Executive Assistant Office Manager

Executive Assistant & Office Manager

AI Research Start-Up | Central London | £50,000–£75,000

Working pattern: Predominantly office-based; 4 days in the office with 1 day WFH potentially considered

Hours: 9am–5pm, with occasional flexibility around events and deadlines.

An exceptional opportunity to join an ambitious AI research start-up at an exciting stage of its growth.

We are working with a cutting-edge AI research company that is building the next generation of artificial intelligence technology. Their work focuses on fundamental AI research with the ambition of developing breakthrough algorithms that can accelerate scientific discovery and, ultimately, help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges.

This is a genuinely exciting time to join. The business is still at start-up stage, with a small, exceptionally bright team spanning computer science, machine learning, psychology, neuroscience and physics, but it is growing quickly. The culture is highly collaborative, autonomous and low-ego, with everyone encouraged to take ownership and contribute beyond the confines of their job description.

As the company continues to scale, they are now looking for an outstanding Executive Assistant & Office Manager to become a key part of the business. This is a true dual role: you will provide high-level support to the company's two founders while also taking ownership of the day-to-day running and development of their Central London Clerkenwell office.

The role

Working closely with both founders, you'll become the person who helps keep their working lives and the wider office, running seamlessly.

On the EA side, you'll manage busy and changing diaries, coordinate meetings, protect the founders' time, manage correspondence and follow-ups, arrange international and domestic travel, process expenses and generally stay one step ahead of what needs to happen next. Alongside this, you'll take genuine ownership of office and workplace operations. You'll ensure the office is organised, welcoming and functioning brilliantly, managing everything from suppliers, catering, utilities and internet services through to building management and external service providers.

As the business grows, its workplace requirements will evolve too, so previous exposure to office leasing, subleasing, office moves or property/workplace projects would be particularly desirable. You'll be involved in liaising with sublease tenants and coordinating the search for and onboarding of new tenants, so someone comfortable dealing with agents, landlords, suppliers and practical office matters would be a real asset.

What you'll be doing

• Supporting two founders with complex diary management, meetings, correspondence and priorities
• Acting as a gatekeeper while ensuring important actions don't fall through the cracks
• Coordinating domestic and international travel and producing clear itineraries
• Taking complete day-to-day ownership of the Central London office
• Managing suppliers, contractors, building management, catering, utilities and workplace requirements
• Supporting office leasing/subleasing activity and coordinating potential tenants
• Creating better systems and processes as the company scales
• Supporting employee onboarding, offboarding and basic People administration
• Maintaining contracts, employee records and confidential documentation
• Helping coordinate visa sponsorship administration for international researchers
• Supporting research gatherings, community events and conferences, including venues, suppliers, invitations and attendee communications
• Using AI and modern technology to make the business work smarter, automating repetitive administration and improving workflows wherever possible.

Who we're looking for

This business isn't looking for someone who needs a rigid job description or waits to be told what to do.

You'll need to be bright, proactive, highly organised and resourceful, with excellent judgement and the confidence to work things out for yourself.

There is no hierarchy around tasks. The right person will be equally comfortable supporting two highly intelligent founders and rolling their sleeves up to sort out whatever practical issue needs attention in the office.

Experience within AI, technology, scientific research or another fast-growth start-up environment would be particularly attractive, although it isn't essential. Experience supporting founders or senior executives alongside office management/operations would also be highly relevant.

Why join?

This isn't an opportunity to simply become another EA within a large corporate organisation.

You'll be joining a small AI start-up on an exciting growth journey, working directly alongside its founders and some exceptionally talented researchers.

You'll have visibility across the whole business and the opportunity to make a noticeable impact on how the company operates as it scales.

If you love the energy of a start-up, enjoy creating order in a fast-moving environment and want to work at the heart of an ambitious business doing genuinely exciting work in AI, we'd love to hear from you.