Executive Assistant / Personal Assistant to the CEO Full Time

The Executive Assistant/PA to the CEO provides high-level executive support to the CEO by coordinating priorities, managing schedules and itineraries, conducting research, supporting planning and budgeting, and ensuring effective follow-through across key activities. The position requires an individual who can think ahead, research independently, analyse information, coordinate with different levels of the organisation, and translate the CEO’s priorities into well-organised plans and actions.

The ideal candidate is highly organised, commercially aware, analytical and capable of working with limited supervision while maintaining confidentiality and sound judgement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Planning & Coordination

• Manage and coordinate the CEO’s professional calendar, priorities, appointments and commitments.
• Develop daily, weekly and monthly schedules that reflect the CEO’s priorities.
• Plan and coordinate business itineraries, travel arrangements and logistics.
• Anticipate upcoming requirements and ensure the CEO is adequately prepared for engagements, meetings and key activities.
• Track commitments, deadlines and agreed actions to ensure timely follow-through.
• Coordinate with members of the CEO’s team to obtain updates, information and required deliverables.
• Support the CEO in organising priorities across multiple projects and areas of responsibility.

Research & Business Intelligence

• Conduct detailed research on industries, markets, companies, competitors, clients and emerging opportunities.
• Prepare competitive and market analysis to support executive decision-making.
• Gather, analyse and summarise information from multiple sources and present clear findings to the CEO.
• Research potential business opportunities, partnerships, investments, events and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor relevant industry developments, trends and competitor activities.
• Prepare briefing notes, background reports and executive summaries ahead of important meetings or decisions.

Strategic & Project Support

• Support the CEO in developing plans, timelines and priorities for strategic initiatives.
• Break broad objectives into actionable tasks, milestones and deliverables.
• Coordinate with relevant team members to monitor progress on CEO-led initiatives.
• Maintain project trackers and provide regular updates on progress, outstanding actions and potential issues.
• Identify gaps, delays or emerging issues and bring them to the CEO’s attention early.
• Support the preparation of presentations, reports, proposals and other executive-level documents.

Budgeting & Financial Planning Support

• Assist with the preparation and monitoring of budgets for projects, travel, events and other CEO-related activities.
• Research and compare costs to support informed financial decisions.
• Track approved expenditure and maintain accurate records.
• Support financial planning by gathering relevant information, analysing costs and preparing summaries for the CEO.
• Liaise with relevant internal team members on budgets, expenses and financial requirements.

Team & Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as a key coordination point between the CEO and members of the executive or management team.
• Follow up with team members on agreed actions and deadlines on behalf of the CEO.
• Obtain information, reports and updates required by the CEO.
• Coordinate internal activities and information flow without assuming responsibility for the CEO’s relationships or representing the CEO in external meetings.
• Maintain professional relationships with key internal and external contacts as required.

Executive Office Administration

• Prepare meeting agendas, briefing materials and relevant documentation.
• Maintain organised records of key documents, reports, plans and correspondence.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Manage routine correspondence and communications requiring the CEO’s attention.
• Ensure important information is appropriately prioritised and brought to the CEO’s attention.
• Undertake other executive office responsibilities that support the effective functioning of the CEO’s office.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Executive planning and organisation
• Research and analytical thinking
• Commercial awareness
• Strategic thinking
• Financial and budget awareness
• Project coordination
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving and initiative
• Ability to prioritise competing demands
• Confidentiality and discretion
• Ability to work with senior executives and diverse teams
• Strong follow-through and accountability
• Ability to anticipate needs rather than simply respond to instructions

EDUCATIONAL & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Management, Communications or a related discipline.
• 3-5 years’ relevant experience, preferably supporting a CEO, Managing Director, Founder, Executive Director or senior executive.
• Experience in research, business analysis, consulting, project coordination or strategy support will be an advantage.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office/Google Workspace, particularly Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Ability to conduct structured online research and synthesise information into concise executive-level reports.
• Experience working with budgets, schedules, project plans or business reports is desirable.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate should be:

• Intelligent and naturally curious.
• Highly organised and structured.
• Proactive rather than purely reactive.
• Comfortable working independently.
• Commercially minded and interested in understanding how the business operates.
• Comfortable dealing with senior executives and different levels of staff.
• Able to handle confidential information with maturity.
• Calm under pressure and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• A strong researcher who can distinguish useful information from noise.
• Someone who thinks ahead, plans ahead and follows through.

SUCCESS IN THE ROLE

Success will be measured by the extent to which the Executive Assistant enables the CEO to operate more effectively by:

• Keeping priorities, schedules and commitments well organised.
• Providing timely and useful research and analysis.
• Ensuring important actions are followed through.
• Improving the CEO’s preparation for key decisions and engagements.
• Supporting effective planning and budget management.
• Keeping the CEO informed without creating unnecessary administrative noise.
• Anticipating requirements and resolving issues before they become problems.

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