Executive Assistant

What is the role?

Howden is seeking a highly organised and proactive Executive Assistant to support our Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief of Staff (CoS). This role sits within our Group Functions pillar, providing essential administrative and secretarial support to ensure the smooth running of their day-to-day responsibilities.

We are specifically looking for a polished and highly capable EA who has already supported C-suite executives. The candidate must be ready to hit the ground running, with minimal need for guidance or training. While we are open to candidates from different industries, experience in insurance or financial services is strongly preferred.

Please note this is a full-time, permanent role based in our Central London office. Following a hybrid work pattern, the expectation is to be onsite 4 days per week.

What will you be doing?

• Managing diaries, scheduling meetings, and organising appointments to ensure effective time management.

• Preparing documentation, including reports, presentations, correspondence, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and professional formatting.

• Assisting the CoS with the preparation of board papers and supporting governance-related tasks to ensure compliance with company policies.

• Helping to organise offsites, events, and townhalls throughout the year, ensuring smooth planning and execution.

• Acting as the first point of contact for complex tasks and problem-solving, using initiative and resourcefulness to assist the COO and CoS effectively.

• Coordinating travel arrangements, both domestic and international, including visas, itineraries, and accommodation.

• Greeting and hosting external guests, ensuring they have a professional and positive experience.

• Handling email and call screening, prioritising urgent matters, and responding to routine enquiries where appropriate.

• Taking and distributing accurate meeting minutes, ensuring follow-up actions are tracked and completed.

• Managing expenses, processing invoices, and maintaining financial records for the department.

• Providing administrative support for personal matters where appropriate.

• Liaising with internal teams and external stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.

• Maintaining strong attention to detail throughout all tasks and upholding the professional brand of the COO office.

What are we looking for?

• Prior experience in an EA role, directly supporting C-suite stakeholders.

• A strong background in a similarly large blue-chip organisation (insurance or financial services experience preferred).

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• High attention to detail, with the ability to produce accurate and well-presented documents and manage confidential information professionally.