Executive Office Assistant (111698-0626) Job at Coventry, University of Warwick, Warwick Full Time

About the Role 

Informal Queries

• For informal queries about the role, please contact Sharon Smith, Executive Office Manager, at Sharon.Smith@warwick.ac.uk.

The Executive Office Assistant provides high-level, proactive and professional administration and business support to member of the University Executive Boards and other senior leaders.

The role operates as a trusted support partner, enabling executives to focus on strategic priorities by ensuring effective coordination, high-quality information flow, and robust governance processes.

Working with a high degree of autonomy and judgement within established University policies and ensures the smooth and effective operation of the Executive Office. 

About You  

The University Executive Office provides professional support to the University Executive Boards and senior leaders, ensuring effective governance, decision-making and delivery of institutional priorities. The Executive Office Assistant works within the executive support function, collaborating across the Executive Office and wider University to provide a consistent, resilient and high-quality service.

The Executive Office Assistant contributes to executive effectiveness and organisational performance by:

• Ensuring senior leaders are well-briefed, prepared and supported in their roles
• Coordinating governance, committee and decision-making processes to a high standard
• Anticipating pressures, dependencies and risks and escalating appropriately
• Filtering and progressing operational matters to reduce unnecessary demands on executive time
• Work as part of a collaborative Executive Office team, ensuring consistent and high-quality executive support and providing flexible cover when required.

The role does not hold accountability for strategy, budgets or institutional outcomes, but plays a key enabling role in supporting their delivery.

• Executive support and prioritisation: Provide high-level administrative and business support to senior colleagues, proactively anticipating commitments and forward planning to ensure effective use of time. Prepare high-quality briefings and supporting documentation, manage complex correspondence with discretion, and maintain robust systems for tracking decisions and actions to ensure timely follow-up and delivery. Arrange and coordinate complex local, national and international travel, including booking flights, rail and accommodation, preparing detailed itineraries, and overseeing visa applications and associated documentation to ensure seamless travel and full compliance with relevant requirements.
• Governance, committee and secretariat support: Coordinate the preparation and distribution of agendas and papers, ensuring appropriate quality assurance and adherence to governance standards. Attend meetings to take accurate and comprehensive minutes, capturing key discussions, decisions and actions, and maintain robust action logs to monitor progress. Ensure full compliance with governance timelines, reporting requirements and institutional standards.
• Stakeholder liaison and communication: Act as liaison between Executive leaders and internal/external stakeholders; manage sensitive interactions with discretion.
• Planning, coordination and delivery: Coordinate complex schedules, meetings, visits and events; ensure clarity of purpose and readiness; escalate risks and issues.
• Information and document management: Maintain accurate document control, records management and filing in line with university requirements; curate executive information.
• Financial, contract and compliance support: Coordinate expense claims, purchase orders, invoices and budget monitoring; support contract administration and sealing processes.
• Continuous improvement and digital enablement: Identify opportunities to improve processes; support adoption of digital tools and hybrid meeting technology; share good practice.

Full details of the duties and selection criteria for this role can be found in the vacancy advert on the University of Warwick’s jobs pages. You will be routed to this when you click on the ‘Apply’ button.