Job Title: Executive Assistant
Reporting to: Company Director
Location: Palais London, 8-10 Rhoda Street, London, E2 7EF, with occasional travel throughout the UK
Job Type: Part-time, fixed term (9-month contract with the possibility of permanent contract)
Hours: 20 hours per week to be worked over 4 days or 5 days (Monday to Friday)
(flexibility required according to project requirements)
Salary: £37,000 to £42,000 FTE
About Us
Palais is a landscape and horticultural practice working across London and the UK. We design, install and care for distinctive gardens and planting in private residences, hospitality settings, commercial spaces, private residential estates and the public realm.
Our work is bold, site specific and rooted in a deep understanding of plants. We create landscapes that are visually striking but also healthy, resilient and responsive to the seasons. Many of the spaces we design remain under our long term care, allowing us to develop and improve them over time.
Palais is not a conventional gardening company. We combine strong design ideas with skilled, practical horticulture and expect a high standard of care, presentation and attention to detail. Our gardeners play a central role in protecting the design intention, understanding how each landscape should develop and identifying opportunities to make it better.
Role Overview
We are seeking an exceptional Executive Assistant to work directly alongside our Company Director, providing executive, operational and business support across every aspect of Palais.
Acting as the Director's trusted right hand, you will become the organisational hub of the business—coordinating people, contracts, systems and communications to ensure the company runs efficiently and effectively. From managing the Director's diary and supporting the senior leadership team to overseeing contract administration, ClickUp, company compliance and key business operations, you will play a critical role in the success of Palais.
This is a role for someone who thrives on bringing order to complexity, enjoys taking ownership and takes pride in enabling others to perform at their best.
Role Responsibilities
Executive Support
● Provide comprehensive day-to-day support to the Company Director.
● Manage an ever-changing diary, appointments and travel arrangements.
● Prioritise meetings, commitments and competing demands.
● Monitor and manage email correspondence on behalf of the Director.
● Draft correspondence, reports and presentations.
● Prepare meeting agendas and circulate supporting documents.
● Attend meetings where required, taking accurate minutes and tracking actions.
● Follow up on outstanding actions to ensure completion.
● Act as a trusted sounding board, helping organise priorities and maintain focus.
● Support occasional personal administration to enable the Director to work effectively.
Business Administration
● Provide administrative support across the senior leadership team.
● Support the Operations Manager with company administration.
● Assist the Horticultural Operations Manager with operational documentation and scheduling administration.
● Provide administrative support to the Horticultural Lead, Lead Designer and Landscape Architect.
● Maintain accurate company records and documentation.
● Coordinate filing systems and digital administration.
● Ensure company policies and key documents remain up to date.
● Own the company's contract administration, ensuring client, supplier and contractor agreements are prepared, reviewed, issued, tracked and renewed as required.
● Maintain accurate records of all commercial contracts, service agreements and key business documentation.
● Monitor contract deadlines, renewal dates and compliance requirements, ensuring no critical deadlines are missed.
● Support the leadership team with contract variations, purchase orders and project documentation.
● Maintain accurate records within ClickUp, ensuring projects, tasks, deadlines and documentation are up to date.
● Act as a key administrator for ClickUp, supporting the team to use the platform effectively and driving consistency across the business.
Office & Studio Management
● Oversee the smooth day-to-day running of the studio.
● Manage office supplies, equipment and consumables.
● Coordinate deliveries and supplier relationships.
● Ensure the studio remains organised, welcoming and well-maintained.
● Organise team meetings, events and internal communications where required.
Company Administration
● Manage company insurance renewals.
● Coordinate company vehicle administration, including servicing, MOTs, maintenance and road tax.
● Maintain records for company assets and equipment.
● Monitor business subscriptions, licences and renewals.
● Coordinate supplier contracts and service providers.
● Assist with health and safety administration where required.
Finance & HR Coordination
● Act as the key liaison with our outsourced finance team.
● Coordinate invoices, receipts and financial documentation.
● Support month-end administrative processes.
● Assist with budget tracking and expense management.
● Liaise with our outsourced HR providers.
● Coordinate onboarding documentation for new employees.
● Support recruitment administration.
● Maintain employee records and HR documentation.
Communication & Coordination
● Act as a central communication point across the business.
● Coordinate between departments to ensure information flows efficiently.
● Help ensure deadlines, meetings and projects remain on track.
● Build positive relationships with clients, suppliers and external consultants.
● Support company-wide planning and coordination.
This job description outlines the principal duties of the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list, and the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonable duties commensurate with the level of the role to meet the needs of the business.
About You
You are exceptionally organised, calm under pressure and naturally proactive. You enjoy bringing order to busy environments and take pride in making other people's lives easier. You have excellent judgement, understand the importance of confidentiality and are someone people instinctively trust. You anticipate problems before they arise, communicate clearly and thrive on helping a business operate smoothly. You are equally comfortable managing diaries, liaising with external advisers, organising meetings, supporting senior leaders and handling the countless small details that keep a growing business running.
Essential Skills & Experience
● Previous experience as an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant or Senior Business Support professional.
● Significant experience managing commercial contracts, supplier agreements and business documentation.
● Experience using CRM and project management software, with strong proficiency in ClickUp (or the ability to become an expert user quickly).
● Outstanding organisational and time management skills.
● Exceptional attention to detail.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
● Experience managing complex diaries and schedules.
● Strong administrative and document management skills.
● Experience coordinating with outsourced finance and HR providers.
● Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
● High level of discretion, professionalism and commercial awareness.
● Strong IT skills across Google Suite and cloud-based business systems.
● Strong research/sourcing skills across a broad range of areas.
Desirable Experience
● Experience supporting senior leaders or founders within a growing business.
● Experience within a creative, design, landscape or project-based environment.
● Familiarity with HR and finance administration.
● Experience coordinating outsourced service providers.
● Experience working within a small business where responsibilities span multiple functions.
Personal Qualities
● Highly trustworthy with absolute discretion.
● Honest and dependable.
● Calm and composed under pressure.
● Naturally proactive.
● Warm, approachable and professional.
● Excellent problem solver.
● Flexible and adaptable.
● Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
● Positive, resourceful and solutions-focused.
● Able to build strong working relationships across every level of the business.
Pay: £37,000.00-£42,000.00 per year
Application question(s):
- Do you have experience working with ClickUp or similar project management platforms?
Experience:
- administrational or EA : 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
