Executive Assistant to the Chairman (Fixed Term Contract)

Package Description

Company Background

We are a family of international department stores that exist to imagine and create a sustainable future for our people and our customers. We do this in a way that respects our world, builds trust and values creativity and innovation in everything we do. These values guide all our decisions. Selfridges is both global and local; that is our strength and the source of our success. We combine the collective power of the Group with the rich, targeted knowledge of our customers and teams across the UK, Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands. That makes us distinctive in our world.

We put our customers and teams at the heart of everything we do. They care deeply about the environment and we share their high standards. That is why sustainability is central to our ambition to reinvent retail, through the materials we sell, the business models we use and exploring different mindsets. We believe the future lies in combining creativity and sustainability to deliver exceptional customer experiences.


The Role

This role will work in the Chairman’s office and is a fixed term contract for around 15 months. 

• A high-profile role working directly with the Chairman of Selfridges Group, acting as the main point-of-contact with regular exposure to the Executive teams across all areas.
• You will oversee the Chairman’s personal and professional mailboxes, flagging and responding to relevant emails as requested. You will also need to co-ordinate all meetings, moving and rescheduling meetings based on priority whilst ensuring the correct pre-meeting briefings and preparations are completed in a timely manner.
• Work alongside the Chairman’s Chief of Staff, coordinating all aspects of the Chairman’s business itinerary including scheduling, meeting preparation, To Do Lists as well as helping manage the Chief of Staff’s diary to align it with the Chairman’s.
• You will assist in preparation for meetings – preparing materials, and work with relevant teams to provide speeches and presentations.
• Be able to provide invaluable support managing diaries, arranging travel bookings and itineraries, supporting control of expenditure for both personal, professional and charity needs.
• You will manage the Chairman’s databases ensuring they are up to date including, but not limited to, professional and personal contact details.
• Your assistance will also be required for ad-hoc off-sites, events, and visits from VIP guests.
• You will manage the Chairman’s private diary, working closely alongside the Chairman’s private office, co-ordinating the Chairman’s personal affairs with business commitments. You will also support the Chairman with a variety of personal matters, including but not limited to, booking of personal appointments, social engagements, arranging personal events and supporting with private transactions.

The Ideal Candidate

• As an experienced and forward-thinking EA, you will have a background working in a fast-paced demanding environment, ideally in a similar industry. You will have experience managing diaries and travel bookings specifically at the senior level.
• Your strong interpersonal skills will ensure you can communicate with all levels of the business, especially at the senior level. You will possess excellent writing skills to communicate effectively via email and produce high quality correspondence.
• You know how to effectively manage your time as well as the Chairman’s, being able to complete any ad hoc requests and fulfilling your normal day-to-day responsibilities. Your excellent attention-to-detail and organisational capability will allow you to priorities multiple demands.
• You will be professional and discrete in your use and management of highly sensitive and confidential information.