EXECUTIVE PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO CEO
At LIVINGWAY, we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through innovative solutions and exceptional service. Rooted in a commitment to excellence, integrity, and collaboration, we strive to create meaningful impact in everything we do.
Our organisation is built on a foundation of strong values and a vision to inspire positive change. Whether in the workplace or the communities we serve, LIVINGWAY is a place where passion meets purpose, and everyone is encouraged to grow, thrive, and succeed.
LIVINGWAY is a modern Build-to-Rent owner-operator and lifestyle brand specialising in creating wellness-led rental communities with exceptional hospitality, resident experience, and operational performance. Operating across Manchester and Liverpool, the business is expanding into third-party management, consultancy, mobilisation, and operational services across the UK Build-to-Rent sector.
We are entrepreneurial, fast-paced, commercially driven, and ambitious in our growth.
Job Title:
Executive Personal Assistant to CEO
Reports To:
Sam Hay CEO & Co Founder
Location:
Manchester Based (with travel between sites where required)
Contract Type:
Full-Time, Permanent
About the CEO
Sam Hay is the CEO & Co-Founder of LIVINGWAY, bringing over 15 years of operational and leadership experience within the Build-to-Rent and property sectors.
As a founder led business, the CEO role spans multiple areas including:
* Strategy & Business Growth
* Brand & Thought Leadership
* People & Culture
* Partnerships & Commercial Deals
* Operational Oversight
This role requires a highly capable Assistant who can operate as a true right hand support to the CEO someone who understands pace, priorities, commercial awareness, confidentiality, and operational excellence.
The Role
As assistant to the CEO, you will be responsible for providing strategic, operational, and administrative support across all aspects of the CEO’s day-to-day activities.
You will act as a force multiplier for the CEO, helping remove operational noise, improve organisation, drive accountability, and ensure priorities are executed effectively across the business.
You will manage communication flow, coordinate projects, oversee diary and meeting preparation, and ensure the CEO is consistently briefed, prepared, and operating at maximum effectiveness.
The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, anticipates issues before they arise, and can manage multiple priorities simultaneously while maintaining exceptional professionalism and discretion.
Key Responsibilities
CEO Support Responsibilities
* Act as the primary support point for the CEO
* Manage and prioritise the CEO’s diary strategically
* Protect the CEO’s time and ensure priorities align with business objectives
* Coordinate meetings, appointments, travel, events, and speaking engagements
* Draft, review, and respond to emails and correspondence on behalf of the CEO
* Manage confidential information with complete discretion
* Assist with both business and occasional personal administration where appropriate
* Ensure all follow-ups and actions are completed within agreed timeframes
* Act as gatekeeper while maintaining excellent stakeholder relationships
Daily Operational Rhythm
The PA will be responsible for creating structure and visibility around the CEO’s day.
This includes:
* Preparing a structured morning briefing each day
* Producing daily priority lists
* Monitoring business critical issues
* Ensuring key deadlines are not missed
* Coordinating follow ups with senior leadership and departments
* Maintaining oversight of ongoing business projects
* Tracking decisions, risks, and outstanding actions
The PA should continuously assess:
* What requires escalation
* What can be delegated
* What requires immediate CEO attention
* What can be resolved independently
Morning Briefing Responsibilities
Each morning, the PA will prepare a concise but highly informative CEO briefing covering:
* Full daily schedule and timings
* Meeting objectives and priorities
* Key attendees and stakeholder background
* Urgent emails requiring attention
* Business critical operational updates
* Financial or commercial risks
* Staffing or resident related escalations
* Press, PR, or reputational considerations
* Outstanding actions from previous days
* Travel logistics and timings
* Preparation notes for meetings and calls
The expectation is that the CEO begins each day fully briefed and strategically prepared.
Meeting Preparation & Briefing Expectations
For all major meetings, the Executive PA will:
* Prepare briefing documents in advance
* Provide context on attendees and businesses involved
* Summarise previous discussions and agreed actions
* Prepare agendas where required
* Ensure supporting documents are available beforehand
* Highlight desired meeting outcomes
* Identify negotiation points, sensitivities, or operational risks
* Attend meetings where required to capture actions and accountability
* Ensure follow-up actions are delegated and completed
Business & Operations Support
* Assist with cross-department coordination
* Track key operational and strategic projects
* Support implementation of systems and processes
* Help improve organisational efficiency across the business
* Liaise with senior leadership teams regarding priorities and deadlines
* Support investor, supplier, and partnership communications
* Assist with preparation of reports, presentations, and proposals
* Monitor accountability across departments
Communication & Inbox Management
* Full inbox management and triage
* Prioritise emails based on urgency and commercial importance
* Draft professional responses on behalf of the CEO
* Reduce unnecessary email involvement for the CEO
* Ensure timely responses to stakeholders
* Escalate important issues appropriately
Diary & Time Management
* Strategically manage calendar scheduling
* Ensure meetings are productive and necessary
* Avoid diary conflicts and inefficiencies
* Coordinate internal and external meetings
* Build protected focus time into the CEO’s schedule
* Manage travel schedules and logistics efficiently
Travel & Event Coordination
* Coordinate all travel arrangements
* Manage conference attendance and networking schedules
* Assist with speaking engagements and event preparation
* Coordinate hospitality bookings and logistics
* Support social media filming and content days where required
Project Management
* Track ongoing business projects and initiatives
* Monitor deadlines and deliverables
* Chase outstanding actions across teams
* Assist with implementation of operational improvements
* Help maintain momentum on strategic business priorities
Team & Culture Support
* Help reinforce accountability and professionalism across teams
* Support internal communication where required
* Assist with organisation of leadership meetings and company initiatives
* Promote a positive, solutions focused culture
Social Media & Personal Brand Support
* Assist with planning CEO social media activity
* Coordinate filming schedules and content days
* Help organise speaking opportunities and networking events
* Support personal brand growth initiatives where appropriate
Confidentiality & Professional Standards
This role requires exceptional levels of discretion and professionalism.
You will regularly handle:
* Financial information
* Commercial negotiations
* Staffing matters
* Operational challenges
* Investor discussions
* Confidential leadership information
Professionalism, loyalty, discretion, and emotional intelligence are essential.
Skills & Experience Required
* Previous experience as a PA supporting senior leadership or founders
* Strong organisational and project management skills
* Excellent written and verbal communication
* Exceptional attention to detail
* Commercial awareness and business understanding
* Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
* High emotional intelligence and professionalism
* Strong technology skills including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, CRM systems, AI tools, and project management software
* Ability to manage multiple stakeholders confidently
Personality Traits & Behavioural Expectations
The ideal candidate will be:
* Highly proactive
* Calm under pressure
* Commercially minded
* Loyal and trustworthy
* Organised and structured
* Fast thinking and solutions driven
* Highly discreet
* Assertive when necessary
* Adaptable and resilient
* Detail oriented while still understanding the bigger picture
Decision making Authority
The PA will be trusted to:
* Prioritise diary scheduling
* Respond to communications on behalf of the CEO
* Escalate operational issues appropriately
* Challenge inefficiencies or unnecessary use of CEO time
* Coordinate priorities across departments
* Make administrative and operational decisions independently where appropriate
Escalation Expectations
Immediate escalation to the CEO is expected for:
* Major operational risks
* Reputational concerns
* Resident escalations with significant impact
* Financial issues or disputes
* Staff conduct concerns
* Legal or compliance matters
* Investor sensitive issues
Success within the role will be measured by:
* CEO time efficiency improvement
* Reduced operational noise reaching the CEO
* Inbox response efficiency
* Meeting preparation quality
* Task completion and follow-up rates
* Organisational improvements implemented
* Stakeholder communication standards
* Diary effectiveness and prioritisation
* Ability to anticipate problems before escalation
What Success Looks Like After 12 Months
After 12 months, the successful candidate will:
* Be the trusted right-hand support to the CEO
* Have implemented more structure and accountability across workflows
* Significantly improve communication and organisational efficiency
* Create a highly effective CEO operating rhythm
* Trusted by senior leaders and external stakeholders
* Help free CEO capacity for growth, strategy, and leadership
* Viewed as a key operational support within the business
Expectations
This is a senior support role within a fast paced entrepreneurial business.
Flexibility will occasionally be required outside standard working hours:
* Events
* Travel
* Conferences
* Urgent operational matters
* Time sensitive business priorities
The role requires commitment, responsiveness, professionalism, and ownership.