Executive Assistant to Head of Department

Overview

The Firm

Montagu Evans is a UK property consultancy that helps clients unlock value from complexity, because that’s where the most meaningful opportunities live. 

Our purpose is to bring clarity, creativity, and conviction to the complex. We are experts who collaborate to create value, not just preserve it and our team is built for impact, not oversight.

We specialise in high-value, complex assets across the property lifecycle, where political, technical or commercial challenges demand a joined-up approach.

The Department

Commercial & Agency brings together specialists in lease advisory, consultancy, investment and agency, advising landowners, landlords and occupiers. We combine sector expertise with a collaborative ‘consult to transact’ approach.

Our Industrial and Logistics and Retail and Leisure teams provide advice and support acquisitions and sales, drawing on collective expertise to deliver strong returns and robust advice across a range of market conditions and sectors.

Responsibilities

The role provides proactive executive and business support to the Head of Department and wider leadership team where needed, helping to maintain focus on key departmental priorities and ensuring actions, decisions and commitments are progressed. The EA will work closely with the Head of Department and leadership team to anticipate requirements, coordinate activity and support the effective delivery of the department’s priorities. 

Key Responsibilities

• Proactive diary and inbox management for the HOD, aligning time with key business, client and people priorities, anticipating annual work cycles and ensuring appropriate preparation and follow-up. 
• Proactively coordinate key internal and external meetings for the HOD and wider leadership team when needed, ensuring the right people, preparation and information are in place to enable effective discussions and decisions. 
• Anticipate key meetings and leadership activity, shaping agendas around the priorities and decisions required, coordinating briefing materials and ensuring decisions and actions are captured and progressed. 
• Support the HOD and leadership team in maintaining oversight of leadership actions and departmental priorities and initiatives between meetings, tracking progress, proactively following up with owners and highlighting where input, decisions, action or intervention are required. 
• Coordinate key leadership and departmental activity, including Partner and all-staff presentations, strategy and away days and other priority events, ensuring clear objectives, effective delivery and appropriate follow-up. 
• Anticipate and coordinate communication from CAA leadership across the department and wider firm, ensuring priorities, decisions and messages are clear, consistent and credible, strengthening departmental engagement. 
• Act as a key point of coordination between the HOD, CAA leadership, CMT and the wider firm, building strong relationships and helping to maintain momentum across shared priorities. 
• Manage travel and associated arrangements for the HOD as required. 
• Support the HOD and leadership team in fostering an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture within CAA and across the wider firm. 
• Handle confidential and sensitive matters with sound judgement, integrity and discretion. 
• Support the HOD with oversight and coordination of billing and other key departmental financial processes as required. 
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve departmental and leadership processes, taking ownership of implementing changes that create greater efficiency, clarity and accountability.

Qualifications

Desired Skills & Capabilites 

• Previous experience working as an Executive Assistant or in a similar senior support role, supporting a senior leader within a fast-paced professional environment.  
• Exceptionally well organised, self-motivated and proactive, with the confidence to take ownership and use initiative. 
• Experience working closely with senior leadership teams and managing competing priorities across a range of stakeholders.  
• Ability and willingness to work from the office at least four days per week, with flexibility to work outside normal hours in exceptional circumstances where required. 
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise competing demands while maintaining sight of wider business priorities. 
• Ability to think ahead, anticipate requirements, identify potential issues and take proactive action. 
• Confidence to operate with appropriate autonomy, constructively challenge where required and know when to act, escalate or seek input. 
• Strong emotional intelligence, with the confidence and judgement to manage conflicting demands and build trusted relationships. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with clients, Partners and colleagues at all levels. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Positive, collaborative and solutions-focused approach. 
• Excellent judgement and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information. 
• Commercially and financially aware, with the ability to understand key departmental information and identify matters requiring attention. 
• Excellent IT skills, with strong proficiency across Microsoft 365 and other relevant business systems. 
• Continuous improvement mindset, with the confidence to challenge existing ways of working and take ownership of implementing practical improvements. 

Montagu Evans are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and has access to equitable opportunities and clear pathways to success.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and experiences and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, regardless of any characteristic protected by law.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to support your needs where possible.

Recruitment fees are only payable where Montagu Evans' Talent Acquisition team has formally instructed an agency and agreed terms are in place. All CV's must be submitted through our recruitment portal to qualify as an Introduction. Unsolicited or speculative CVs will be treated as non-fee bearing submissions.