Personal Assistant Job Description
Hire a reliable Personal Assistant to provide high-quality administrative and diary support to a senior leader. This role suits an organised, discreet administrator who can manage competing priorities, travel arrangements and confidential information with professionalism.
What does a Personal Assistant professional do?
A Personal Assistant (PA) manages a senior colleague's diary, correspondence and travel, coordinates meetings and events, prepares documents and acts as a trusted point of contact to ensure the executive's time and priorities are protected.
Personal Assistant job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Personal Assistant
About the role
[Company name] is seeking a proactive Personal Assistant to support [Job title or Director name]. Based in [Location] with [hybrid/flexible/on-site] working, you will manage calendar and travel, prepare briefings and documents, handle confidential correspondence and coordinate meetings and events. You should have proven PA or EA experience, excellent organisation and communication skills, and the ability to work with discretion. Salary: [insert salary or range]. To apply, send your CV and a short cover letter to [application contact or URL].
Key responsibilities
- Manage the executive's calendar, prioritise appointments and coordinate meeting logistics with internal and external stakeholders.
- Arrange complex travel itineraries, including transport, accommodation and visas where required; prepare travel briefs and expense records.
- Draft, proofread and format letters, reports and presentations; produce concise briefing notes and action logs.
- Screen calls, emails and visitors; respond on behalf of the executive where appropriate and escalate urgent matters.
- Organise and minute meetings, track follow-ups and maintain action registers to ensure tasks are completed on time.
- Coordinate events, board meetings or off-site activities, including venue booking, catering and delegate communications.
- Handle confidential information with discretion and maintain filing systems, both digital and paper.
- Undertake ad hoc research, manage projects as assigned and liaise with other teams to deliver cross-functional tasks.
Essential skills and experience
- Previous experience in a Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant or similar support role.
- Excellent diary management and organisational skills, with attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and professional telephone manner.
- Proficiency with common office software and calendar systems.
- Ability to prioritise tasks, work independently and manage multiple competing demands.
- High level of discretion and ability to handle confidential information.
Desirable
- Experience supporting senior executives or boards.
- Minute-taking or formal meeting support experience.
- Familiarity with travel booking platforms, expense systems and basic project coordination.
- A full UK driving licence if the role requires local travel.
- Experience working in the same sector as the employer (e.g. professional services, charity, technology).
What we offer
- Salary: [insert salary or range]
- Pension scheme: [details to insert]
- Annual leave: [details to insert]
- Flexible / hybrid working options: [details to insert]
- Training and professional development budget: [details to insert]
- Other benefits: [e.g. healthcare, season ticket loan – insert details]
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Personal Assistant role?
A Personal Assistant provides dedicated administrative and organisational support to one or more senior individuals. The role centres on diary and travel management, preparing briefings and documents, handling confidential correspondence, organising meetings and events, and acting as a professional gatekeeper. PAs enable executives to focus on strategic priorities by ensuring their day-to-day operations run smoothly and consistently.
Who you support
One or more senior executives, directors or partners; may include cross-team liaison and occasional stakeholder-facing duties.
Work pattern
Typically full-time office-based or hybrid; may involve occasional early/late meetings and some out-of-hours coordination.
Core skills
Diary and travel planning, written communication, minute-taking, event coordination and strong discretion.
Typical Personal Assistant responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Manage the executive's calendar
Manage the executive's calendar, prioritise appointments and coordinate meeting logistics with internal and external stakeholders.
Arrange complex travel itineraries
Arrange complex travel itineraries, including transport, accommodation and visas where required; prepare travel briefs and expense records.
Draft
Draft, proofread and format letters, reports and presentations; produce concise briefing notes and action logs.
Screen calls
Screen calls, emails and visitors; respond on behalf of the executive where appropriate and escalate urgent matters.
Organise
Organise and minute meetings, track follow-ups and maintain action registers to ensure tasks are completed on time.
Coordinate events
Coordinate events, board meetings or off-site activities, including venue booking, catering and delegate communications.
Handle confidential information with discretion
Handle confidential information with discretion and maintain filing systems, both digital and paper.
Undertake ad hoc research
Undertake ad hoc research, manage projects as assigned and liaise with other teams to deliver cross-functional tasks.
Personal Assistant skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Previous experience in a Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant or similar support role.
- Excellent diary management and organisational skills, with attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and professional telephone manner.
- Proficiency with common office software and calendar systems.
- Ability to prioritise tasks, work independently and manage multiple competing demands.
- High level of discretion and ability to handle confidential information.
Useful where relevant
- Experience supporting senior executives or boards.
- Minute-taking or formal meeting support experience.
- Familiarity with travel booking platforms, expense systems and basic project coordination.
- A full UK driving licence if the role requires local travel.
- Experience working in the same sector as the employer (e.g. professional services, charity, technology).
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Personal Assistant job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be specific about the reporting line
State clearly who the PA will support (e.g. CEO, Managing Director) and whether they will support multiple leaders—candidates use this to judge seniority and scope.
List the core tools and systems
Mention the calendar and document platforms you use (for example Outlook, Google Workspace, expense system) so applicants can assess fit.
Clarify working pattern and flexibility
Tell candidates if the role is hybrid, fully on-site, or requires regular travel or evening meetings; this helps reduce unsuitable applications.
Highlight confidentiality and autonomy
Describe the level of confidentiality and decision-making expected so experienced PAs can demonstrate relevant examples in applications.
Personal Assistant salary considerations
Pay for Personal Assistant roles varies by seniority, sector, location and the scope of duties. Employers should set compensation that reflects the complexity of the role, required experience and any additional responsibilities such as event management, travel booking or team supervision.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Personal Assistant candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
Who will I report to and how many leaders will I support?
Candidates want to know reporting lines and whether they'll support a single executive or multiple stakeholders to assess workload and seniority.
What are the working hours and is any out-of-hours work expected?
Clarify core hours, flexibility and any requirement for early/late meetings or occasional travel so applicants can judge fit.
Is the role office-based, hybrid or fully remote?
Tell candidates the expected workplace and any home-working arrangements, including how often attendance is required.
What is the salary range and benefits package?
Provide a clear salary range and outline key benefits so candidates can make an informed decision before applying.
Are there any confidentiality or vetting requirements?
Candidates may need to know about security checks, background screening or non-disclosure expectations attached to the role.
Where to post a Personal Assistant job
Personal Assistant roles attract candidates from both administrative and executive-support backgrounds. Use a mix of broad UK job boards for volume, specialist admin/EA job sites or professional networks for experienced PAs, and local channels if the role is site-based. Prioritise channels that allow you to target by seniority and working pattern (hybrid/onsite) to reach suitably experienced applicants.
Related administration / executive support job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Personal Assistant job description FAQs
How long should a PA job advert be?
Aim for a concise advert of 250–400 words that covers the role’s core responsibilities, reporting line, working pattern and essential skills. Include a clear salary range and key benefits to attract suitable candidates.
Do PAs need formal qualifications?
Formal qualifications are not always required. Employers typically prioritise proven PA/EA experience, strong IT skills and evidence of discretion and organisation. Specify any mandatory certifications or licence requirements only when genuinely needed.
How should I shortlist candidates?
Shortlist based on relevant PA/EA experience, examples of diary and travel management, familiarity with your office tools and demonstrated discretion. Use a short telephone call to confirm fit on hours, location and salary before interviewing.
What interview questions work best for PAs?
Ask for examples of managing complex diaries, handling last-minute changes, dealing with confidential information and supporting senior stakeholders. Include a practical task such as drafting a meeting agenda or prioritising a sample inbox.
Should I make proficiency in specific software essential?
Only require core platforms that are integral to the role (for example, your calendar system). List other systems as desirable to avoid unnecessarily restricting your candidate pool.
Ready to hire a Personal Assistant?
Use this template to create a tailored advert and post your vacancy to appropriate job boards. If you need support, consider advertising across specialist and broad channels to reach experienced PA candidates quickly.
