PA To Director - Next Sourcing
Leicester, England, United Kingdom Full-time Posted 1 week ago
Job Description
Working Pattern: Typically 5 days in office, with core hours flexible between 8am-6pm.
The Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Next Sourcing team for a Personal Assistant to provide exceptional, high-level support to our Director.
Operating in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will be the backbone of the department, keeping our leadership organised, efficient, and focused. You will work closely with stakeholders at all levels across the business, as well as providing essential cover for CEO and Main Board PA duties when required.
Next is the biggest fashion and lifestyle retailer within the UK & Europe’s largest online clothing retailer. With over 500 stores in the UK (representing 8.3 million square feet of retail space) and around 45,000 employees, our brand is highly trusted. We serve 8 million digital customers across 72 countries, selling 280 million products each year—all while ensuring everything we do represents genuine value for money.
What You’ll Take On
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa .
We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
About Us
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
About The Team
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
Working Pattern: Typically 5 days in office, with core hours flexible between 8am-6pm.
The Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Next Sourcing team for a Personal Assistant to provide exceptional, high-level support to our Director.
Operating in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will be the backbone of the department, keeping our leadership organised, efficient, and focused. You will work closely with stakeholders at all levels across the business, as well as providing essential cover for CEO and Main Board PA duties when required.
Next is the biggest fashion and lifestyle retailer within the UK & Europe’s largest online clothing retailer. With over 500 stores in the UK (representing 8.3 million square feet of retail space) and around 45,000 employees, our brand is highly trusted. We serve 8 million digital customers across 72 countries, selling 280 million products each year—all while ensuring everything we do represents genuine value for money.
What You’ll Take On
- Manage Calendars & Communications: Oversee the Director’s diary, manage their inbox, screen calls, and handle daily correspondence efficiently.
- Coordinate Meetings & Board Support: Organise high-level meetings, capture accurate minutes and actions, and provide seamless cover for CEO/Main Board PA duties as needed.
- Handle Systems & Administration: Manage and approve requests through NEXT systems (including NEP, FCM, Service Now, NIA, and Concur) with absolute discretion.
- Deliver Personal Support: Assist the Director with personal arrangements, including travel, healthcare, expenses, and hospitality.
- Lead Event Coordination: Plan and execute onsite/offsite meetings, away days, and annual focus events, including venue liaison and budget management.
- Oversee Budgets & Reporting: Monitor department budgets, manage cost centre reports, recharges, and maintain the department Gift Register and NSOB process.
- Support HR & Departmental Processes: Coordinate vacancies, manage budget approvals, maintain the 9-box grid, oversee work experience placements, and keep critical path and risk registers updated.
- Run the Office Smoothly: Act as the main point of contact for the department, maintain meeting rooms, order supplies, and manage the physical office space.
- Senior PA Experience: Proven track record of supporting senior leadership within a fast-paced, corporate environment.
- Discretion & Integrity: A deep understanding of confidentiality, with the ability to handle highly sensitive data with complete professionalism.
- Tech Savviness: Strong PC literacy, with specific expertise in Google/G Suite and the ability to quickly adapt to internal management systems.
- Calm Under Pressure: An assertive, composed, and controlled demeanor when managing competing priorities and tight deadlines.
- Exceptional Organisation: Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy in everything you do, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
- Strong Relationship Building: Outstanding communication skills, with a diplomatic and tactful approach to collaborating with stakeholders at all levels.
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa .
We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
About Us
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
About The Team
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Profit-related bonus - based on company performance
- Private health insurance- surgery choices
- Sharesave scheme - make savings from your net pay to buy NEXT shares at a discount
- Pension - fixed contribution rates from both an employer and employee perspective, but you're also able to make additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) if you wish to save more.
- 25% staff discount on most NEXT products - plus discount on other products
- Wagestream - helping you make the most out of your money
- Salary finance - offers access to affordable loans repaid through salary, simple savings and free financial education.
- Life assurance
- Direct to work - NEXT orders delivered free to the office for collection
- VIP sale - early access to the NEXT sale
- Access to NEXT staff shops
- Octopus energy - like cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles
- Free parking (excluding London locations)
- Travel2NEXT - bus services dependent on location
- On site dining facilities (excluding London locations)
- National and local discounts on goods and services - this includes things like discounted cinema tickets
- Wellhub - includes access to discounted gym membership
- Simply health - a healthcare subscription service
- Aviva Digicare Workplace+ healthcare service - 7 Free services including Digital GP appointments and an annual health check.
- Onsite GP - Leicester Head Office
- Onsite Physio - Leicester Head Office
- A range of dedicated 3rd party wellbeing partners
- Free eye testing - voucher to use at specific locations
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
