Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant to a new CEO!
Chris Weston joins Thames Water as Chief Executive Officer on 8 January 2024. Chris has a proven track record of working in regulated environments, turning around business performance and improving customer experience. He joins Thames Water to deliver the turnaround needed to rebuild the trust of our customers, communities and stakeholders.
This is an exciting time to join Thames Water. As Chris is new to the company you will be able to work with him to fully define your role as his Executive Assistant, a role which is pivotal to his success. 
What you'll be doing as Executive Assistant to the CEO.

• Skilful, intuitive and practical diary management to make the most effective use of the CEO's time
• Acting as the first point of contact and “face” for the CEO’s office, fielding all queries, high profile guests and visitors including journalists and MPs tactfully and professionally
• Drafting confidential documents and memos, responding to various communications on behalf of the CEO and providing support for presentations
• Communicating updates on various projects between senior staff and the CEO, managing the flow of information and delegating to the relevant business area and stakeholders where required
• Contributing to a positive, collaborative and committed working environment, building respect and trust among colleagues
• Project and event management, including the CEO's speaking engagements/conference attendance, Executive / Board meetings and internal staff events
• Researching and generating briefings/visitor biographies in advance of meetings, including working with the wider business to ensure the CEO is fully prepared for meetings
• Building effective relationships with the wider Executive Assistant and Personal Assistant network within Thames Water to facilitate smooth executive processes
• Working closely with the external media relations team to ensure timely and consistent proactive and reactive media messaging

What you should bring to the role

• Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to multi-task, make difficult prioritisation decisions and distinguish the important from the urgent
• Forward-looking with the ability to anticipate potential changes to schedules and timetables, driven by both internal and external factors
• Significant attention to detail
• Proven success at a senior level in a similar role, ideally within a highly regulated or externally-facing environment
• Working with senior stakeholders including executives and company boards
• Keeping calm, adapting and responding to change and events which are inevitable in an operational business
• Offers solutions with a natural problem-solving mentality
• Seamlessly and consistently represent the CEO’s brand
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

What's in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £80,000 per annum
• Annual Leave 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (Plus bank holidays)
• Car Allowance
• Annual Bonus
• Private Medical Health Care
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing

Who are we?
At Thames Water, our purpose is crystal clear - to deliver life’s essential service so our customers, communities and planet can thrive.
Water is life’s great leveller. Every living thing needs it, every single day. From people to plants, birds to bees, farms to factories, we all need it to thrive, and we’re committed to taking care of it for us all.
But keeping water flowing is becoming harder. From scorching summers to wetter winters, extreme weather affects everything from our pipes to our local rivers. We need to keep millions more kettles boiling, public services operating, washing machines spinning, showers running and more, so every drop is more precious than ever. Are you ready to play your part?
Working at Thames Water
At Thames Water, we recognise that people are at the heart of our business. To help us succeed in providing life's essential service, we need a range of skills and capabilities, representative of society throughout our business.
We seek to attract and retain a cultural mix of people who can offer different but complementary attitudes, values, talents, and knowledge. We understand the importance of appreciating and harnessing the unique skills, experiences, backgrounds, and differences that each individual brings.
Our over-arching diversity and inclusion aim is to ensure Thames Water is a diverse and inclusive great place to work. We encourage applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process.
Find out more about working at Thames Water.
When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.
Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.