Executive Assistant to Team Principal, McLaren Endurance Racing

At McLaren Racing, we’re not just here to try to take the chequered flag. We’re here to excite our fans, inspire our people and deliver for our partners. And we’re also committed to evolving our sport, our industry, and our technology, too

We have an incredible history in endurance racing, securing a legendary 1995 win at Le Mans at the first attempt, and are the only team to have won the prestigious Triple Crown: winning the Monaco GP, the Indy500 and the 24hr Le Mans in the same year.

From 2027, we’ll once again be the only team in the history of motorsports to be competing in the top three racing series, and we’re excited to be building our team.

Purpose of the Role:

The Executive Assistant will enhance the effectiveness of the Team Principal, McLaren Endurance Racing by ensuring their working days run as efficiently as possible, allowing them to focus on the bigger picture, driving our team vision and performance while ensuring that day-to-day operations align with overall strategic goals.

The role requires a proactive, detail-oriented individual with exceptional organisational and communication skills and solid business acumen. The successful candidate will support the Team Principal through enabling effective decision-making, project oversight, and stakeholder coordination and acting as a crucial communication link with the wider McLaren Racing organisation. 

Principal Accountabilities:

Operational excellence:

• Support and prioritise the Team Principal’s schedule and tasks, and handle day-to-day administrative responsibilities, including co-ordinating professional responses to visitors and enquiries, allowing them to focus on high-level strategic activity.

• Provide coordinated and proactive diary management for them, and for other members of the WEC senior leadership team from time to time.

• Manage extensive travel logistics across race series and multiple time zones, together with general business travel such as media and commercial events.

• Ensure the Team Principal is well-prepared for meetings which includes gathering relevant information, creating agendas, taking minutes, and summarising key points. Follow up and ensure that meeting actions are defined and managed.

• Follow administrative systems/processes to support the operation of the business, including assistance with sign off requirements and coordination

• Work closely with WEC Finance Business Partner on routine tasks including monthly expense reconciliation.

• Working as part of the team to assist at events including schedule management, stakeholder coordination, preparation of invites and information documentation, managing attendees, distributing tickets and assisting with other miscellaneous duties at the events.
  
  

Project Management:

• Help translate the Team Principal’s vision into actionable plans, monitoring their execution and providing updates.

• Management of internal and external events and projects, including car launch, charitable fundraisers, team socials and other confidential projects on behalf of the leadership team.
  
  

Reporting:

• Management of the team’s reporting process, ensuring all reporting is up to date, accurate and relevant.

• Prepare comprehensive reports, dashboards, and presentations for the Team Principal and leadership team. Ensure board reports are completed and reviewed in good time ahead of deadlines.

• Help identify trends and/or solve operational problems, ensuring that the leadership team is aware of potential issues before they escalate.
  
  

Communication and Liaison:

• Serve as a point of contact between the Team Principal and internal/external stakeholders.

• Act as a bridge between the Team Principal and other departments, facilitating clear and consistent communication, helping to mitigate misunderstandings and ensure alignment.

• Help manage relationships with key stakeholders, including board members, suppliers and partners, ensuring that communications are smooth, and objectives are met.

• Coordinate and manage meetings and communication with media, partners and other external parties.

• Maintain strong working relationships with McLaren Racing teams and other business functions.

Leadership and Culture:

• Help to foster and maintain a positive culture by ensuring that the Team Principal’s values and vision are communicated and role modelled throughout the McLaren Endurance Racing department.

• Lead on the delivery for internal team events such as All Hands, Townhalls and SLT offsites, working in close collaboration with the leadership team and other relevant team members.

• When required, help to navigate and manage unexpected challenges that occur due to the dynamic nature of our business.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience as an Executive Assistant in a high performance, fast paced organisation, supporting at C-Suite level.

• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to multitask, prioritize and build authentic relationships swiftly.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

• Solid commercial and financial acumen.

• Able to use MS Office to a high standard, and comfortable with use of other digital/IT packages.

Personal Attributes:

• Proactive: Takes initiative, approaches situations without prompting to resolve issues or improve processes. Anticipates the needs of the Team Principal and leadership team.

• Attention to Detail: Ensures accuracy and thoroughness in all aspects of work.

• Problem-Solving: Identifies issues and develops effective solutions.

• Interpersonal Skills: Builds strong relationships and works collaboratively with others.

• Credible: can demonstrate trust and respect through conversations, advising or leading others.

• Adaptability: Adjusts to changing priorities and handles multiple tasks simultaneously.

• Resilient: Effective and unflustered under pressure, and able to prioritise a demanding workload.

• Confidentiality: Maintains strict confidentiality, integrity, and exercises discretion in handling sensitive information.

• Continuous improvement mindset: Comfortable challenging working practices or priorities where improvements can be made.

• High standards: Proven experience of delivering high quality work within a short timeframe.

• Flexible: Can be flexible to provide support at often unsociable hours, including evenings and weekends. Able to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.

What can McLaren offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Here at McLaren, we offer hybrid working with 3 days a week based in the MTC.

Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.