Executive Assistant to Business Unit Head

Syneos Health® is a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization built to accelerate customer success. We translate unique clinical, medical affairs and commercial insights into outcomes to address modern market realities.

Every day we perform better because of how we work together, as one team, each the best at what we do. We bring a wide range of talented experts together across a wide range of business-critical services that support our business. Every role within Corporate is vital to furthering our vision of Shortening the Distance from Lab to Life®.

Discover what our 29,000 employees, across 110 countries already know.

WORK HERE MATTERS EVERYWHERE

Why Syneos Health

• We are passionate about developing our people, through career development and progression; supportive and engaged line management; technical and therapeutic area training; peer recognition and total rewards program.
• We are committed to our Total Self culture – where you can authentically be yourself. Our Total Self culture is what unites us globally, and we are dedicated to taking care of our people.
• We are continuously building the company we all want to work for and our customers want to work with. Why? Because when we bring together diversity of thoughts, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives – we’re able to create a place where everyone feels like they belong.

Job Responsibilities

Role Summary

The Executive Assistant (EA) to the Business Unit Head (BUH) is a trusted executive partner who provides comprehensive, high-level administrative and operational support in a fast-paced, complex, and highly visible environment. This role requires exceptional organizational capability, discretion, and judgment, combined with strong executive presence and a service-oriented mindset.

The EA acts as a central point of coordination for the BUH, enabling focus on strategic priorities by anticipating needs, resolving issues independently, and ensuring seamless execution of day-to-day and long-range activities. The role includes responsibility for executive administration, global meeting and event management, stakeholder coordination, and preparation of high-quality business materials.

The role is ideally UK-based to ensure maximum time-zone overlap and effective collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Executive & Administrative Support

• Provide comprehensive executive administrative support to the BUH and their direct reports, as needed.

• Proactively manage a complex and dynamic calendar, prioritizing meetings and ensuring optimal use of executive time.

• Coordinate domestic and international travel, including itineraries, logistics, and contingency planning.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, managing communications and meeting logistics as required.

• Manage delegation of approvals for timesheets, expenses, and other administrative workflows.

• Handle highly sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Meetings & Event Management

• Arrange, coordinate, and host large-scale global virtual meetings, including:

• Driving Microsoft Teams meetings

• Opening and closing calls

• Managing attendance records

• Fielding and coordinating Q&A

• Plan, coordinate, and deliver in-person meetings and events end-to-end, including logistics, venues, agendas, materials, and on-site coordination.

• Ensure meetings are well structured, professionally delivered, and aligned with executive objectives.

Business & Presentation Support

• Translates the BUH’s high-level direction, notes, and concepts into clear, concise, and executive-ready PowerPoint presentations aligned to standard formats and messaging.

• Synthesizes complex or unstructured input into well-organized, visually polished presentations suitable for senior leadership and external audiences.

• Collate updates and inputs from Therapeutic Area Heads (TAHs) and direct reports to support key business deliverables and status updates.

• Track and organize action items, follow-ups, and key outputs from leadership meetings.

Stakeholder & External Engagement

• Act as point of contact for external meeting attendance and coordination, representing leadership with professionalism and credibility.

• Build effective working relationships across senior leadership, direct reports, and global stakeholders.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.

• Proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to anticipate executive needs.

• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to manage confidential information.

• Confident communicator with polished executive presence.

• Demonstrated ability to operate calmly and effectively in high-pressure, fast-paced environments.

• Strong planning and coordination skills, particularly for complex global meetings and events.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, and other standard business tools.

Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience supporting senior leaders (Business Unit Head, SVP, EVP, or equivalent) in a complex, matrixed organization.

• Demonstrated experience managing executive calendars, travel, and high-profile meetings.

• Strong background in preparing executive-level presentations and business materials.

• Experience working in global organizations and across multiple time zones preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Trusted executive partner with a strong sense of accountability.

• Service-oriented mindset with a commitment to excellence.

• Professional, discreet, and credible ambassador for senior leadership.

• Able to work independently while maintaining close alignment with executive priorities.

Location

• UK-based preferred to ensure maximum time-zone overlap and effective collaboration.

Get to know Syneos Health

Over the past 5 years, we have worked with 94% of all Novel FDA Approved Drugs, 95% of EMA Authorized Products and over 200 Studies across 73,000 Sites and 675,000+ Trial patients.

No matter what your role is, you’ll take the initiative and challenge the status quo with us in a highly competitive and ever-changing environment. Learn more about Syneos Health.

Additional Information

Tasks, duties, and responsibilities as listed in this job description are not exhaustive. The Company, at its sole discretion and with no prior notice, may assign other tasks, duties, and job responsibilities. Equivalent experience, skills, and/or education will also be considered so qualifications of incumbents may differ from those listed in the Job Description. The Company, at its sole discretion, will determine what constitutes as equivalent to the qualifications described above. Further, nothing contained herein should be construed to create an employment contract. Occasionally, required skills/experiences for jobs are expressed in brief terms. Any language contained herein is intended to fully comply with all obligations imposed by the legislation of each country in which it operates, including the implementation of the EU Equality Directive, in relation to the recruitment and employment of its employees. The Company is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, when appropriate, to assist employees or applicants to perform the essential functions of the job.