Job title: Personal Assistant
Direct Report Responsibilities: N/A
Reports to: Executive Assistant (with a dotted line to Chief Operating Officer)
Location: Theale, Reading
Overview
This role will provide full personal assistant (PA) support to the Chief Operating Officer, and business support to Cohort HQ as per below.
Role and responsibilities
Full day-to-day PA support to the Chief Operating Officer, and business administration support, including but not exhaustive as follows:
Chief Operating Officer (COO) PA:
- Acting as a first point of contact for the COO.
- Calendar management including organising meetings, booking meeting rooms, ordering lunch and arranging refreshments, etc.
- Travel arrangements, including flights, visas, trains, hotels, restaurants and transfers including a detailed itinerary.
- Preparing documents, reports and presentations.
- Maintaining filing system.
- Providing general administrative support as required.
Legal/Company Secretary:
- Calendar assistance for Company Secretary and General Counsel.
- Maintaining and updating the shareholder database.
- Support of Board Report distribution.
- Other administrative support as required.
HR:
- Calendar assistance for Group Head of HR.
- Employee engagements events for HQ.
- HR Forum – assist with setting up meetings and taking meeting notes and following up actions.
- HQ onboarding.
- Other administrative support as required.
Marketing:
- Recording share price against key marketing activity dates.
- Supporting on the ground at some of Cohort’s events with registration, looking after delegates.
- Helping in project team meetings by taking minutes and to help coordinate actions for major conference and events i.e. DSEI London, BE Awards, Drinks Reception etc.
- Other administrative support as required.
Other:
- Assist the Executive Assistant with Cohort IT and mobile phone related matters.
- Oversee the Cohort IT/Mobile Asset Register.
- Event management support, including admin support and attending events.
- Handling incoming calls in an efficient friendly manner.
- Liaising with other Cohort Group Assistants.
- Administrative tasks including booking meeting rooms, lunches, couriers, filing.
- Collation and preparation of documents using Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- Cohort Group HQ – social events calendar.
- Ad hoc project work.
- Provide support and cover for the Executive Assistant and Office Manager as and when required.
- First Aider.
About the Candidate
We’re seeking a candidate who is eager to contribute in this critical support role and who:
- Demonstrates strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- A strong team player with attention to detail, who is well-organised and has good time management
- Has solid proficiency with standard office and technology tools, including Microsoft 365
- Is confident partnering with busy senior executives
- Shows a proactive willingness to take on administrative tasks as needed
- Presents a professional, composed manner and is comfortable working in a formal, structured environment
This role is intended as a permanent full-time role, however we are open to discussing flexible options or specific schedules. We are offering a FTE salary of £35-45k dependent on experience, and you must be eligible and willing to undergo Security Check (SC) clearance. There may be some UK travel required (overnight stays) and potential travel overseas (this is desirable only).
Benefits
- FTE holiday of 25 days plus bank holidays
- Discretionary annual bonus of up to 20% of salary dependent on performance
- Death in service benefit at four times base salary
- Private medical insurance for the employee with the option to add family members at own expense, invited to join on completion of probation
- Income protection (50% of salary for 2 years after wait period of 13 weeks) and employee assistance program participation
- Group Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
- Auto enrolment into company pension scheme with 4% employee and 5.5% company contributions operated through a salary sacrifice arrangement
- The opportunity from time to time to participate in the Company’s Save As You Earn share option scheme (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP)
About Us
Cohort is a London stock exchange AIM-listed company composed of agile, specialist businesses united by a shared purpose: advancing defence technology for a safer tomorrow. What makes Cohort distinctive is its unique operating model, which empowers smaller, expert-led companies to retain their agility while benefiting from the financial strength, leadership, and stability of a larger group. This balance of independence and support enables swift decision-making, close customer engagement, and practical solutions with real-world impact.
At Cohort HQ, we provide light-touch guidance to our subsidiaries and continue to support the growth of the Group. Our core values underpin every action and guide how success is achieved. Cohort companies are Expert, applying deep knowledge and sharing expertise; Responsible, acting with integrity to make the right decisions; Practical, delivering what works for the right situation; and Dynamic, thinking innovatively and adapting quickly. These values shape a culture that reinforces strong governance, sustainable growth, and long-term success.
To apply
Please send your CV and covering letter to recruitment@cohortplc.com.
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