Executive Assistant – 18 month FTC

Purpose We are seeking a highly organised, proactive and stakeholder-focused Executive Assistant to provide high-trust support to the Chief Investment Officer (CIO), enabling them to operate effectively across internal and external priorities.

The role will be varied, with key activities expected to include:

• Own and proactively manage the CIO’s diary, communications flow and meeting rhythm to ensure priorities are protected, decisions are prepared, and time is used effectively
• Provide chief-of-staff-style organisational support: stakeholder coordination, preparation of board and committee papers/updates, and follow-up of actions to drive outcomes
• The role holder will report into the CIO and will work closely with the Investment Leadership Team, and wider stakeholders. The role is expected to be office based 4 days per week to support a highly collaborative, in-the-moment working style.

What does our ideal candidate look like? We’re looking for an experienced, confident and discreet Executive Assistant who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You will be naturally relationship-oriented and comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders, building trust quickly and representing the CIO with warmth and professionalism. You will be highly organised, able to manage upwards, and excellent at reading situations, anticipating what is needed and preparing the CIO to be in the right place at the right time.

A financial services background is preferred. There will be an initial onboarding period focused on getting to know the CIO’s ways of working and key internal and external stakeholders, so you can independently run key processes (e.g., meeting cadence, governance papers, follow-ups) with minimal direction.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Own and actively manage the CIO’s diary, ensuring the right meetings happen (and don’t happen), with clear agendas, pre-reads, attendees and outcomes
• Proactively manage inbound communications (email, calls and correspondence), triaging, drafting responses where appropriate, and ensuring actions and messages are followed through
• Read and anticipate needs: identify risks/conflicts early, unblock issues, and ensure the CIO is consistently prepared and in the right place at the right time
• Coordinate, prepare, quality-check and finalise board and committee papers, updates, briefs and presentations, ensuring deadlines, version control and high standards are met
• Run key organisational processes on behalf of the CIO (tracking actions, decisions and commitments; maintaining simple logs; chasing inputs and closing loops)
• Act as a trusted liaison between the CIO and senior internal/external stakeholders, ensuring timely communication, appropriate tone, and effective follow-up
• Manage end-to-end governance cycles for the CIO (e.g., Investment Committees): timelines, inputs, pack compilation, final review, submissions and post-meeting actions
• Proactively identify improvements to ways of working; manage upwards by proposing solutions, options and next steps, and driving agreed actions
• Partner with the CEO’s EA/Office Manager on company-wide initiatives and key moments (e.g., events, all-hands, offsites), taking ownership where appropriate
• Provide cover and continuity for the CEO’s EA/Office Manager (and broader team support) during annual leave and peak periods

Essential Key Skills and Experience

• Proven experience as an Executive Assistant (supporting a senior executive), with strong judgement and a proactive, ownership mindset
• Exceptional organisational and prioritisation skills; able to build and run an effective meeting cadence and keep multiple stakeholders aligned
• Proven experience of using Microsoft Office tools e.g. PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Microsoft Teams is essential
• Naturally confident and relationship-oriented; comfortable being visible, building rapport quickly, and engaging with senior stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), including drafting succinct updates, briefs and stakeholder communications on behalf of the CIO
• High discretion and integrity; comfortable handling confidential and market-sensitive information and senior-level issues
• Calm under pressure and adaptable; anticipates needs, pivots quickly, and keeps the executive and wider group on track
• Able to work from the office 4 days per week to support close coordination, in-person stakeholder engagement and respons…