Location: London, UK
Salary: £130,000-£150,000 base p.a. + discretionary bonus
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Working Pattern: In-office, five days per week
Reporting To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Education: Degree essential
Start Date: As soon as possible
Overview
Oplu is leading a confidential search for an experienced Hedge Fund Executive Assistant to a Chief Operating Officer at a leading London-based hedge fund.
This is a senior, high-discretion EA seat with a base salary of £130,000-£150,000 plus discretionary bonus. The role is office-based five days per week and requires a proven, degree-educated Executive Assistant who is calm, organised, highly discreet and confident operating at leadership level.
The remit spans complex diary management, international travel, expenses, meeting coordination, documentation, project support, light research, inbox management and discreet personal administration. Private matters are a meaningful part of the position, including coordination with the House Manager and relevant household contacts where required.
Candidates with prior EA experience in hedge funds, investment management, private banking, private equity, family office, professional services or top-tier corporate environments will be considered. Finance experience is preferred, but not essential.
The Opportunity
This is a senior support role at firm-leadership level. The COO plays a hands-on role with investors, partners and the broader leadership team, and requires a commercially astute, emotionally intelligent EA who can provide seamless, proactive support across all business activities.
The successful candidate will run the diary cleanly, handle travel and expenses without prompts, document and follow up on actions, and keep the day moving with calm precision. They will act decisively when the COO is unavailable, anticipating needs and representing the COO with sound judgement.
The role covers the classic Executive Assistant remit alongside project planning support, light research, writing-heavy administrative output, adoption of modern productivity and AI tools, and discreet personal administration. All of it must be delivered at pace, with the judgement and confidentiality expected in a high-performing hedge fund environment.
Personal-side coordination is a real part of the role. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between institutional priorities, private administration and household-related matters without losing rhythm. This may include liaising with the House Manager, external advisors, suppliers and personal contacts on behalf of the principal.
International coordination across time zones is an everyday part of the job. Familiarity with the rhythm of a fund, investment management firm or private office is a clear advantage, but Oplu will also consider experienced senior EAs from adjacent settings who can demonstrate the temperament, writing ability and judgement the role requires.
Who this role suits
This role is best suited to a career Executive Assistant who has already supported at senior leadership level. Prior experience in a hedge fund, investment management firm, private equity firm, private bank, family office, professional services or demanding private office environment would be highly relevant.
The client will also consider a polished private PA or hybrid EA/PA who is comfortable managing both professional and discreet personal administration, including coordination with household staff or a House Manager where required.
This is not a step-up role. The successful candidate must already understand the standards, pace and discretion required when supporting a senior principal in a high-trust environment.
Key Responsibilities
Diary, travel and expenses
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Manage a complex diary across multiple time zones, including internal and external meetings, with full context added to appointments.
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Coordinate domestic and international travel, including flights, transfers, accommodation, visa coordination with consultants and on-trip support.
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Process expenses, reconcile receipts and invoices, and manage multi-jurisdiction items.
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Coordinate with internal colleagues across the firm’s international footprint.
Meetings, documentation and project support
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Schedule internal and external meetings, prepare materials and ensure timely follow-up.
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Liaise with investors, partners and the broader leadership team on the COO’s behalf as required.
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Document minutes and log action points across meetings.
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Assist with project planning and execution alongside the wider team.
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Document workstreams and answer administrative queries on behalf of senior management.
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Support light research and writing-heavy administrative work where required.
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Explore and apply AI tools and productivity technology to streamline administrative workflows.
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Anticipate needs and represent the COO with sound judgement when they are unavailable.
Communications, private matters and household coordination
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Manage inbox flow, prioritise correspondence and draft routine and bespoke replies.
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Coordinate discreet personal administration alongside the professional remit.
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Liaise with the House Manager on household-related matters where required.
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Coordinate appointments, reservations, errands, suppliers, deliveries and other private administration with discretion.
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Liaise with external advisors and personal contacts on behalf of the principal where required.
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Maintain absolute confidentiality across professional, private and household matters.
Team and process
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Work closely with the wider admin team to learn and embed processes.
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Build a clear understanding of the business, the people and the support relationships across the firm.
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Contribute to a calm, precise and highly organised support function.
Requirements
Must-haves
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Proven Executive Assistant experience at senior level. This is not a step-up role.
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Degree-educated. This is a hard requirement.
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Excellent diary, travel and expense management.
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Native-level English fluency, spoken and written. Writing well is a real asset in this seat.
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Excellent interpersonal skills with the gravitas to communicate credibly with investors, partners and senior leadership.
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A dry sense of humour and the ability not to take yourself too seriously.
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Strong problem-solving and the ability to use initiative.
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High EQ, with the judgement to know what to say, write or do to the right person at the right time.
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Discreet, dependable and comfortable with confidential information.
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Comfortable handling both professional and private matters with the same level of rigour.
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Strong Microsoft Office and Google Workspace fluency.
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Right to live and work in the UK.
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Willing and able to work in-office five days per week.
Strong advantage
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Prior EA experience in a hedge fund, investment manager, private equity firm, private bank or family office.
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Experience supporting principals whose remit blends institutional, private and household interests.
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Experience liaising with household staff, a House Manager, external advisors or private suppliers.
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Comfort with AI tools and mainstream productivity technology. Curiosity about applying them to administrative workflows welcomed.
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Project management exposure, including planning, tracking and follow-up.
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Familiarity with buy-side compliance protocols, including gifts and hospitality logging and restricted communications.
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Interest in technology or programming. Mechanical sympathy and technical curiosity are welcomed, even from non-technical hires.
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Multi-region working experience, coordinating across time zones with global teams.
Preferred background
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Career EA with a genuine long-term interest in the role, not a stepping stone into operations or front office.
Why this role
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Top-of-market base salary with discretionary bonus.
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Senior hedge fund EA role supporting the Chief Operating Officer at firm-leadership level.
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A varied Executive Assistant position that goes beyond classic admin into project execution, research support, private administration and household coordination.
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Exposure to investors, partners and the broader firm leadership team.
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In-office culture, five days per week. Real desk presence with the team.
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Opportunity to work in a high-performing, discreet and intellectually sharp environment.
About Oplu
Oplu is the executive search partner of choice for principals, family offices, financial services firms and luxury brands. We place senior support and right-hand appointments with the discretion and rigour these environments demand.
Application Process
Apply via the form on this page. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion.