Executive Assistant

The Executive Assistant (EA) will report to the Head of Middle East. This is a key role within the Middle East team. The successful candidate will bring substantial EA experience, gained within an international Law Firm(s) based in the Middle East. A high level of professionalism, discretion and commercial awareness is essential.

 

This is a full-time, fixed-term position of up to eight months to cover maternity leave. Working hours are Monday to Friday, 9 00am to 6 00pm, with the option to work from home one day per week.

We are seeking an agile, highly organised and responsive professional who is passionate about providing outstanding EA support to the Head of Middle East and contributing positively to the wider team. The role requires someone who can proactively manage competing priorities, build strong working relationships with stakeholders at all levels, and consistently deliver work to a high standard. The ideal candidate will take pride in going above and beyond, while exercising sound judgement and maintaining confidentiality at all times.

Please note that, as part of the recruitment process, successful shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete Numeracy, Comprehension and Prioritisation assessments, which will take approximately 60 minutes in total.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

 

Executive support, Diary & Stakeholder Management

 

This may include but is not limited to the following

•Proactively manage the Head of Middle East’s complex and high‑volume diary, including scheduling internal and external meetings across multiple time zones, often involving numerous senior stakeholders with competing priorities.

•Act as a gatekeeper for the Head of Middle East, triaging meeting requests, queries, issues and complaints, redirecting appropriately while ensuring matters are dealt with effectively and without unnecessary involvement from the Head.

•Prepare agendas, attend meetings where the Head of Middle East is attending or chairing, take detailed notes and action logs, and proactively follow up with action owners to ensure completion within agreed timeframes.

•Attend additional meetings alongside or on behalf of the Head of Middle East where appropriate, independently managing follow‑up actions and keeping the Head fully briefed.

•Support the Head of Middle East with strategic and commercial decision‑making by proactively preparing briefing materials, summaries, background information and data to ensure decisions are well‑informed.

•Anticipate information requirements and liaise with Finance, BD, HR, Compliance and other Business Operations teams to ensure relevant input is available in advance of key meetings or decisions.

 

Travel, Logistics & Trip Optimisation

•Arrange end‑to‑end complex travel for the Head of Middle East, including multi‑destination international itineraries, coordination of different modes of transport, accommodation and airport transfers.

•Manage all visas, permits and travel documentation, ensuring sufficient lead time and compliance with jurisdiction‑specific requirements.

•Provide strategic input into travel planning, designing trips that maximise effectiveness by combining multiple objectives (client meetings, internal meetings, events and business development) into a single itinerary where possible.

•Liaise extensively with colleagues across offices and business functions to ensure a joined‑up firm approach and maximise the value of each trip.

•Remain flexible and responsive, managing last‑minute changes to travel and schedules calmly and efficiently when required.

•Prepare detailed post‑trip reports summarising meetings held, key outcomes, opportunities identified and agreed next steps, for circulation to relevant internal stakeholders.

•Ensure all follow‑up meetings and actions arising from travel are diarised promptly, tracked and progressed to completion.

 

Marketing / Business Development Support

•Manage speaking engagements and thought‑leadership commitments, including tracking article and submission deadlines, coordinating preparatory research, and drafting briefing materials such as panel questions or speaker scripts.

•Arrange and coordinate preparatory and briefing meetings in advance of panels, speaking slots or publications, ensuring the Head of Middle East is fully prepared.

•Liaise with the Knowledge team and other internal stakeholders to obtain research support and background material where required, to ensure contributions are accurate, relevant and high quality.

•Register the Head of Middle East for events when instructed and prepare comprehensive pre‑event briefings, including attendee information and engagement objectives, to maximise the value of attendance.

•Working with the Head of Middle East and Business Development teams to maintain up‑to‑date client target lists.

•Track and maintain updates on client target status, ensuring actions and deliverables assigned to relationship partners are followed up and progressed.

•Provide regular status updates to the Head of Middle East on progress, upcoming actions and any slippage against agreed objectives.

 

Billing, Finance & Expenses

•Manage the full monthly billing process for the Head of Middle East’s matters, maintaining detailed knowledge of client fee agreements, caps and billing arrangements.

•Prepare draft bills for approval, liaise with Finance as required, and issue final approved invoices to clients in their preferred format with appropriate covering correspondence.

•Manage client billing queries in coordination with Finance and the Head of Middle East.

•Maintain oversight of expense submissions for the Head of Middle East, including liaising directly with vendors (restaurants and transport providers etc) to obtain duplicate receipts or supporting documentation where receipts were not provided or have been misplaced.

•Ensure expenses are accurately described, correctly coded and supported by appropriate budget holder approval in line with firm policy.

•Proactively follow up with clients regarding outstanding invoices and payments, providing regular updates to the Head of Middle East and keeping the Billing and Finance teams fully informed of progress, issues or agreed payment timelines.

 

Performance & People Processes

•Support the Head of Middle East throughout the performance review process, ensuring review meetings are scheduled in line with firm‑wide deadlines.

•Prepare performance review meeting packs, ensuring all required documentation and financial data are available in advance.

•Proactively monitor and follow up to ensure reviewees complete required system inputs ahead of meetings.

•Attend performance review meetings to take detailed notes and assist the Head of Middle East during discussions.

•Support completion of post‑meeting evaluations, notes and system requirements, ensuring timely and accurate submission.

•Maintain oversight of outstanding actions arising from performance reviews.

•Maintain close and regular communication with HR throughout the performance review cycle, ensuring awareness of progress, confirming deadlines, understanding process or system changes, and ensuring all requirements are met accurately and on time.

 

CRM & Relationship Management

•Maintain and update the Head of Middle East’s contacts and relationship data in InterAction, ensuring activities, meetings and relationship notes are accurately recorded.

•Support the Head of Middle East in managing and maintaining effective working relationships with other law firms and referrers, supporting collaboration across jurisdictions.

•Track inbound and outbound referrals between the firm and external law firms, ensuring referrals are recorded accurately and progress is monitored.

•Support the Head of Middle East in ensuring referral relationships are actively maintained, with appropriate follow‑up on agreed actions and opportunities.

 

Recruitment & Business Operations Liaison

•Maintain oversight of Middle East recruitment activity, liaising with HR and providing regular updates to the Head of Middle East.

•Act as a key coordination point with Business Operations functions (HR, Finance, BD, Compliance, IT and Operations), ensuring strong communication, alignment and effective delivery of initiatives impacting the region.

•Establish regular Middle East Operations meetings, ensuring all Business Operations functions are kept informed, aligned and engaged on regional matters.

•Use these forums to share relevant knowledge or developments that may impact specific functions, agree deliverables, and capture upcoming activities, deadline changes and requirements that should be on the Head of Middle East’s radar.

•Ensure key outputs from Middle East Operations meetings are fed into agendas and briefing materials for wider Middle East leadership or team meetings, promoting alignment and proactive planning across the region.

 

Person Specification

•Proven experience as an Executive Assistant, Legal PA or similar role supporting a senior Partner or regional lead, ideally within an international law firm or professional services environment.

•Demonstrable experience managing complex diaries and multi‑time‑zone scheduling for senior stakeholders.

•Strong experience arranging complex international travel, including multi‑destination itineraries, visas and short‑notice changes.

•Experience supporting billing and financial processes, including preparation of draft bills, liaising with Finance and following up on client payments.

•Experience supporting people and performance review processes, including scheduling review meetings, preparing documentation and assisting with system requirements.

•Experience working closely with HR, Finance, BD, Compliance and other Business Operations teams, with the ability to coordinate and track actions effectively.

•Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

•Strong written and verbal communication skills, with confidence drafting correspondence and reports on behalf of a senior leader.

•Ability to exercise sound judgement, discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive matters.

•Proactive, flexible and resilient, with the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities.

•Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, with experience using practice management, CRM and expense management systems.

•Professional, client‑focused approach, with the confidence to liaise directly with senior internal stakeholders and clients.

•Fluent written and spoken English.

 

Benefits include (but are not limited to)

•Competitive salary (negotiable depending on experience)

•Premium international medical, dental, and optical insurance

•30 days of annual leave

•Employee Assistance Programme

 

Competencies

•Working together

•Integrity and respect

•Inclusive

•Personal impact and growth

•Driving high standards

•Commercial mindset

•Client - centric

•Responsible