About the client
360 Search is partnering with a large international organisation within the insurance sector on the appointment of a Senior Personal Assistant to its Chief Executive Officer. The CEO has responsibility for businesses operating across more than 10 countries, and the role sits within an established support structure based in Dublin.
Role overview
This is a senior Personal Assistant role providing dedicated, hands-on support to one Chief Executive Officer. The role exists to make the CEO’s working life run smoothly by managing their diary, travel, logistics, correspondence, meeting preparation and occasional personal arrangements with exceptional care, discretion and attention to detail.
The successful candidate will be an experienced, practical and highly dependable professional who takes genuine pride in supporting one principal. They will anticipate needs, protect the CEO’s time and make sure commitments are organised and followed through reliably. The role involves regular contact with senior stakeholders across the CEO’s direct reports and international remit. This calls for warmth, sound judgement, cultural awareness and professionalism.
The position reports directly to the CEO and works within an established Executive Office. The Senior PA will collaborate with other assistants and support colleagues, respecting established responsibilities and ways of working. This is a support role rather than a leadership or management position within the Executive Office. It carries no authority over other assistants, executives or business teams.
The opportunity will suit someone who is motivated by providing outstanding personal support, is comfortable operating behind the scenes and measures success by the CEO being well prepared, well organised and able to focus on the business.
Role details
- Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
- Scope: Dedicated support to one CEO with international responsibility across multiple countries
- Direct reports: None
- Key internal relationships: Executive leadership and support teams across the international organisation
- Key external relationships: Senior external stakeholders and service providers
- This is not a regulated, certified or senior management function role and carries no board or committee membership
Key responsibilities
- Provide dedicated, high-quality personal and administrative support to the CEO, maintaining the highest standards of discretion, reliability and professionalism
- Manage a complex and frequently changing diary for a CEO whose responsibilities span multiple countries and time zones, scheduling meetings, protecting focus time and resolving conflicts in line with the CEO’s priorities
- Coordinate end-to-end international business and personal travel, including flights, accommodation, ground transport, visas where required, itineraries and last-minute changes
- Ensure the CEO is prepared for each commitment by confirming logistics, gathering relevant materials and providing clear daily and weekly schedules
- Manage routine correspondence, invitations, appointments and follow-ups on the CEO’s behalf, escalating matters appropriately and never making commitments outside the authority provided
- Prepare, proofread and format documents, briefings, reports and presentations as requested, with a strong focus on accuracy, consistency and presentation
- Provide practical support for Board meetings, leadership meetings, offsites and external engagements, including room bookings, materials, travel and hospitality arrangements
- Maintain accurate records, contact details, expenses and administrative files, ensuring sensitive information is handled securely and confidentially
- Coordinate occasional personal arrangements for the CEO, including private travel, appointments, reservations and related communications, with complete discretion
- Build effective working relationships with Personal Assistants across the businesses within the CEO’s international remit, collaborating as a peer and respecting their roles and responsibilities
- Work closely with the wider Executive Office so that priorities, communications and support are coordinated consistently
- Identify practical improvements to diary, travel and administrative routines, including appropriate use of Microsoft 365 Copilot and other digital tools, while following agreed processes and approval boundaries
- Undertake other reasonable personal and administrative tasks requested by the CEO or the senior leader overseeing the Executive Office
Qualifications and experience
- Significant experience as a Personal Assistant providing dedicated support to a CEO, Chair, founder or other senior executive in a complex, fast-paced environment
- A strong track record of managing demanding diaries, international travel and confidential personal and business arrangements with accuracy and discretion
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams and Copilot, with excellent document formatting skills
- Experience working across international or multicultural organisations, ideally supporting a CEO whose responsibilities span multiple countries and time zones. Additional languages are an advantage
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- Good understanding of professional confidentiality, data protection and appropriate boundaries when supporting a senior executive
- Experience working constructively within a wider assistant or administrative support network
Person specification
- Service-oriented and grounded, with genuine satisfaction in enabling the CEO rather than seeking personal visibility or organisational influence
- Exceptionally organised and detail-focused, with strong judgement about priorities, timing and when to escalate
- Discreet, trustworthy and dependable, with the maturity to handle sensitive business and personal information
- Calm, practical and resilient when plans change, with the ability to solve logistical problems quickly and without drama
- Warm and professional with stakeholders at every level, without becoming territorial, hierarchical or overstepping the remit of the role
- Collaborative and respectful of other assistants, executives and functional teams, and comfortable working as part of an established support structure
- Proactive within clear boundaries: anticipates needs and takes ownership of agreed tasks, while checking before making decisions or commitments outside their authority
- Receptive to direction and feedback, with a continuous improvement mindset
- Culturally aware and adaptable when supporting a CEO with responsibility across more than 10 countries, different cultures, personalities and working styles
- Positive and comfortable operating behind the scenes, measuring success through precision, reliability and the quality of support provided
