Job Description

Personal Assistant to CEO

Location: Harrogate / Hybrid

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (part time hours also considered)

Salary: £31,902- £40,409 per annum

Purpose of the role

The Personal Assistant will work closely with the CEO, managing a complex diary and serving as a key point of contact. This is an exciting and interesting opportunity for someone who would like to be part of an organisation with an excellent reputation that is working hard to make a difference to people’s lives.

Communication, attention to detail and reliability will be key strengths of the postholder. You will manage a busy and varied workload supporting a complex organisation. You will build a credible reputation for delivering on your commitments and building excellent relationships.

As Oakdale continues to grow, this role offers a dynamic career pathway, with the natural potential to evolve into an Executive Assistant—making it the perfect 'stretch' opportunity for an ambitious professional ready to shape their own growth.

Key Responsibilities

CEO & Operational Support

• Provide comprehensive Personal Assistant support to the CEO and Directors, ensuring their time and daily priorities are effectively managed.
• Manage complex diary scheduling for the CEO and Directors coordinating meetings across senior leaders while proactively resolving conflicts and adapting to changing priorities.
• Work closely with the CEO to understand organisational priorities and ensure their time is aligned with strategic and operational needs.
• Anticipate the needs of the CEO and prepare relevant information, documents, and briefings in advance of meetings.
• Ensure the CEO and other senior leaders are appropriately prepared for meetings, coordinating briefing materials and supporting information where required.
• Manage the CEO’s inbox, ensuring urgent matters are flagged and administrative tasks are handled in a timely and professional manner.
• Draft correspondence, briefing notes, and other documentation on behalf of the CEO where required.
• Act as a trusted and professional point of contact for internal and external stakeholders interacting with the CEO and Directors.

Meeting & Administrative Support

• Coordinate arrangements for meetings, including venue bookings, travel and logistics, catering, and the preparation of required documents.
• Record accurate notes and actions during meetings to ensure clear communication and follow-up.
• Assist in collating reports, presentations, and packs for internal and external meetings.

Internal Communications & Coordination

• Support internal communications across the organisation, working with colleagues across support services including IT, HR, Finance, Technology, and Business Development.
• Coordinate the preparation and distribution of internal updates or bulletins to ensure communications are engaging, clear, and relevant to staff.
• Help ensure key organisational information is shared effectively and consistently across teams.

Events & Organisational Coordination

• Coordinate and organise internal events such as executive away days, Senior Management Team meetings and whole-staff events.
• Support the planning and coordination of Oakdale’s presence at conferences and exhibitions.
• Work closely with the Facilities Manager and Marketing team to ensure equipment, merchandise and branded materials are prepared and available for events.
• Manage logistics for events including venue coordination, travel and logistics, communication with attendees, and event planning.

Professional Representation

• Act as an ambassador for the CEO and Directors, representing Oakdale with professionalism, warmth, and responsiveness.
• Maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive organisational or personnel information.
• Build effective working relationships with colleagues across the organisation and external stakeholders.

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience working as a Personal Assistant or in a similar administrative role supporting senior leaders.
• Experience managing complex diaries and coordinating senior-level meetings.
• Experience of note-taking and documenting actions with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to anticipate needs and proactively support senior leaders.
• High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build effective relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with a positive and professional attitude.

Desirable

• Experience coordinating organisational events or conferences.
• Experience supporting internal communications or organisational updates.
• Experience working with Google Workspace would be advantageous.

Personal Qualities

• Highly trustworthy, with strong professional integrity and discretion.
• Warm, approachable, and able to build positive relationships across the organisation.
• Calm and reliable when managing competing priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Positive and collaborative approach to supporting others.

Why Join Oakdale?

At Oakdale, your well-being and growth matter as much as the clients you support. We offer a package designed for balance, flexibility, and long-term career satisfaction, including:

• Up to 29 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays), increasing with service
• Flexible and agile working from day one
• SimplyHealth: 24/7 GP access, counselling, physiotherapy, and more
• Exclusive, heavily discounted rates for you and your family on private ADHD and autism neurodevelopmental assessments, through our own expert service.*
• Fully funded flu vaccines
• Employee Wellbeing Initiative with trained mental health champions
• Smart Pension & Rewards: plan for your future with discounts and cashback
• Enhanced Occupational Sick Pay
• Cycle to Work & Technology Salary Sacrifice schemes
• Employee discount scheme
• Protected CPD days, annual away days, and high-quality training
• Professional registration fees covered (where applicable)
• Opportunities to influence service improvement and innovation
• Laptop, monitor, keyboard, and any additional equipment you need to do your best work

*Discounts apply to dependants living within the same household.

Apply Today

This is more than an operational role, it’s an opportunity to make a tangible difference every day, in a role where your organisational skills directly support people to thrive.

We reserve the right to close early and so early applications are encouraged.

Oakdale is proud to be a registered Disability Confident Committed Employer.