Personal Assistant

Overview

We’re seeking a highly organised, experienced and discreet Personal Assistant to support a family based in Canford Cliffs, Poole, Dorset.

The role primarily supports the Principal across both business and personal/family matters, working from an office a short walk from the family home. This is a face-to-face role built on close daily collaboration.

The Principal’s interests span the UK and internationally, so you’ll coordinate international travel, cross-border admin, and communication with advisers and partners across time zones. An early priority will be auditing the family office’s current systems and processes, then building clearer, well documented ways of working, so information is easy to find, key dates are never missed, and knowledge isn’t held in just one person’s head.

You’ll also support the family’s philanthropic work, based mainly in East Africa.

The current PA is moving to another role internally and will provide a thorough handover, giving you strong continuity from day one.

We’re looking for someone with exceptional attention to detail, absolute confidentiality, and the ability to anticipate needs and solve problems proactively, plus the flexibility and positivity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Job duties

Responsibilities of the Personal Assistant in Poole, Dorset, include:

Personal and Family Support

• Provide comprehensive and proactive PA support to the Principal across both business and private matters.
• Manage complex diaries, calendars, appointments, meetings and commitments.
• Coordinate family administration, ensuring important dates, activities, appointments and required actions are properly tracked.
• Assist with school-related correspondence, school terms, activities and family commitments.
• Coordinate international and domestic travel, including flights, hotels, ground transportation, itineraries, bookings and travel briefings.
• Manage passport validity, visas, ETAs, entry requirements and visa expiry dates.
• Coordinate calls and meetings across multiple international time zones.
• Assist with gift ordering and personal and household purchases, including sourcing, ordering, delivery tracking and supplier follow-up.
• Administer insurance matters, including travel, medical and pet insurance, renewals, policy documentation, claims support and liaison with providers.
• Handle confidential correspondence and communications with complete discretion.
• Liaise with household staff, as well as contractors, suppliers and service providers.
• Liaise with other family household teams where required, including the Principal’s parents’ household staff.

Systems, Organisation and Administration

• Carry out and maintain a comprehensive overview of systems, tools, subscriptions, files and processes.
• Create and implement improved systems for storing, organising and retrieving important information.
• Maintain key documents, contacts, insurance policies, renewal cycles, passwords and credentials securely.
• Create clear written documentation and process notes to ensure continuity and ease of handover.
• Establish and maintain a central calendar of renewals and key dates, including insurance, memberships, subscriptions, passports, visas, school terms and family commitments.
• Continually review how the family office operates and identify practical improvements.
• Ensure records remain accurate, current, well organised and securely handled.
• Manage memberships, subscriptions, renewals and key contacts.
• Undertake research, bookings, note-taking and follow-up on ad hoc requests.
• Provide flexible support during busy periods, absences and complex projects.

Project and Business Coordination

• Coordinate projects from initial concept or requirement through to completion.
• Identify the relevant people involved, coordinate actions and ensure progress is followed through.
• Support the Principal in managing multiple concurrent projects and priorities.
• Provide coordination support across business operations and personal/family matters.
• Assist with exposure to and coordination around UK real estate development projects where required.
• Liaise with advisers, partners, suppliers, contractors and other professional contacts.
• Follow up on actions and ensure commitments do not get lost amongst competing priorities.
• Bring structure, detail and organisation to a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.

Philanthropic Support

• Provide administrative and coordination support to the family’s philanthropic and charitable initiatives, principally in Rwanda and East Africa.
• Liaise with relevant contacts, advisers and service providers internationally.
• Assist with travel, administration, communication and project coordination connected with the family’s charitable work.

Candidates must be/have:

• Previous experience supporting a senior individual, entrepreneur, private family, HNW/UHNW individual or similarly complex environment would be highly advantageous.
• An established, mature and dependable approach, with the confidence to operate independently.
• Exceptional organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong project coordination skills with the ability to take an idea, concept or requirement and coordinate the relevant people and actions through to completion.
• The ability to support a big-picture, entrepreneurial Principal and complement their working style through strong organisation and attention to detail.
• A proactive, resourceful and service-oriented approach, anticipating needs rather than reacting to them.
• Confident with technology and comfortable using Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365, cloud storage, shared calendars, password managers and task or project management tools.
• Comfortable coordinating across international time zones
• Experience of international travel management, visas and immigration administration.
• Exposure to charitable, philanthropic or international development work would be advantageous.
• A full UK driving licence.
• The legal right to work in the UK.

Hours

Full-time, permanent.

The role offers a hybrid working arrangement, with a minimum of three days per week based in the Canford Cliffs office and up to two days per week working from home.

There is genuine flexibility around working hours, and the family is open to accommodating school runs, family commitments and other requirements where possible. The priority is finding the right long-term candidate rather than imposing a rigid working pattern.

Location

Canford Cliffs, Poole, Dorset.

The role requires a genuine ability and willingness to work in person on a regular basis as the Principal prefers face to-face collaboration. Candidates should be based within a sustainable commuting distance of Canford Cliffs.

Salary

£45,000 – £55,000, depending on experience.

Job ref

CP1081: Personal Assistant for HNW in Poole, Dorset.

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