Executive Assistant

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford’s purpose is to have a global impact by fundamentally reimagining the way science and technology translate into end-to-end solutions and delivering these solutions in programmes and platforms that respond to humanity’s most challenging problems. 

EIT Oxford will ensure scientific discoveries and pioneering science are turned into products for the benefit of society that can have high-impact worldwide and, over time, be commercialised to ensure long-term sustainability. 

Led by a world-class faculty of scientists, technologists, policy makers, economists and entrepreneurs, the Ellison Institute of Technology aims to develop and deploy commercially sustainable solutions to solve some of humanity’s most enduring challenges. Our work is guided by four Humane Endeavours: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology, Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change & Managing Atmospheric CO2 and Artificial Intelligence & Robotics.

Set for completion in 2027, the EIT Campus in Littlemore will include more than 300,000 sq ft of research laboratories, educational and gathering spaces. Fuelled by growing ambition and the strength of Oxford’s science ecosystem, EIT is now expanding its footprint to a 2 million sq ft Campus across the western part of The Oxford Science Park. Designed by Foster + Partners led by Lord Norman Foster, this will become a transformative workplace for up to 7,000 people, with autonomous laboratories, purpose-built laboratories including a plant sciences building and dynamic spaces to spark interdisciplinary collaboration.

You will provide high-level, dedicated support to one C-level executive, ensuring they remain focused on high-impact priorities and that key decisions translate into effective action across the organisation. You will operate as an extension of your executive, managing complex workflows, protecting their time, coordinating stakeholders, and enabling a clear, consistent operating rhythm. 

This role requires exceptional judgement, confidentiality, and the ability to anticipate needs before they surface. You will partner closely with the executive and their teams to streamline processes, reduce friction, and ensure strategic priorities move forward with pace and clarity. 

You’ll be a consistent source of structure, calm, and momentum behind the scenes, bringing a proactive, solutions-driven mindset to everything you do. You will work with a high degree of autonomy, enabling strategic focus by transforming complexity into clear, actionable execution. 

Strategic Enablement 

• Manage and protect your executive’s priorities through precise scheduling, forward planning, and strategic triage. 

• Track decisions and drive follow-through across teams to ensure commitments progress efficiently. 

• Prepare briefings, agendas, and materials that support high-quality discussions and effective decision-making. 

• Maintain continuity around leadership priorities, ensuring alignment even in ambiguous or fast-changing contexts. 

• Support internal communication and strategic alignment across teams and functions. 

Operational Excellence 

• Coordinate complex calendars, high-stakes meetings, and multi-layered logistics with speed and precision. 

• Manage external board committees, memberships and travel for your executive.  

• Streamline workflows and documentation to reduce operational friction and create consistency. 

• Ensure leadership decisions reliably convert into clear, trackable outcomes. 

• Help foster a culture of clarity, efficiency, and operational simplicity across the executive’s portfolio. 

Trusted Partnership 

• Act as a strategic gatekeeper, protecting time, attention, and context for your executive. 

• Build trusted relationships across the institute serving as a credible representative and extension of leadership. 

• Demonstrate calm, resilience, and strong judgement in high-pressure or ambiguous environments. 

• Uphold and reinforce our organisational culture of professionalism, trust, collaboration, and discretion. 

• Provide a steady source of clarity and reliability, ensuring momentum even during competing demands. 

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience: 

Executive Support: 

Proven experience providing high-quality support to senior leaders in fast-paced environments. Skilled at managing sensitive information, workflows, and complex schedules with professionalism and discretion. 

Task Prioritisation and Time Management: 
Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities, anticipate needs, and ensure timely follow-through. 

Project Coordination: 
Able to shepherd multiple initiatives in parallel, bringing structure, timelines, accountability, and clarity across cross-functional teams. 

Communication and Relationship Management: 
High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trusted relationships and navigate senior stakeholders with ease. 

Operational Excellence: 
Obsessed with detail, execution, and creating calm out of complexity; able to design and uphold efficient systems and documentation practices. 

We offer the following salary and benefits:

Enhanced holiday pay

Pension

Life Assurance

Income Protection

Private Medical Insurance

Hospital Cash Plan

Therapy Services

Perk Box

Electric Car Scheme

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Why work for EIT:

At the Ellison Institute, we believe a collaborative, inclusive team is key to our success. We are building a supportive environment where creative risks are encouraged, and everyone feels heard. Valuing emotional intelligence, empathy, respect, and resilience, we encourage people to be curious and to have a shared commitment to excellence. Join us and make an impact!