Executive Assistant Maternity Cover

THE ROLE

This is not just another EA role. We need someone exceptional - not just an organiser, but a strategic operator. Someone who thrives on pace, precision, and influence. Someone who can bring structure to ambiguity, clarity to complexity, and momentum to high-stakes decisions.

If you want a routine, reactive support role, this isn’t for you.

If you want to be at the centre of a major transformation, ensuring focus and high impact execution - this is your opportunity.

Enabling High-Impact Leadership

• Own and manage complex scheduling, ensuring the CEO and MD time is spent on high-impact decisions, strategy and influence. You will also manage the scheduling for our Senior Director.
• Anticipate needs - proactively resolve conflicts before they happen, keep workflows seamless, remove friction, and enable deep focus.
• Manage information flow, distil complexity, and filter requests - acting as a true partner.
• Use AI-powered tools to streamline workflows and free up time for high-value priorities.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with absolute discretion and professionalism.

Driving Momentum

• Keep decisions, follow-ups, and priorities moving forward at speed - ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Ensure the CEO & MD enter every meeting fully prepared - armed with sharp insights, key context, and clear next steps.
• Support execution of our transformation plan - turning strategy into action and keeping key initiatives on track.
• Track commitments and ensure follow-through, so the right things happen at the right time.

Engaging the Team

• Own and coordinate governance rhythms - including Board meetings, Leadership Team sessions, and strategic planning cycles.
• Enable seamless internal comms - ensuring alignment, clarity, and rapid decision-making.
• Shape high-impact team engagement - from leadership offsites to annual retreats.

Being the Bridge

• Be a trusted bridge between the CEO/MD and leaders, board members, and key partners.
• Draft and refine correspondence, presentations, and reports with precision and insight.
• Create clarity in a fast-moving environment - distilling complex information, enabling fast, confident decisions and ensuring the right people know.

ABOUT US

Everything is changing - and everything is at stake

The Forward Institute is a high-impact, fast-moving non-profit working with the UK’s most influential CEOs, policymakers, and institutions.

At the heart of our mission is a belief that leaders change the world. So we’re building a next generation leadership firm, with impact and humanity at its heart. For a decade, we’ve been pushing (and helping) leaders to rethink what’s possible and create organisations that create a better future for people and planet.

Now, we’re going further. AI is the defining leadership challenge of our time. It will accelerate (or help solve) every other global crisis: climate, inequality, geopolitics.

We’re not just adapting - we are working to set the agenda. Over the next year, we’ll be launching major initiatives, and scaling our impact to shape how the UK’s most senior leaders think, act, and lead in this era of unprecedented change.

And we are moving fast.

The CEO and MD are leading this charge. Your role? To ensure they can stay ahead of the curve, focus on what matters most, and drive impact at the highest level.

ABOUT YOU

We believe diverse perspectives drive better leadership. We actively seek team members who bring different experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints.

That’s why we welcome people from all walks of life who have the skills we seek – whether those skills have been gained through formal working environments or elsewhere.

APPLY IF YOU ARE...

• Super organised & detail-focused – You thrive on structure, precision and keeping everything running smoothly. You juggle competing priorities with ease and work to tight deadlines.
• A proactive problem-solver – You take initiative and can handle shifting priorities, with the ability to predict what might be needed and when, and how you can best prepare yourself and those around you accordingly.
• Exceptional at relationships – You’re confident engaging senior leaders across sectors, investing deep care in relationships, and skilled at strengthening the CEO & MD’s most critical networks.
• A tech early adopter – You use AI for clarity, structure, and speed, and see it as a creative amplifier to sharpen your insights and broaden your perspectives.
• A strong communicator – You are comfortable working with senior leaders and external partners and have strong written and verbal capabilities.
• Able to work at pace – You’ll need to stay on top of multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment and be happy working without a big support structure around you.
• Discreet & professional – You handle sensitive information with absolute discretion.
• A high-energy executor – You zoom out to see the big picture, then zoom back in to execute with precision and speed - driving things forward with pace.

YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE IF YOU...

• Are optimistic, bring warmth and good humour to work, have a strong collaborative work ethic and bring positive intent to every situation.
• Have a curious mind and are always open to the insights and perspectives of others.
• Are passionate about being efficient, resourceful, creative and a great problem solver. Are passionate about what we are trying to do and you see this as an opportunity to align your values and purpose with an impactful social enterprise with big ambitions.

BENEFITS

AND IN RETURN WE COMMIT TO OFFERING...

• A front-row seat in a next generation impact business – Gain valuable exposure to leadership decision-making.
• A meaningful, high-impact role – Be a key support in an organisation that drives leadership change.
• A supportive and collaborative work environment – You’ll work closely with senior leaders who value your contributions.
• A fixed-term opportunity – Perfect for those looking for experience in a senior EA role.
• A competitive salary – We recognise and reward the value of top talent. Salary: £47-65,000 depending on experience

YOU’LL ALSO GET

• Private health insurance with Vitality - including discounted gym membership.
• 5% employer pension contribution.
• 30 days paid holiday + bank holidays.
• Hybrid working - with a generous home office setup allowance. Our office is near Holborn,
• within easy walking distance of several over- and underground stations.
• A high-energy, high-impact team - we move fast, challenge each other, and love what we do. A mission-driven organisation - we don’t just talk about responsible leadership; we live it.
• A front-row seat to systemic change - and the chance to help shape how big business drives
• positive impact.
• Access to world-class development opportunities - from cutting-edge training to incredible
• speakers you won’t hear anywhere else.
• Serious investment in your growth - we prioritise training, mentorship, and the tools you need
• to operate at your highest level.

TO APPLY

TO APPLY: Please send your CV and answers to the following questions, in written or video format following this link explaining;

1.What interests you most about the Forward Institute’s mission and work, and how do you see the role of an EA contributing to that?

2.What aspects of this role excite you most?

Applications without an answer to the cover letter questions will not be considered. You will need to hold any relevant Visas/Work permits.

Role closes on 25th March.

• The interview process will be as follows: First round interviews in the week beginning 31st March
• Role related task
• Second round interviews in the week beginning 7th April

We want to make this recruitment process as inclusive and accessible as possible. Please get in touch with [email removed - click apply for more details] to discuss any specific requirements or queries you have that relate to inclusion. This might be related to a protected characteristic, accessibility requirement or communication preference. We offer reasonable adjustments for the interview process and on the job. Please also get in touch if you have any other questions.