Executive Assistant to the Managing Director

Independent Food Company is home to some of the region's most recognised hospitality concepts, including SALT, Somewhere, Parker's, Shalwa, Somewhere, and Public. We are a fast-growing organisation with an expanding portfolio of concepts, an active acquisition strategy, and ambitious plans for growth across new and existing markets. As we scale, the quality of our people remains central to everything we build. That is where you come in.Job Purpose:The Executive Assistant (EA) is responsible for providing high-level executive, administrative, and project management oversight to the Managing Director (MD). Acting as both a strategic "gatekeeper" and "gateway," the EA ensures seamless calendar, travel, and stakeholder management while serving as a central liaison between the MD and internal/external leaders.Beyond administrative coordination, this role requires strong Project Management Office (PMO) capabilities reviewing and vetting reports prior to meetings, establishing accountability across cross-departmental projects, tracking deliverables, and following up on key action items with initiative, discretion, and complete confidentiality.Key Areas of Responsibility:1. Executive Calendar & Gatekeeping ManagementOversees and maintains an extremely active, complex calendar of appointments, meetings, and strategic commitments for the MD.Acts as a key liaison and "gatekeeper," balancing priorities, managing access to the MD’s time, and making swift judgments on scheduling conflicts.Ensures the MD is fully prepared for each day’s agenda by providing relevant background materials, briefing notes, and context beforehand.2. Travel, Itinerary & Logistics OversightCoordinates detailed, complex domestic and international travel itineraries, accommodation, transfer logistics, and travel documentation.Compiles agendas, meeting packets, and expense reports associated with corporate travel.3. Strategic Liaison & Stakeholder ManagementServes as a credible, professional bridge for communication between the MD, executive leadership, internal departments, and external clients or partners.Maintains trust, operational momentum, and strong working relationships across all departments to facilitate smooth cross-functional collaboration.4. PMO Oversight, Project Tracking & Follow-UpsProject Tracking & Action Items: Drives accountability across departments by tracking strategic initiative deadlines, project deliverables, and operational requirements assigned by the MD.Meeting Minutes & Transcripts: Prepares comprehensive meeting agendas, attends executive meetings to transcribe precise minutes, and actively monitors post-meeting progress on all assigned action items.Cross-Departmental Alignment: Serves as a central tracking point (PMO function) to ensure inter-departmental commitments stay on schedule and reach completion without friction.5. Document Review, Briefing & Pre-Meeting ReadinessReport & Document Vetting: Reviews, edits, and checks incoming reports, proposals, and presentations prior to meetings with the MD to ensure accuracy, quality, and complete preparation.Stakeholder Preparation: Engages directly with department heads and presentation owners prior to meetings to ensure all team members are fully prepared, aligned, and equipped with required deliverables.Correspondence & Materials: Drafts, formats, and prepares high-level, confidential executive correspondence, presentations, and reports for internal and external distribution.6. Confidentiality & Operational IntegrityProtects executive operations by maintaining complete discretion with sensitive company data, strategic planning documents, and personnel records.Professional Requirements:Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field.Experience: Minimum of 5–7 years of experience as an Executive Assistant, Business Operations Coordinator, or PMO Specialist supporting C-Suite / Managing Directors.Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiar with project management softwarePMO Capability: Demonstrated ability to review business documents, analyze basic project status reports, track complex deadlines, and synthesize key takeaways for leadership.Interpersonal & Behavioral Competencies:Proactive Ownership: Acts with self-directed initiative, anticipating risks or operational bottlenecks before they reach the MD.High-Level Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills suitable for communicating with executive board members and department leaders.Organization & Multi-Tasking: Exceptional time-management skills with the proven capacity to handle competing high-priority deadlines under pressure.Diplomacy & Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal instincts to follow up on deliverables firmly yet diplomatically across teams.Unwavering Discretion: Uncompromising commitment to maintaining absolute confidentiality.