Chief of Staff

We are looking for a Chief of Staff who will sit at the centre of the business and its wider family office structure, working directly with the two principals (husband and wife) and senior team on the matters that keep the group and its associated entities running: people, legal, commercial, property and operations. This is a busy and interesting role where some overseas travel to visit the properties now and again will be required (3 - 4 times a year)

The most important aspect of the role is the property management of 7 residential properties, their upkeep and rental availability. They are very unusual and interesting properties to be let to HNW & UHNW individuals. Budget management is key to this endeavour and you will have to costs and efficiency capability, able to run a tight ship and be motivated and results driven.

This is a hands-on role for someone who is comfortable moving between a contract negotiation, a difficult HR conversation and a property issue in the same afternoon, and who takes ownership of problems through to resolution rather than passing them on.

The role also covers a not for profit arts space in Central London and a portfolio of private properties managed on behalf of the principals, including short term rental properties in the UK and overseas.

The role will include:

People & HR - Assisting with HR matters across the group, including recruitment, probation, performance and capability processes, disciplinary matters, and terminations. - Significant experience in this area is required. - Draft and manage employment documentation: contracts, letters, policies, and procedures, keeping everything defensible and in plain language. - Advise senior team and principals on people decisions, including sensitive or high profile situations, and manage and maintain third-party relationships with external advisors

Operational leadership - Oversee staffing and day to day operational management across the group's commercial sites, including offices, studios and gallery, working with departmental heads to keep each site running. - Lead private household and estate teams across the principals' UK and international residences, including estate managers, housekeepers, and wider support staff. - Build and lead new teams as ventures, sites or properties come online, from initial staffing plans through to ongoing management.

Legal and commercial - Review and negotiate commercial leases, licences and contracts across the group's properties and productions - Draft and review NDAs, engagement letters, and other production and business documentation - Manage commercial arrangements with contractors and suppliers Lead the setup of new business entities and associated infrastructure - Handle data protection and compliance matters

Property and Operations - Manage a portfolio of UK and international properties on behalf of the principals, including short-term rental set-up, agency relationships, pricing and insurance. - Manage residential and commercial property acquisitions, including sourcing, due diligence, negotiation and transaction management. - Project manage refurbishment and works programmes, from concept through to contractor procurement, budget control and delivery. - Resolve day-to-day property issues across UK and overseas properties as they arise.

Chief of Staff function - Act as a trusted advisor to the principals and senior leadership, with visibility across the group's businesses and ventures -. Coordinate across the group and the family office structure, ensuring consistency of approach and documentation. - Provide oversight and organisational support across the principals' private and business interests. - Support the family's charitable interests, including funding proposals. - Take on ad hoc projects and problems as they arise, working out the right approach where none yet exists

What we are looking for - Significant experience in a Chief of Staff role with excellent hands-on property experience, or similar generalist role. - Comfortable working directly with owners and principals, including on sensitive and high-stakes matters. - Plain-spoken, direct communication style, with a strong eye for detail. - Sound commercial and legal judgement, with the confidence to negotiate and to know when to bring in external advice -. Track record of building and managing teams across a mix of domestic and commercial settings - Interest in or exposure to the arts, entertainment or creative industries is a plus but not essential. - Coming from a Family Office or supporting multiple - Family Offices or a UHNW with multiple business interests and a high level of property experience is ideal. - Discreet, hands-on and comfortable with variety and ambiguity.

The role will be split across two Central London sites.

Always interesting and usually fast paced you will have a cv demonstrating a wide remit of skills including wide residential property experience is essential for this role.