Senior Executive Assistant, ARIA
£60k
Bonus: Discretionary
Tuesdays-Thursdays in office
3 days a week in office (Kings Cross, London)
Science-focused R&D funding agency
Be an early applicant
Science-focused R&D funding agency
21-100 employees
Be an early applicant
£60k
Bonus: Discretionary
Tuesdays-Thursdays in office
3 days a week in office (Kings Cross, London)
21-100 employees
Company mission
To fund scientists and engineers so they can pursue research at the edge of the possible.
Role
Who you are
- Please note, this role requires the flexibility for occasional travel across the UK to support our leadership at key meetings and events
- You will have significant previous experience of working as an Executive Assistant in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and proven experience of managing correspondence and email accounts effectively
- You will have excellent time-management and organisational skills with the ability to work on your own initiative to tight deadlines, using judgment to make decisions and prioritise your workload
- You will need to have strong conviction in your decision making, stakeholder management & show clear judgment independently
- You will have strong attention to detail, an adaptable attitude and be confident under pressure
- You will need strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and with different audiences on behalf of Executives
- You will be proactive, commercially aware, and highly organised, with the ability to anticipate needs, “connect the dots,” and adapt quickly to shifting priorities
What the job involves
- We are seeking an experienced Executive Assistant to provide high-quality support to two members of our Executive Team
- In this role, you will act as an organisational backbone and trusted partner, enabling leadership to be effective in a fast-paced environment
- You will be responsible for expertly managing complex and shifting schedules, preparing agendas and papers, capturing key action points, and ensuring meetings are well-organised and productive
- You will also handle correspondence and emails, arrange meetings and events, and ensure smooth communication across teams
- Success in this role requires proactiveness and foresight — anticipating needs before they arise and keeping things moving under pressure
- You will build strong, trusted relationships with senior colleagues and external stakeholders alike, acting with confidence, tact, and discretion in every interaction
- Extensive diary and meeting management for the multiple executives - scheduling meetings, developing agendas, taking minutes and tracking actions for both internal and external meetings
- Inbox management of two inboxes, dealing with all internal and external correspondence and queries
- Working closely with all teams across ARIA to build, coordinate and deliver projects and initiatives, such as capturing conflicts of interest for senior staff
- Preparation and authorisation of expense reports
- Booking transport and accommodation and developing detailed itineraries for travel
- Implementing and maintaining office administrative processes
- Ordering office equipment, stationery and other supplies as required
- Organising internal events and team building activities
- Working closely with the Executive Assistant team to:
- Ensure coordination of processes & alignment across the organisation
- Cover for other EA’s when needed (e.g. annual leave)
- Coordinate org-wide weekly team meetings & internal communications
- Receiving and directing visitors
Application process
- Closing Date: 12.10.25
Salary benchmarks
Our take
ARIA, also known as the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, is an investment agency that supports ambitious, cutting-edge science and technology projects with the hope to “transcend conventional limits”.
For innovation to keep moving at the pace we've become accustomed to, a lot of organisation, research and funding is required. ARIA, which is government funded, sets out to find projects that will have the most public benefit and impact. It's backed by an £800mn budget and is targeting areas such as artificial intelligence, neuroscience and materials.
Drawing inspiration from successful US counterparts like Darpa and Arpa-E, ARIA aims to act outside of traditional bureaucratic constraints. Despite facing criticism for its delayed launch, the initiative reflects a refreshing departure from the norm and we’re excited to see what the company's future holds.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Company benefits
- Discretionary performance related pay arrangements
- 25 days annual leave provision, with the option to buy/sell an additional 5 days
- Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
- Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
- Enhanced family leave arrangements
- A free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
- 2 days of paid volunteer days
- 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
- An excellent office location in Kings X, London
Company values
- Bold: We are comfortable in uncharted territory, actively seeking out and embracing the unknown. In practice, this means we focus on the opportunity and upside in our work, striving to raise the creative ambition of those around us and cultivating an environment that welcomes outside voices and outlier ideas.
- Authentic: We debate openly, with passion and respect, ensuring everyone feels empowered to show up as themselves and unlock their full potential. We value brilliance without pretension. Crucially, we embrace the understanding that failure is an acceptable and necessary step along the way to real progress.
- Intentional: We are driven by a deep commitment to improving the world through science and technology, pursuing these breakthroughs responsibly. This is at the heart of how all our teams work, starting from principles, not simply following precedent. This means we are always questioning, learning, and evolving our approaches to problems.
Company HQ
London, UK
Leadership
Ilan Gur
(CEO)Schmidt Futures Innovation Fellow. Previously Founder and CEO of Activate.org, and Founder of Cyclotron Road through Berkeley Lab.
Share this job
View 2 more jobs at ARIA