Personal Assistant

Location: Manchester City Centre
Salary: £35,000 - £45,000 per annum (DOE)
Contract: Permanent

Exciting opportunity for a Personal Assistant to join a prominent player in the utilities sector in a brand new role supporting the People and Corporate Services Director.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role, providing professional support to the P&CS Director (and other members of the Executive Leadership Team as needed) in managing day-to-day activities. You will closely liaise with all directorate heads, ensuring efficient and effective communication across the directorate while supporting the delivery of objectives in a professional and collaborative manner.

This role is based in Manchester City Centre, and the organisation operates an agile working policy.

Responsibilities:

• Proactively manage the calendar, ensuring the effective use of time.
• Prepare agenda items and appropriate documents in advance of scheduled meetings.
• Prioritise, screen, and respond to telephone calls, enquiries, and requests as appropriate.
• Manage incoming emails, providing a response on behalf of, or delegating to relevant individuals as appropriate.
• Manage the timely production and submission of papers for Boards and Committees in line with meeting cycles.
• Collate and submit meeting papers from all relevant persons.
• Create and maintain effective electronic and paper filing systems to ensure confidential data storage in line with the Data Protection Act.
• Manage travel arrangements and prepare detailed travel itineraries as required.
• Prepare expenses and mileage claims on a monthly basis.
• Schedule meetings and team events, organise rooms, attendance, equipment, and lunches.
• Support on administrative tasks to increase overall efficiency within the directorates.
• Support management of relationships with trade unions.
• Attend ELT/SLT and directorate meetings to record minutes, actions, and proactively manage the progress of these actions with the team.
• Provide PA support to the CEO and other members of the Executive Leadership Team during holidays and absences.
• Undertake any other duties required by the P&CS Director commensurate with this role.

Person Specification:

• Experience working at the Executive level within a senior management team.
• Ability to work with Board-level executives, especially regarding RemCo/NomCo.
• Experience in a PA role with a high standard of administrative skills.
• High level of expertise and proficiency in all MS Office applications.
• Proven assertiveness and ability to manage challenging situations.
• Articulate and confident communicator with the ability to assimilate complex issues into simple messages.
• Confidence in dealing with all levels of management.
• Experience of working in an information-sensitive environment.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Results-focused, able to work to stretching deadlines.
• Ability to influence people at all levels throughout the organisation.
• Ability to work flexibly and under pressure.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

Benefits:

• An annual bonus scheme.
• 26 days annual leave (per annum holiday entitlement rising per completed year to 30) + Bank holidays.
• Private healthcare.
• An employee rewards portal offering discounts on several well-known brands.
• A contributory pension scheme. The company will pay twice the employee’s contribution (for example, if you pay 7%, the company will pay 14%).
• Employee assistance programme and opportunities for professional development through our L&D function.
• Free eye tests.
• Death in service – currently 4 x pensionable earnings.

If you are an experienced and organised professional ready to support key executives in a forward-thinking utilities company, we invite you to explore this unique opportunity.

Lily Shippen – Experts in Executive Assistant Recruitment

Lily Shippen are experts in recruiting top-tier business support talent, including Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, and Office Managers, on a temporary, permanent, and fixed-term contract basis. We focus on executive support recruitment, ensuring you find the right candidates for key roles. Our dedicated team works with clients across the UK from our offices in London and Manchester, as well as servicing international and remote roles. Whether you're looking to hire an Executive Assistant for a C-suite executive or a Personal Assistant for a fast-paced team, we connect you with exceptional talent tailored to your business needs.