Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer

Role Overview

The Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides high‑impact, forward‑thinking support to enable the CFO to operate effectively across financial leadership, strategic delivery, and executive engagement. This role goes beyond traditional administrative support, requiring strong judgement, anticipation of priorities, and the confidence to act as a trusted partner within the CFO’s leadership ecosystem. The role demands exceptional organisational capability, discretion, and the ability to think several steps ahead—ensuring the CFO’s time, focus, and energy are directed toward the highest‑value activities.

 Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Anticipatory Executive Support

• Provide proactive, end‑to‑end support to the CFO, managing complex diaries, inboxes, workflows, travel, and expenses with a strong emphasis on priority management and forward planning.
• Anticipate upcoming demands, deadlines, and stakeholder needs, ensuring the CFO is well‑prepared for meetings, decisions, and key interactions.
• Act as a strategic gatekeeper, exercising sound judgement to triage requests, protect time, and align daily activity with business priorities.
• Maintain a forward‑looking view of the CFO’s commitments and deliverables, flagging conflicts, risks, and opportunities early.

Leadership Team & Executive Engagement

• Support the CFO’s engagement with the Executive Leadership Team, ensuring meetings, forums, and touchpoints are well‑coordinated, purposeful, and outcomes‑focused.
• Partner closely with other Support teams to drive seamless cross‑leadership coordination and information flow.
• Coordinate leadership meetings, offsites, and key internal forums, ensuring agendas, pre‑reads, actions, and follow‑ups are effectively managed.
• Build strong working relationships across all functions to support collaboration and timely decision‑making.

Operational & Communication Excellence

• Prepare high‑quality briefing materials  and executive correspondence to support CFO and leadership engagement.
• Support financial leadership rhythms (e.g. month‑end, quarter‑end, budgeting cycles, investor or analyst preparation) by ensuring timelines, inputs, and deliverables are tracked and managed.
• Maintain clear systems for actions, decisions, and follow‑ups to ensure momentum and accountability.
• Serve as a trusted sounding board, exercising discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive topics or confidential information.

Candidate Profile

Experience & Capability

• Demonstrated experience supporting a CFO or senior executive in a complex, fast‑paced environment.
• Strong capability in anticipating executive needs, managing competing priorities, and making informed decisions independently.
• Proven experience working closely with senior leadership teams and navigating executive‑level relationships.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), with the ability to produce polished, executive‑ready materials at pace.
• Experience supporting finance or commercially focused leadership roles is highly desirable.

Personal Attributes

• Highly proactive, organised, and detail‑oriented, with an instinct for what matters most.
• Calm, credible, and confident when engaging with senior stakeholders.
• Discreet and trustworthy, with absolute integrity in handling confidential information.
• Adaptable, resilient, and comfortable operating amid change and ambiguity.

Working with Cairn Homes:

At Cairn, we believe it is essential that our employees feel valued and appreciated. We therefore offer above industry average remuneration packages with a comprehensive benefits portfolio that’s ready to support you for whatever life brings.

We are delighted to offer a suite of benefits when you join Cairn which include;

• Competitive salary
• Performance related bonus
• Pension scheme with matching contributions
• Full health insurance with Irish Life health
• Annual salary review
• Continuous Professional development (CPD) programme & funding
• Paid maternity & paternity leave
• Free Cairn annual leave days
• Life assurance
• Income protection
• Employee Assistance Programme with VHI
• Tax saver - travel and bike to work
• Culture Committee
• Talent Development Programmes
• Approved Profit Sharing Scheme (APSS)

 The Cairn purpose is to build sustainable communities where people can thrive.

At Cairn, it’s not what we build, it’s why we build. It’s about putting down a marker that will stand for generations to come. Creating new communities of connection and belonging for an Ireland where people can thrive. Reshaping, redefining, reinvigorating our place in the world.

Building for people, progress, and potential. Because when Cairn build, it’s Built For Good.