References

What were Justine’s role and responsibilities?

Justine joined us in an Executive Assistant capacity, but it would be underselling her contribution to describe her role in those terms alone. In practice, she functioned as a trusted operational partner at the C-suite level. Her responsibilities spanned executive diary and travel management, board and leadership meeting coordination, and stakeholder correspondence, but she regularly extended well beyond that remit. Justine was involved in sensitive business matters, cross-functional project coordination, and executive-level communications that required both discretion and independent judgment. She was often the connective tissue between myself and the broader leadership team, and she operated in that space with confidence and professionalism.

What are Justine's strengths as an employee?

Justine's strengths are genuinely difficult to rank because they reinforce each other so effectively. Organisationally, she is exceptional, nothing falls through the cracks, priorities are always well-managed, and she brings structure to complexity without needing to be asked. Strategically, she thinks well above her title; she anticipates needs, identifies issues before they escalate, and brings a considered perspective to problems that many would simply escalate upward. Her communication skills ie both written and interpersonal are a significant asset. She manages stakeholders at all levels with ease, adjusts her register appropriately, and represents the executive office with real credibility. Perhaps most valuably, she is someone you can trust completely with sensitive information and high-stakes situations. That combination of discretion, capability, and proactivity is rare, and it made her an indispensable part of how I operated.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, none that I would flag as genuine weaknesses. If I were to stretch, I might observe that Justine's high standards occasionally meant she invested more effort in a task than the situation strictly required, but in an executive support environment, that tendency is far more asset than liability. She sets a high bar for herself and consistently meets it. Any organisation that brings her on board will benefit enormously from that disposition.

What technical skills and computer packages did Justine use?

Justine demonstrated strong technical proficiency across the full Microsoft 365 suite ie. Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams which formed the backbone of her day-to-day work. She used these tools at a high level of competency, producing polished executive communications and documentation, managing complex multi-party scheduling through Outlook, and facilitating seamless collaboration across the business via Teams. Beyond the core M365 environment, Justine was comfortable working within project management platforms, using them to track deliverables, coordinate cross functional workstreams, and keep executive priorities visible and on schedule. She adapted readily to whatever system the business was operating in, requiring no hand-holding when onboarding to new tools. Notably, Justine also embraced AI tools as a genuine productivity asset not as a novelty, but as a practical means of working smarter and faster. She applied these tools thoughtfully and appropriately within her role, which reflected a broader quality I observed throughout her tenure: a natural inclination to find better ways of doing things. In the context of a senior executive support role, where technology is the medium through which almost everything gets done, Justine's IT proficiency was genuinely an advantage. She was fully independent, rarely needed IT support for routine tasks, and brought a level of digital fluency that amplified her effectiveness across everything she touched.

Any additional comments related to what has been asked above?

Very lucky to have her on your team.

Can you describe Justine’s personality?

Friendly and trust worthy

Given the opportunity, would you re-employ Justine?

Without hesitation: Yes, absolutely. Justine is the kind of person you hope to work with once in a career. She brought a rare combination of capability, reliability, and genuine care for the work that made her an exceptional asset to the executive office and to the broader organisation. In the time we worked together, she consistently exceeded what the role required of her, and she did so without prompting, without fanfare, and without dropping any of her core responsibilities in the process. What set Justine apart was not any single skill but the way everything worked together. She was organised, strategic, discreet, technically proficient, and a natural communicator and she applied all of those qualities in service of making the people and the business around her more effective. That kind of all-round contribution is genuinely difficult to replace, and her departure left a gap that took considerable time to fill. If I were in a position to bring Justine back tomorrow, I would do so without any reservations whatsoever. I would recommend her equally strongly to any executive or organisation considering her for a senior support or operational role. She will add real value from day one, earn trust quickly, and very likely outgrow whatever brief she is given in the best possible way. Any employer fortunate enough to secure Justine's commitment will not be disappointed.

Do you have any other comments you would like to add?

I want to reiterate that Justine is an exceptional individual, and I mean that in the truest sense of the word, not as a courtesy, but as a genuine reflection of the professional she is. What I have not yet captured fully is the human quality she brought to the role. Executive support at the level Justine operated requires more than competence and organisation. It requires emotional intelligence the ability to read a room, manage up, manage sideways, and know instinctively when to act independently and when to check in. Justine had all of that in abundance. She was calm under pressure, measured in difficult moments, and consistently professional in situations that called for real maturity and good judgment. She also brought a positive energy to the workplace that was felt beyond the immediate executive team. She was well-regarded across the business, built genuine relationships at every level, and was someone colleagues trusted and gravitated toward. That is not something you can train its is a reflection of who she is as a person. I provide this reference with complete confidence and without qualification. Justine has my highest possible endorsement, and I would encourage any prospective employer to give her application the serious consideration it deserves. You will not find a more capable, trustworthy, or committed professional for a role of this nature.