Executive Assistant to Managing Director

Do you enjoy bringing order to a busy senior leadership environment and helping things run smoothly behind the scenes?

At Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we are a world‑leading academic publisher and assessment organisation, and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

We are looking for an organised and proactive Executive Assistant to support the Managing Director (MD), Cambridge OCR. You will help manage a busy flow of meetings, correspondence and priorities, making sure the right information gets to the right people at the right time.

As Executive Assistant, you will provide organised, proactive support to the Managing Director, Cambridge OCR, helping to keep a busy leadership environment running smoothly. This is a role for someone who can adapt to how the Managing Director and the organisation work, bring calm and structure by complementing different working styles, and use judgement, initiative and discretion to manage a complex diary and inbox, coordinate meetings and papers, prepare correspondence, support travel and ensure actions, approvals and decisions move forward efficiently.

You will also be a key connector across Cambridge OCR, building strong relationships with directors, senior leaders, colleagues and external stakeholders. You will be close enough to the business to understand what is happening across directorates, spot issues or opportunities early, and make sure queries, decisions and priorities reach the right people at the right time.

In this role, you will:

• Manage a complex, fast‑moving diary, planning and prioritising requests effectively.
• Coordinate senior meetings, including agendas, papers, minutes and actions where required.
• Prioritise correspondence, flag urgent matters, make sensible judgement calls and draft responses where appropriate.
• Use initiative and common sense to resolve day‑to‑day issues, while knowing when to check, escalates or bring others into a decision.
• Arrange travel, accommodation and logistics, and support for events or wider leadership activity. You will also be required to travel to Coventry occasionally.
• Build effective relationships across Cambridge University Press & Assessment and with external stakeholders.
• Act as a thoughtful point of contact for the Managing Director, creating the right impression and helping colleagues feel well supported and appropriately connected.
• Identify opportunities to improve ways of working, including responsible use of Microsoft 365 and AI‑enabled tools.

This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40–60% of their time collaborating and connecting face‑to‑face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long‑term health condition.

We are looking for someone who is organised, adaptable and confident providing high‑quality support to the Managing Director, Cambridge OCR, in a busy, fast‑moving environment. You may already be an Executive Assistant, or a senior administrator ready to bring your experience into a varied EA role where judgement, discretion, emotional intelligence and clear communication matter.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in an Executive Assistant or senior administrative support role, supporting a senior leader.
• Excellent organisation and diary management skills, with the flexibility to adapt your approach to different working styles and changing priorities.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to build trust across a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders.
• Sound judgement and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive information.
• A proactive, solutions‑focused approach, with the confidence to solve problems, see the bigger picture and keep things moving when priorities change.
• Self‑awareness, empathy and a sense of humour, with the ability to bring a human, balanced approach to a busy senior leadership setting.
• Strong written skills, including drafting correspondence,…