Secretary jobs in Oxfordshire

Location: Oxford, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Thales Alenia Space (TAS) UK is a key player in global space activities – from propulsion and defence space systems to radar, Earth observation, and orbital infrastructure for civil, military, and institutional customers. Our UK teams in Harwell and Bristol are world-leading in propulsion and defence space, delivering technology that keeps nations safer and pushes the boundaries of exploration.

We’re looking for a proactive, discreet, and highly organised Personal Assistant to the CEO to be the operational backbone of our UK leadership – ensuring the CEO’s time is maximised, our offices run smoothly, and our culture thrives across sites.

Location: Harwell, Oxfordshire

Contract: 18 months Fixed term contract

What you’ll do

CEO Executive Support

• Own the CEO’s diary end-to-end: schedule internal/external meetings, anticipate priorities, and follow up to drive actions to completion.

• Manage complex travel and logistics via Concur (flights, hotels, itineraries, visas) in line with TAS travel policy.

• Handle expenses reconciliation, credit card statements, and raise purchase orders.

• Produce high-quality documents and presentations in MS Office (letters, emails, townhall slide decks, leadership packs).

• Operate with absolute discretion and confidentiality as a trusted gatekeeper to the CEO.

Office Management & Operations (Harwell & Bristol)

• Oversee day-to-day office management at Harwell (and support Bristol), creating a seamless, welcoming, and efficient environment.

• Build strong stakeholder relationships with Mitie (Facilities/Front of House), Harwell Campus Management, Thales UK, HSE/Real Estate/Insurance.

• Hold key-holder responsibilities and travel between sites as needed (driving licence or reliable travel required).

• Maintain the Admin Public drive and robust processes to avoid single points of failure.

Meetings, Committees & Leadership Enablement

• Run end-to-end meeting support for the Strategic Leadership Team and committees (People Forum, Events Committee, Monthly Management & Performance Reviews): agendas, minutes, actions, room/venue booking.

• Prepare PowerPoint decks (e.g., monthly townhalls) and support major projects and regular leadership meetings.

• Maintain the Leadership Team leave calendar and support onboarding of new starters with local induction packs.

Culture, Comms & Tools

• Champion local culture initiatives on site and promote an inclusive working environment.

• Act as super user/champion for company tools: Concur, Tribelloo, Rewards & Recognition Portal, E-Reception, Teams channels, Viva Engage; manage delegate/editor access for CEO and support “Sagittarius initiatives.”

• Manage Teams and Viva Engage channels; send process updates, reminders, and alerts.

• Provide cover for other EAs/PAs during absences.

What you’ll bring

• Proven experience as a Personal/Executive Assistant supporting C-suite or senior leaders in a fast-paced, confidential environment.

• Advanced MS Office 365 skills – especially Excel (formulas, merging, adapting spreadsheets), Word, and PowerPoint (polished presentations).

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English, Science, and Maths (minimum).

• Exceptional attention to detail, written communication, and stakeholder management across multi-site teams.

• A proactive, problem-solving mindset – decisive, assertive, and comfortable in a demanding environment.

• Exposure to budget management and a passion for continuous improvement.

• Commitment to inclusion, service excellence, and personal development (ULearn/eLearning).

• Driving licence (or ability to travel regularly between Harwell and Bristol).

Why TAS UK?

• Work at the heart of the UK’s space and defence ecosystem, with real impact on national resilience and cutting-edge missions (e.g., ESA’s LISA gravitational-wave observatory).

• Flexible working options (part-time, job share, flexed start/finish, home working where possible).

• A collaborative PA/EA community across TAS and Thales UK, with cover, learning, and growth opportunities.

• A culture that values clarity, planning, delivery, sharing, and continuous improvement.

Ready to apply?

If you’re the kind of PA who thrives as a true right-hand to the CEO – and loves making complex operations look effortless – we’d love to hear from you. Please apply via the link below with your CV and a short note on how you’ve improved office efficiency in a previous role.

Security Clearance Requirement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a Non-ITAR country may be considered. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

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