Executive Assistant, Wellcome
EA to the CEO Office
£36.6-45.8k
Global charitable foundation for science research
Be an early applicant
Global charitable foundation for science research
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
£36.6-45.8k
1001+ employees
Company mission
Wellcome's mission is to support science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone.
Role
Who you are
- We are looking for an experienced and highly organised Executive Assistant with a proven track record of supporting senior leaders in fast-paced environments and managing complex, high-volume priorities with discretion.
- You will bring strong communication, stakeholder management and IT skills, alongside the ability to exercise sound judgement and deliver high-quality work, while gaining valuable exposure to senior stakeholders and opportunities to further develop your influence, collaboration and problem-solving capabilities
- Proven experience supporting senior leaders (SLT/Director level) in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrable experience managing complex, high-volume calendars, including competing priorities and frequent changes
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver work to a high standard
What the job involves
- The CEO Office supports the delivery of Wellcome’s mission by maximising the CEO’s time on the highest-impact priorities and engagements, while ensuring robust governance and effective decision-making across the organisation. The team also enables the Chair and Governors to fulfil their roles with clarity and confidence
- Our work spans three core areas: providing strategic advice to shape the CEO’s forward agenda, voice, and approach to complex issues and special projects; delivering strategic operations that underpin the CEO’s day-to-day engagements, logistics, and organisational priorities; and ensuring strong strategic governance through the effective management of ExCo, EEG, and key decision-making forums, translating Wellcome’s strategic goals into clear agendas, decisions, and actions
- The role reports to the Head of Strategic Operations within the CEO Office
- You will provide high-quality, flexible executive support to the Chief of Staff and senior leaders, ensuring priorities are delivered effectively in a fast-paced environment while working collaboratively across the CEO Office and wider organisation
- Your role contributes to the team’s overall effectiveness by enabling smooth coordination, maintaining momentum during busy periods, and helping leaders focus on achieving strategic objectives
- Provide high-quality executive support to the Chief of Staff, managing complex diaries and inboxes to ensure priorities are delivered effectively
- Coordinate busy and often changing schedules for senior leaders, balancing competing demands across the CEO Office and wider organisation
- Plan and manage internal and external meetings, travel and logistics, supporting effective engagement with senior stakeholders
- Prepare clear, accurate and timely documents, briefings and Board-level papers to enable informed decision-making
- Contribute to priority projects and governance processes, ensuring smooth coordination, follow-up actions and delivery of key initiatives
- Work collaboratively with the wider team and EA/PA community to maintain effective ways of working, provide cover during peak periods, and contribute to an inclusive, high-performing environment
Application process
- Closing date: Tuesday, 30 June 2026
- Interview dates: 1st stage (17/07, 20/07 and 21/07) online/Remote; 2nd stage: face to face – TBC
- Using examples please provide evidence to demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as outlined in the job description? (Up to 500 words)
- Using short summaries please provide specific details of up to two different initiatives or projects you have been directly involved in that are relevant to this role. For each initiative or project please use up to 250 words to describe your role (e.g. team leader, team member), the purpose of the activity (i.e. its aims), and the major contributions you personally made
Salary benchmarks
Our take
The Wellcome Trust was originally founded in 1936 to fund medical research and has since grown into the UK’s largest private scientific research fund, and one of the wealthiest charities in the world. Disbursing over £1 billion in funds a year, it has provided funding to numerous medical research projects in its focus areas of mental health, climate & health and infectious diseases. These include the Cancer Genome Project and the Ebola Emergency Initiative.
Wellcome's 2022 decision to divest itself of its shares in fossil fuels has also relieved it of a persistent source of controversy, as this was potentially hindering the credibility of its climate change research. Wellcome has since partnered with the World Economic Forum to collect data on how climate change is affecting health worldwide.
The company is also moving to adjust to a more global role. The majority of its funding has historically been allocated to UK firms, but as climate change and infectious diseases know no borders, neither does research into solutions to these problems. ln 2019 it established an office in Berlin to strengthen its scientific links in the EU and to allow it to more easily fund important research outside of the UK.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
6% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company benefits
- Holiday – 25 days’ holiday a year plus bank holidays (and we usually close between Christmas and New Year)
- Pension (defined contribution plan) – you contribute at least 3% and we pay in 15% of your salary
- Income protection – to maintain your income if you have a prolonged illness or disability
- Life assurance – four to six times your basic salary if you’re a member of our pension plan
- Interest-free travel season ticket loan
- Private medical insurance – we pay the cover, you pay the tax (and you can pay to add dependants)
- Gym and fitness classes – free membership to on-site gym and subsidised fitness classes and treatments
- Employee assistance programme – free, independent 24/7 help and advice for work-related issues as well as problems affecting your home life
- Mental health support – our network of mental health first aiders can be a first point of contact, or help while you're receiving professional help
- Health assessments (free and voluntary) – after you’ve been here for one year, then every two years after that
- Occupational health – annual eye tests and flu jabs, as well as job-related vaccinations
- Flexible working – we make every effort to support flexible working, including flexible working hours and remote working (we respect people's different working preferences and the need for a healthy work-life balance)
- Flexi-leave scheme – you can buy or sell up to five days of your holiday entitlement a year
- Staff social club – a range of sports teams and fun events throughout the year
- Volunteering – we give you up to four days' paid leave a year to contribute to our local community
- Give As You Earn – allows you to make tax-free donations to the charities you care about
- Cycle-to-work scheme – we offer at least 25% discount on bikes and cycling equipment and we have secure cycle storage, lockers and showers
- Subsidised restaurant and cafe
- Wellcome Collection discounts – 20% off food, drink and gifts from our cafe, restaurant and shop
- Discounts through Perkbox – shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, phone insurance and gift cards
Company HQ
London, UK
Leadership
Jeremy Farrar
(Director)Has been Director of the Wellcome Trust since 2013. Before that was Director of Oxford Clinical Research Unit, working on research and clinical trials for diseases in Vietnam.
Share this job
View 1 more job at Wellcome