New era, new right hands: United and Spurs search for CEO assistants
As two of England’s biggest clubs rebuild from the top down, the hunt begins for elite executive support.
Want to work with two of the Premier League’s most influential figures? Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are hiring.
The English powerhouses are looking for assistants to their Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). Both roles were posted in early May.
The Asterisk takes a look at the CEOs and outlines the job requirements to aid their work.
Tottenham Hotspur
In April, Tottenham Hotspur surprised North London with the announcement of Vinai Venkatesham as the club’s new CEO.
Venkatesham served as CEO for nearly four years during his 15-year tenure at heated rivals Arsenal, and left the role in July 2024.
“We are delighted to announce that Vinai Venkatesham will be joining the Club’s Board as Chief Executive Officer in the summer,” the club said in a statement. “Vinai brings expertise in both sporting and commercial operations, having previously served as the CEO at Arsenal Football Club.”
Venkatesham has a rich background in the sports industry. From serving as a Commercial Manager at the 2012 London Olympics to taking on multiple roles across top European footballing bodies such as The Football Association (FA), UEFA, and the European Club Association (ECA), the University of Oxford graduate was a highly sought-after name following his departure from Arsenal.
The former strategy consultant at Deloitte took to LinkedIn to advertise the role.
What does the role entail?
According to the club, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the incoming CEO will be: “Responsible for managing a complex and changeable diary, arranging travel with detailed itineraries, comfortable interacting with senior guests, and ensuring seamless support across team functions.”
“This role suits an individual who is team-oriented, solutions-focused, and excited to work in a collaborative environment within the sports industry or a fast-paced environment.”
The club outlined key responsibilities for the role.
Diary management: Coordinate and stay on top of frequently changing schedules for CEO.
Coordinating, minute taking and logging actions for meetings as required, with appropriate follow-up.
Travel arrangements: Organise travel, including visa applications, airport transfers, accommodation, and restaurant bookings, and produce detailed itineraries.
Guest and visitor management: Welcome guests, set up meeting rooms, and arrange hospitality as needed.
Expenses management: Process expenses, raise purchase orders, and handle financial administration.
Ad hoc administrative support: Provide additional administrative support as required.
Event support: Assist with planning and managing meetings and events, including logistics and execution.
Additional duties include supporting other allocated senior executives at the club as required.
What is Tottenham Hotspur looking for?
Experience: Significant experience in a Personal Assistant role operating at C-Suite/Board level, with a strong focus on diary management and travel coordination.
Industry background: Experience within the sports/entertainment industry or a fast-paced environment.
Attributes: Team-oriented, with the ability to multitask and prioritise effectively.
Skills: Excellent communication, organisational abilities, and attention to detail. Able to work in a confidential and professional manner. Experienced in Microsoft Office applications.
High attention to detail and highly organised.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Solutions focused, identifying problems early and responding promptly.
Confident in asserting challenges and resolving conflict constructively.
Motivated and credible, developing strong collaborative relations and gaining trust.
A team player, covering for other PA absences/holidays as required.
Positive and flexible attitude, acting as a positive representative of the CEO to both internal and external audience.
Able to deal with confidential matters with utmost discretion and integrity
Manchester United
Up in the North of England, Manchester United is also seeking an employee in a similar capacity, albeit under a different and a more attractive title.
The ‘Executive Assistant to CEO and Head of Executive Support’ role, based in Manchester, has been up for a week. The duties are primarily linked to supporting club CEO Omar Berrada.
The Frenchman assumed the role in July 2024. By bringing Berrada on board, the Red Devils aimed to make a statement under new co-owners INEOS.
Like Venkatesham, Berrada also moved from one of the club’s fiercest rivals. He was a long-serving executive at Manchester City and was promoted to the parent company, City Football Group’s (CFG) Chief Football Operations Officer in September 2020, where he oversaw the operations of 11 football clubs.
“It is our stated ambition to re-establish Manchester United as a title-winning club. We are pleased that Omar will be joining us to help achieve that goal, so that, once again, United fans can see, in the words of Sir Matt Busby, the red flag flying high at the summit of English, European and world football,” the club said in a statement.
At Manchester City, Berrada worked alongside Ferran Soriano, CEO of CFG, and Txiki Begiristain, who served as Director of Football and departed at the end of last season.
The trio have been credited with Manchester City’s sporting success and were also instrumental in Barcelona’s glory years under Pep Guardiola.
Berrada’s previous roles include Head of Sponsorship at Barcelona and Board Member on the FA’s Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship boards.
Vicky Farrell, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at Manchester United, shared the “rare” job posting on LinkedIn.
“Manchester United is on the lookout for an elite Executive Assistant to the CEO & Head of Executive Support — someone who thrives in high-performance environments, leads with confidence, and delivers excellence at every turn,” said Farrell, who is responsible for recruiting top talent at the club.
“This is a rare opportunity to join one of the most iconic names in global sport, working directly with senior leadership while overseeing and elevating our executive support across the organisation.”
What does the role entail?
The club states that the Executive Assistant (EA) will provide high-level executive support to the CEO while also leading and evolving the Executive Support function.
“This role sets the benchmark for excellence in executive assistance, managing a team of EAs and PAs, and ensuring seamless, efficient support across the leadership team. The ideal candidate will be forward-thinking, embrace change, and drive innovation—leveraging new technologies to optimise team performance.”
Detailed responsibilities include:
Deliver proactive and seamless EA support to the CEO, including diary, inbox, travel and meeting coordination.
Act as a trusted liaison between the CEO and internal/external stakeholders, handling all matters with discretion.
Lead and manage the EA/PA team, driving a positive culture, consistency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Identify opportunities to optimise processes, reduce manual work, and leverage tools and technology.
Define and embed best practice standards for executive support across the team.
Coordinate high-level meetings, Board sessions, and events, ensuring logistics, materials and follow-ups are well managed.
Matchday and event support as required.
Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in managing sensitive information.
Monitor and enhance the performance of the Executive Support function, aligning it with evolving business needs.
Contribute thinking on the long-term future / structure of the function.
What does the ideal candidate for EA to the CEO of one of the biggest football clubs look like?
Significant experience (typically 6 + years) in executive assistant roles supporting senior leadership, such as a CEO or equivalent, is strongly preferred.
Proven leadership of administrative teams or support functions.
Experience improving support processes or introducing efficiencies.
Knowledge: Expert use of Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, Word); Familiarity with productivity, automation, or workflow tools; Strong understanding of executive-level workflows and priorities; Curiosity towards the use of new technologies.
Skills: Highly organised and detail-oriented, with excellent time management; Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills; Comfortable with change and process optimisation; Discreet, trustworthy and calm under pressure; Solutions-focused and tech-literate, with a continuous improvement mindset; Able to lead a team while delivering personal EA responsibilities to a high standard.
The club also highlights benefits, stating that “our people are at the heart of our success.” The rewards include:
Annual incentive scheme.
Wellness Support with access to mental health resources, digital health checks, and & nutritionists through Aviva Digicare+ Workplace.
Exclusive Discounts through our United Rewards platform, giving you access to exclusive deals from the club and partners.
Gym Facilities in our onsite locations and opportunities for regular social events and team-building activities.
Enhanced family Leave Benefits and an opportunity to purchase additional holiday days.
Enhanced Career Development with access to professional learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning, and internal training programs.
A Supportive Work Environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion, and individual growth.
Both clubs have ushered in new leadership and are striving to climb back to the top of the football pyramid. These roles offer a chance to be part of a cultural and strategic shift.
Domestically, it’s been a season to forget, with both teams languishing just above the relegation spots. But for one, a Champions League berth awaits as Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final on 21 May. One PA may soon hear the famed Champions League anthem; the other will help their club fight its way back to Europe next season.
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