Personal Assistant - Buying & Merchandising -12-month FTC

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or working remotely 

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

A Personal Assistant (PA) is a high-profile role in which you will be responsible for providing key administrative support to the Selfridges Buying and Merchandising (B&M) function to ensure efficient and effective workflow in the department. You will build, maintain and ensure the widespread use of efficient systems of working within a fast paced and often challenging environment and support the Buying and Merchandising Directors with diary management and administration. ​

You will play a key role in supporting the control of expenditure and will liaise with key stakeholders on a regular basis. As PA to our Buying Directors, you will help to ensure Selfridges maintains its world-class reputation and environment by ensuring each of our directors have the highest level of support to perform their key roles within the business. 

As Personal Assistant you will:​

• Effectively manage the diaries for five Buying and Merchandising Directors - scheduling appointments, meetings​
• Ensure the B&M team are equipped with the necessary information and resources to meet their obligations​
• Act as the gatekeeper for the B&M Directors in terms of access to them, interfacing with key internal and external stakeholders​
• Compile travel itineraries and arrange travel and accommodation requirements​ for the Directors and senior members of the Buying and Merchandising team, particularly for key calendar events, buying appointments, fashion week
• Understand the responsibilities of the B&M directors by regularly monitoring their mailboxes and responding to relevant requests on their behalf​
• Oversee the smooth running of the B&M offices, which includes but is not limited to being a point of contact for all key stakeholders, sorting and actioning incoming and outgoing office mail, and handling ad hoc queries from all areas of the business.​
• Action the Senior B&M teams’ expenses through correct process to ensure speedy payment​
• Your assistance may also be required for ad-hoc off-sites, events and visits from VIP guests​ and external partners

The Ideal Candidate

• Experienced. As an experienced and forward-thinking PA, you will have a background working in a fast-paced demanding environment, ideally in the retail and fashion industry. You will have experience managing diaries and travel bookings for multiple people at a time, specifically at senior level.​
• Proficient with the entire MS Suite
• Resilient and able to manage a heavy workload
• Experience with supporting with travel itinerary’s and supporting teams across different time zones
• You will have an excellent track record of building and maintaining strong working relationships. Your interpersonal skills will ensure you have the ability to communicate with individuals across all levels of the business, especially at Exec
• You will also possess excellent writing skills in order to communicate effectively via email and produce high quality correspondence​
• Focused and systematic, you will have the ability to manage and prioritise multiple demands. You will effectively manage your time between completing any ad hoc requests and fulfilling your normal day-to-day responsibilities. Your excellent attention-to-detail and organisational capability will ensure you respond to B&M Directors requests accurately and efficiently.​
• Your high level of resilience and ability to remain calm under pressure will enable you to deal with ambiguity as well as work effectively within certain constraints and timelines. You will operate proactively and be able to anticipate relevant issues before they arise. Your flexibility will also allow you to be responsive in situations that may change unexpectedly.​
• You will be professional and discrete in your use and management of highly sensitive and confidential information.​
• Resilient and resourceful with a strong ‘can do’ attitude and strong focus on delivery​
• An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges