Contract
Specify the services, access, working pattern and review point.
Check tax status where an intermediary is involved.Executive support · part-week hiring
Hire a fractional EA
Write down the leader, the work, the days and the access. Then compare people against one brief. Fractional Quest can source a named executive assistant for a contract or permanent part-time role.
Is there a fractional EA role available now?
Yes. Our confidential sustainability charity mandate starts in October 2026, with two to three days equivalent each week and one London day each month.
Weekly capacity
2–3 daysFlexible equivalentLondon
1 dayEach monthStart
October2026What work belongs in a fractional EA brief?
Name the decisions and handovers first, then the hours and location.
A fractional EA gives a named leader regular support for an agreed part of the week, so the handover between working and non-working days matters as much as the task list.
For the fuller service and scope explanation, read fractional executive assistant.
See the hire a fractional executive assistant guide when the other wording better fits your search.
One seatA written brief
Part 01 / 04
Principal
Name the person whose calendar, travel and priorities the EA supports.
Part 02 / 04
Cadence
Set the working days, response windows and handover point.
Part 03 / 04
Access
List the systems and confidential material the role needs.
Part 04 / 04
Outcome
Describe what should be running reliably after the first month.
What does a live two-to-three-day EA brief look like?
Our current sustainability charity brief asks for two to three days of flexible work each week and one London day each month.
The client is a confidential sustainability charity; the proposed weekly pattern leaves room to agree how the remaining days are covered.
It is open to a contract or permanent part-time arrangement, and the pay has not been stated.
Read the available role and submit a LinkedIn URL through Fractional Quest.
- October 202601
Start
The charity wants the person to start in October. - Each week02
Flexible capacity
The work is equivalent to two to three working days. - Each month03
London day
One working day is in London.
What needs to be ready before the EA starts?
Decide who grants access, who can delegate work and where the handover is recorded.
A part-week EA needs a clear route to the diary and inbox on working days, plus a named person to take urgent requests on the other days.
The ICO explains controller and processor responsibilities, which depend on the actual relationship and processing.
Clear accessBefore day one
Part 01 / 04
Diary
Agree calendar permissions and who can change commitments.
Part 02 / 04
Messages
Define which inboxes and channels the EA may use.
Part 03 / 04
Records
List the files and personal data needed for the agreed work.
Part 04 / 04
Exit
Set how access and unfinished work are returned when the engagement ends.
Should this be a contract or a permanent part-time role?
Choose the arrangement from the real working relationship, then document it.
The charity is open to either route, so the two-to-three-day pattern does not itself decide whether the person is a contractor or an employee.
Acas says employment status depends on the agreement and how work happens.
If the person works through an intermediary, read HMRC’s off-payroll working guidance before settling the contract.
One part-week EA seat
Permanent part-time
Specify the employed hours, location, reporting line and employment terms.
Employment rights follow actual status.How many days of support are enough?
Start with the work that must happen every week and the moments that need the EA in person.
The charity example specifies two to three days equivalent each week, with one London day monthly.
A different brief might need fewer days, a fixed pair of days or a different on-site rhythm.
DaysA week with edges
Part 01 / 04
Recurring work
Count diary, travel, meeting and follow-up work that returns each week.
Part 02 / 04
Peak days
Identify events or board cycles that concentrate work.
Part 03 / 04
Response time
Agree what can wait until the next working day.
Part 04 / 04
On site
Mark the work that actually needs a London day.
What would your chosen working pattern cost?
Enter the proposed day rate and working weeks to calculate the fee for your own brief.
The calculator uses only your figures, because no verified fractional EA market rate has been established for this page.
For sourced salary and contract reference points, use our fractional executive assistant salary and interim executive assistant salary pages.
Enter a proposed day rate and working weeks to calculate fees.
Your inputs only. This is contract fee arithmetic before VAT, tax and any employer costs; it is not a quoted market rate or a permanent salary.
How do you compare fractional EA candidates?
Give every candidate the same practical brief and ask who will do the work.
Test the same diary and handover exercise with every candidate, including what happens on days they do not work.
Our vetting process and the EA interview questions help keep the comparison consistent.
Same testEvery candidate
Part 01 / 04
Priorities
Ask how they would protect the principal’s time in a crowded week.
Part 02 / 04
Judgement
Ask what they would escalate, and when.
Part 03 / 04
Tools
Check the systems they have actually used.
Part 04 / 04
Availability
Confirm the days, London visit and proposed start.
What should happen after you decide to hire?
Write the brief, settle the engagement, compare candidates and agree a first-month handover.
If you are seeking work, browse fractional EA jobs; the current charity role is available now.
If you are hiring, tell us the weekly pattern and who the EA will support.
- 1
Write the brief
Name the principal, scope, days, location and access.
- 2
Choose the arrangement
Set contract or permanent part-time terms and check the applicable status.
- 3
Compare the shortlist
Use the same exercise and reference questions for each candidate.
- 4
Set the handover
Agree the first priorities, permissions and review point.
The right brief makes part-week support possible.
The brief begins with scope, days and access.
We can turn those decisions into a shortlist for a named executive support seat.
The full executive assistant service page gives the adjoining view.
Discuss an EA brief →On the board · last 3 months
Fractional EA jobs on the board
What do hiring teams ask?
The days, work and employment arrangement belong in the brief before a candidate search begins.
- Can we hire for two or three days a week?
Yes. The current charity brief uses that pattern, but your own workload should set your days.
- Can the EA work remotely?
Yes, if the work allows it. Specify any in-person commitments; the current charity role includes one London day monthly.
- Is fractional the same as part-time employment?
Fractional describes the share of a week. Contract and permanent part-time are different arrangements; actual employment status depends on the agreement and how the work happens.
- Where can candidates see fractional EA jobs?
Use the fractional EA jobs board or the executive assistant service and roles page. Browse the EA jobs board.
This page owns the short-form hiring query; the spelled-out hire page covers the detailed executive-support search.
