UK National Audit Office
Executive Assistant
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Job Description: Executive Assistant
Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
- Full time (36 hours)
- Part-time (minimum 24 hours per week across 4 days)
Location
London office with a minimum of 2 days per week (40% for part time) in the office as per our hybrid working policy
Salary
c£37,500 pro rata per annum, plus civil service pension. A higher base salary may be available for exceptional applicants.
About The Role
The National Audit Office (NAO) is the UK’s main public sector audit body. Independent of government, we have responsibility for auditing the accounts of various public sector bodies, examining the propriety of government spending, assessing risks to financial control and accountability, and reviewing the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of programmes, projects, and activities.
We report directly to Parliament, through the Committee of Public Accounts of the House of Commons which uses our reports as the basis of its own investigations. We employ some 1000 staff, most of whom are qualified accountants, trainees, or technicians. They work in one of two main areas, financial audit, or value for money (VFM) audit.
The NAO welcomes applications from everyone. We value diversity in all its forms and the difference it makes to our organisation. By removing barriers and creating an inclusive culture all our people have the opportunity to develop and maximise their full potential. As members of the Business Disability Forum and the Disability Confident Scheme we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. The NAO supports flexible working and is happy to discuss this with you at application stage.
The Executive Assistant will provide comprehensive support to two of our Directors in Corporate Services, and the wider Strategy and Communications teams. The role of an Executive Assistant requires a combination of skills (listed below), as well as having the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
How To Apply
Please apply with an up-to-date CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role against essential criteria below:
- Advanced Microsoft Office capability, with particular strengths in using Outlook to manage complex, fast-moving diaries and respond effectively to frequent changes, and confident working knowledge of using Teams to support meetings and collaboration.
- Demonstrable working knowledge of Excel, Word and PowerPoint, with the ability to produce high-quality, on-brand documents. Excel use will primarily involve creating and maintaining tables to structure information, filter and sort data, or support simple project planning.
- Ability to work at pace and use initiative, demonstrating sound judgement, clear communication with senior managers, and effective use of professional networks to progress work and resolve issues.
- Ability to understand and anticipate senior manager and team priorities and preferences. Proactive consideration of this when planning and prioritising, and confidence in defending senior managers’ time.
- Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with particular emphasis on managing workloads when working part-time to ensure continuity and momentum of tasks during non-working hours.
- Experience of managing and coordinating work in a project support or project secretariat capacity, including planning, tracking progress, coordinating inputs, and supporting managers to deliver projects effectively.
- Awareness or practical experience of using digital tools such as Microsoft Copilot to support administrative tasks is desirable but not essential.
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Selection Process
Application
Candidates are required to submit their CV and covering letter on the essential criteria above by Thursday 27 August.
Shortlisting
An initial screening will be conducted to check the eligibility of candidates. Candidates who pass the shortlisting will be invited to the final interview.
Interview
The final interviews will assess various competencies and skills relevant to the role. The interviews will be face-to-face at our office in Victoria, London. Interview dates expected to be w/c 7 September and w/c 14 September 2026.
Decision
The final decision-making process will take place once the final interviews have concluded.
Equal Opportunities and Diversity
Disability and Reasonable Adjustments
Applicants with a disability who wish their application to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme should confirm this when submitting their application. Under this scheme we guarantee an interview to an applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for the role. You should also let our HR team know if you wish us to consider any Reasonable Adjustments at any stage of the process (HRServiceDesk@nao.org.uk).
Applicants will not be discriminated against on the grounds of any protected characteristic or any other extraneous factor.
Nationality Requirement
- UK Nationals
- Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
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Please note, we are not able to sponsor work visas or accept temporary visas as we are looking to hire on a permanent basis. Please contact the HR Service desk (hrservicedesk@nao.org.uk) should you have any questions on your nationality eligibility.
Responsibilities
Executive Assistant Tasks
- Diary management: internal, engagement with external stakeholders and job applicants
- Inbox management: including prioritisation and action where appropriate
- Coordinate/manage meetings: scheduling, agendas, distribute papers, minute taking/actions management, briefing production
- Supporting internal/external events
- Offering support to wider team(s)
- Arrange local and overseas travel/itineraries (where appropriate)
- Corporate Management: business continuity, locker/distribution lists etc are kept updated
- Team/group collaboration/communications: keeping updated on Merlin announcements, blogs, forums, training/mandatory, code of conduct and alerting team to them as appropriate
- Stakeholders contact details are kept updated
- Greeting guests/registering at reception/organising hospitality
- Arranging team events and social activities
Project/ Team Management Support Tasks
- Data Management: budget monitoring, milestone management, allocations and corporate compliance
- Project Management: project secretariat
- SharePoint management
- Impacts coordination
Wider Team Support
- Organise annual programme of regular Comms team meetings
- Arrange travel and accommodation for external events and international travel where necessary, using NAO systems and complying with guidance.
- Attend monthly Comms team meetings, weekly CSAT team meetings and any team awaydays or ad hoc meetings.
- Participate in and support the wider EA community within the Corporate Group by sharing best practices.
Skills Required
- Highly effective organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships
- Proven time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Flexible, adaptable, and able to work collaboratively as part of a team
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Experience in knowledge management and information handling
- High level of accuracy with excellent attention to detail
- Effective problem-solving skills and takes the initiative
- Clear and confident written and verbal communication skills, with a proactive approach
- Good project secretariat skills
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