UK PA/EA Support Lead

Job description
Buro Happold is recruiting a PA/EA Support Lead to play a pivotal role in leading and empowering a high-performing team of Personal and Executive Assistants across the UK. You will be responsible for driving excellence in service delivery, and enabling a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring the team is equipped to meet evolving business needs.

Based from one of our five UK offices (London, Bath, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh) it is anticipated that this will be a dual role, with the successful individual supporting in an Executive Assistant capacity, as well as leading the wider team of PAs and EAs.

Here at Buro Happold, expect the exceptional.

From career-defining opportunities to an inclusive and diverse practice where we all contribute to a more equitable world. From our reputation to our relationships. Wherever your Buro Happold career takes you, it’ll be anything but ordinary.

Key Duties:
• Resourcing and Recruitment: Ensuring optimal team structure and coverage to meet business demands.
• Performance Management: Lead appraisal processes, set clear objectives, and support career development.
• Issue Resolution: Act as a point of escalation, resolving challenges swiftly and constructively.
• Motivation Wellbeing: Imbed a positive, inclusive, and supportive team culture.
• Upskilling Development: Maintain performance expectations and Identify skills gaps for focused learning initiatives.
• Change Enablement: Guide the team through business changes, ensuring adaptability and resilience.
• Communications: Maintain clear, consistent, and engaging communication within the team and with stakeholders.
• Championing the PA/EA Role: Advocate for the value and impact of the PA/EA function across the business.
• Collaboration: Work closely with UK Business Support to share best practices and drive improvement initiatives.

Required Skills
• Existing experience in Line Management.
• Full spectrum of strong Executive Assistant skills.
• Strategic approach with strong business acumen.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative, and make decisions quickly in a confidential, organised and detailed manner.
• Proven ability to effectively prioritise workflow.
• Good problem solver – able to “think on your feet”.
• Ability to exercise good judgement, show initiative and be proactive.
• Effective communication skills.
• Confident, proactive character with the ability to take the lead in challenging situations.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships.
• Emotionally intelligent and professional with good attention to detail.
• Proficient user of the MS365 suite of applications and technologically savvy.
• Demonstrable experience of handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Able to discern sensitive material and maintain confidentiality accordingly.

What we offer:
• Generous holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum, exclusive of Bank Holidays.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Company Pension Scheme.
• Private Medical Insurance (single cover)
• Life Assurance.
• Income Protection.
• Flexible Benefits - including Cycle scheme, Dental insurance, Optical Cover, Travel insurance and Corporate discounts.
• Early leaving at the end of the month - Buro Happold actively encourages its employees to finish at 3pm on the last Friday of each month (depending on business demands). These hours can equate to an additional 4 days leave per annum.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application. Read more