Executive Assistant to CEO and The Director of Governance & Priory Secretary
London (Hybrid – office-based at least twice a week)
Full time/Permanent
Interview date: 24th & 25th March (in-person in our London office)
Our offer to you
We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:
* Competitive salary and pension scheme
* 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
* Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
* Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
* Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping
About Us
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,400 employees and 28,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning. As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates, and Young Responders programmes).
Job Summary
As Executive Assistant to the CEO and Director of Governance & Priory Secretary at St John Ambulance, you will hold a pivotal position at the heart of the nation’s leading first aid and healthcare charity. This is a high-impact role, providing proactive, strategic and highly skilled support to two senior leaders operating in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
You will be more than an organiser, you will be a trusted partner. Anticipating needs, staying one step ahead, you will support the leaders by managing matters that you are able to, enabling them to focus on what matters most. Acting as a confident yet approachable gatekeeper, you will use sound judgement to manage competing priorities, navigate stakeholder relationships, help drive results and delivery, and handle highly sensitive information with absolute discretion. With the ability to remain calm and composed under pressure, you will balance autonomy with adaptability, managing your own workload while responding to urgent, short-notice requests and shifting priorities.
Alongside executive support, you will also contribute to the effective running of the governance directorate and the strategic priorities led by the Director of Governance, playing an important role in maintaining robust processes and high standards of accountability.
This is a unique opportunity to operate at the centre of an organisation that makes a tangible difference in communities every day. If you are proactive, resourceful, solutions-focused, have a proven track record of supporting beyond administrative tasks and ready to deliver impact with integrity at executive level, we would love to hear from you.
About you
This is far more than a diary management role. You will be the calm, steady presence behind the scenes, always one step ahead, spotting risks, resolving challenges before they escalated, and ensuring both leaders are fully prepared for every meeting and event. Whether coordinating high-profile engagements, managing complex and competing priorities, or responding to last-minute changes, you will bring composure, sound judgement and absolute discretion.
You will have proven experience providing high-quality administrative and event support at CEO/senior executive level, ideally within the Third Sector. You will be confident liaising with senior stakeholders and high-profile individuals, exercising emotional intelligence and professionalism at all times. You will be able to work independently with minimal supervision, confidently managing multiple priorities in a busy environment. Highly organised and detail-oriented, resilient under pressure and adaptable in the face of change, you will bring sound judgement, exceptional communication skills and the ability to maintain absolute confidentiality.
About the Role
* Provide high-quality executive support to both the CEO and Director of Governance & Priory Secretary, expertly managing priorities, safeguarding their time, and ensuring seamless workflow across the c‑suite.
* Adapt quickly to urgent, short-notice requests and re‑prioritise tasks to meet operational needs.
* Play a support role in governance and compliance, working closely with the Governance Team.
* Contribute to internal and external communications, organisational events, and continuous improvement initiatives.
* Work closely with the Governance Team participating in governance meetings and projects as requested, tracking milestones and ensuring adherence to corporate governance methodologies.
Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply)
If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here
For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
St John Ambulance is committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women’s groups. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.
St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undertake pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role.
Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.
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