistant or Executive Assistant, ideally with experience of supporting senior leaders in a busy and complex organisation.

You'll need to be highly organised, confident managing competing demands and comfortable working independently.

Just as importantly, we're looking for someone who:

• Significant experience of managing complex diaries, competing demands and senior level priorities, with the confidence to challenge and negotiate where needed.
• Experience of supporting formal governance arrangements, including preparing high quality papers, coordinating meetings and tracking actions through to completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft professional correspondence, briefings and reports with minimal supervision.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to anticipate issues, exercise initiative and find practical solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build effective relationships and communicate with senior stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• A high level of discretion, professionalism and integrity when handling sensitive and confidential matters.
• Strong digital skills, including advanced use of Microsoft 365, and a proactive approach to improving processes and ways of working.

Ways of working

We offer a flexible, hybrid approach to working. As we await the completion of our new office at Wyvern Business Park in Derby, expected in summer 2027, there will initially be a greater emphasis on home working. Once the new office opens, we will move to a hybrid working model, with a general expectation of spending an average of two days per week working from the office or visiting one of our services. As this role provides direct support to an Executive Director, flexibility will be important, and on site attendance may vary depending on the needs and commitments of the Director you support.

Why join MHA?

MHA is one of the UK's leading charitable providers of care and support for older people, with a shared purpose of enabling people to live later life well.

This is an opportunity to make a real contribution to that purpose by supporting the leadership and effective running of the organisation. You'll be joining a supportive team where collaboration, initiative and continuous improvement are valued.

If you're an experienced PA or EA who enjoys working at a senior level, taking ownership and making things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note: that interviews may take place prior to the closing date and if a suitable candidate is appointed the role may close early.

Recruitment agencies: please note, MHA do not accept unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies, regardless of whether they are on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL). We only accept CVs from agencies that have been appointed and briefed by MHA’s Recruitment Team.

MHA are fully committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as this is embedded in our values: respect, nurture and inspire. In addition, as a committed employer we have been awarded level 2 under the Disability Confident Scheme. Click here to read more about this.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

MHA are fully committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as this is embedded in our values: respect, nurture and inspire. In addition, as a committed employer we have been awarded level 2 under the Disability Confident Scheme.

Please note that interviews may take place prior to the closing date and if a suitable candidate is appointed the role may close early.

Recruitment agencies: please note, MHA do not accept unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies, regardless of whether they are on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL). We only accept CVs from agencies that have been appointed and briefed by MHA’s Talent Acquisition Team.