Business Support Manager

The Business Manager provides high‑level, proactive, and comprehensive support to the Executive Director for Customer, ensuring they can operate effectively across a complex, high‑profile portfolio. This role is essential in managing competing priorities, supporting governance processes, and ensuring strategic alignment across the directorate. You will manage the Executive Director's diary and workload, handle high‑profile correspondence, and provide executive support, including preparing briefings and reports.

You will also support diary management for two additional Corporate Directors. This is a dynamic role that requires excellent organisation, communication, and problem‑solving skills, as well as the ability to anticipate and respond to challenges in a fast‑paced environment.

• Provide high‑quality executive assistant support, including secretarial and administrative services.
• Proactively manage the Executive Director's diary, anticipating needs and responding to changing priorities.
• Oversee and manage correspondence, including filtering and prioritising emails, calls, and meeting requests.
• Respond to correspondence on behalf of the Executive Director, ensuring timely and professional communication.
• Ensure the Executive Director is fully prepared for meetings and commitments, commissioning and preparing briefings where required.
• Manage the diaries for two direct reports of the Exec Director.
• Track actions from key meetings, ensuring follow‑ups are completed and escalating issues where necessary.
• Produce high‑quality reports and documents using the full Microsoft Office suite.
• Act as a key liaison between the Executive Director and senior internal and external stakeholders, including government, regulators, and industry partners.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination across teams, supporting engagement and alignment.
• Use initiative, diplomacy, and tact to handle issues, escalating as appropriate.

• Extensive experience in a senior PA/Executive Assistant role, including complex diary management and arranging meetings.
• Experience attending management meetings to record and chase actions, including preparation of agendas.
• Proficiency in using a wide range of IT office systems, with excellent PowerPoint skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and support cross‑functional initiatives.
• Experience of supporting an Executive Director or equivalent senior leader.

• Taking initiative and being proactive to find solutions to problems and improve office efficiency.
• A strong and enthusiastic work ethic, with a focus on delivering results.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills, able to manage competing priorities.
• Excellent IT skills, particularly proficiency with Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Maintaining confidentiality and a high level of discretion and sensitivity in all matters.
• Attention to detail in all tasks, ensuring high standards.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, under pressure, while maintaining quality.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with executive and non‑executive directors, senior staff, and stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to rapidly build relationships and gain the confidence of others.

• Caring
• Connecting
• Transforming

At MaPS, we take pride in our flexible approach to work. As standard, we work on a hybrid basis with a minimum of 2 days in the office per month. Hybrid working is a voluntary, non‑contractual arrangement and our headquarters in Bedford will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business needs, but personal and other relevant circumstances will also be considered.

If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

We actively encourage and support applications from our…