Website:
strawburystays.com
Job details:
Job Title: Virtual Assistant – Automation, Operations & Business Development
Location: Remote – India
Salary: INR 60,000 - 80,000
Employment Type: Full-time
Industry: Hospitality, Serviced Accommodation & Property Management
Experience Required: Minimum 2 years in a Virtual Assistant, Executive Assistant or Operations role
IMPORTANT: A 60–120 second video introduction must be submitted with your CV as part of your initial application. Applications without the video may not be considered.
About Strawbury Stays
Strawbury Stays is a UK-based hospitality and serviced accommodation company working with guests, landlords, property owners, suppliers, corporate clients and accommodation partners.
We are looking for an experienced Virtual Assistant who is highly organised, confident in English, comfortable with technology and genuinely interested in automation and improving how a business operates.
This is not a basic data-entry or routine administrative VA position.
We want someone who can take ownership of work, understand what needs to happen next, follow tasks through without repeated reminders and gradually become an important part of our operations team.
Who We Are Looking For
You should:
- Have at least 2 years of professional experience as a Virtual Assistant, Executive Assistant, Operations Assistant or similar
- Have excellent spoken and written English
- Be confident communicating with UK-based clients, landlords, suppliers and business partners
- Have practical experience using Zapier, Make.com or similar automation platforms
- Understand the basics of APIs, webhooks, integrations and automated workflows
- Be very comfortable with Google Workspace, Google Sheets and online business systems
- Use AI tools such as ChatGPT effectively to improve productivity
- Be able to organise information, deadlines, follow-ups and multiple priorities
- Take ownership and responsibility instead of waiting for every next instruction
- Be naturally curious and willing to research and learn new tools independently
- Be comfortable solving problems and suggesting improvements
- Want to grow into a position with greater responsibility over time
- Have a quiet, professional and undisturbed workspace suitable for full-time remote work
- Have reliable high-speed internet and a suitable laptop/computer
- Be able to attend video meetings and client calls without regular background interruptions
We value people who can think, organise, communicate and execute.
Automation & Technology Experience
Automation is an important part of this role.
You should already have hands-on experience with some of the following:
- Zapier
- Make.com
- APIs
- Webhooks
- Google Sheets automation
- Google Workspace
- Google Apps Script
- CRM systems
- Task/project management tools
- ChatGPT or other AI tools
- Email and lead-management automations
- Connecting different business applications
You do not need to be a software developer.
However, you should understand automation well enough to look at a repetitive business process and think, “There should be a better way to automate this.”
We are particularly interested in candidates who can explain automations they have personally created, managed or improved rather than simply listing software they have used.
Key Responsibilities
Business & Operations Support
- Manage emails, calendars, meetings, appointments and follow-ups
- Track tasks, deadlines and pending actions
- Organise documents, reports, spreadsheets and business records
- Coordinate with team members and ensure tasks are completed
- Follow up proactively when work is outstanding
- Prepare presentations, proposals, reports and professional correspondence
- Support management with day-to-day business organisation and projects
- Take responsibility for assigned tasks from start to completion
Automation & Process Improvement
- Identify repetitive processes that can be automated
- Build and maintain workflows using Zapier, Make.com and similar tools
- Help connect systems using APIs, webhooks and integrations
- Improve Google Sheets and internal operational systems
- Research software and AI tools that could improve productivity
- Document processes and create clear workflows
- Troubleshoot basic automation and workflow issues
- Suggest practical ways to make operations more efficient
Communication & Client Management
You will regularly communicate with people in the UK, including:
- Guests
- Landlords and property owners
- Corporate clients
- Accommodation partners
- Suppliers
- Contractors
- Internal team members
You must therefore be comfortable speaking professionally and confidently in English, not only communicating by email or WhatsApp.
You may regularly attend video meetings and make or receive business calls.
Sales & Business Development
- Research potential clients and business opportunities
- Maintain and update leads
- Assist with outreach campaigns
- Follow up with potential clients, landlords and partners
- Maintain CRM records and follow-up schedules
- Prepare proposals and presentations
- Support relationship-building with existing and prospective clients
- Make sure promising opportunities are followed through properly
Hospitality Operations
- Assist with guest and property-related administration
- Coordinate issues between guests, contractors and the team
- Maintain property and booking information
- Support operational teams when required
- Ensure guest and client communication is handled professionally and promptly
Please Do Not Apply If
This role is unlikely to be suitable for you if:
- You are mainly looking for a data-entry role
- You have less than 2 years of relevant VA, EA or operations experience
- You have no practical experience with automation tools
- Your experience with Zapier or Make.com is limited to tutorials
- You are uncomfortable speaking to clients in English
- You are uncomfortable joining video meetings or making business calls
- You do not have a quiet and reliable workspace for full-time remote work
- You require detailed instructions for every individual task
- You regularly need reminders to complete work
- You are uncomfortable taking responsibility for outcomes
- You are not interested in learning new technology or systems
We would rather hire one excellent person than several average candidates.
What Success Looks Like
Once you understand the business, we want to be able to give you an objective such as:
“We need a better system for following up with new landlord enquiries.”
You should then be able to help:
- Understand the existing process
- Identify the information required
- Organise the workflow
- Suggest improvements
- Automate appropriate parts
- Track whether follow-ups are happening
- Follow up with the relevant people
- Report back on the results
That is the level of ownership we are looking for.
Growth Opportunity
This role is for someone who wants to grow beyond completing assigned VA tasks.
As you prove yourself, you may take ownership of areas such as:
- Business operations
- Automations
- CRM management
- Sales coordination
- Business development
- Reporting
- Process improvement
- Team coordination
There is significant room to grow with the company for the right person.
How to Apply
Please read the application instructions carefully.
Email your application to:
operations@strawburystays.com
Your initial application must include the following:
1. Your CV
Attach your latest CV.
2. A 60–120 Second Video Introduction
The video must be submitted with your first application.
A simple phone or laptop recording is fine. Professional editing is not required.
In your video, tell us:
- Your name and where you are based
- What you currently do
- Your experience as a Virtual Assistant
- Your experience working with international clients
- Your experience with automation
- Which automation tools you are most confident using
- Why you believe you would be a good fit for this position
We will use the video to understand your spoken English, confidence, clarity of communication and ability to explain your experience naturally.
Please apply only if you are comfortable submitting this video.
3. Two Examples of Automations You Have Worked On
For each automation, briefly explain:
- What problem you were solving
- Which tools you used
- How the automation worked
- What result it achieved
Please describe work you personally completed or managed.
4. Your Technology Experience
Tell us which of the following you have personally used and your approximate level of experience:
Zapier / Make.com / APIs / Webhooks / Google Apps Script / Google Sheets / CRM systems / ChatGPT or other AI tools.
5. Your International Experience
Have you worked with UK, US, European or other international clients?
Briefly explain what you did and how regularly you communicated with them.
6. An Example of Ownership
Give one example of a situation where you identified a problem at work and solved it without being specifically instructed to do so.
7. Your Remote Working Setup
Confirm that you have:
- A suitable laptop/computer
- Reliable high-speed internet
- A quiet, professional and undisturbed workspace
- The ability to attend video meetings and client calls without regular interruptions
8. Why Strawbury Stays?
Briefly tell us:
- Why this role interests you
- What you are hoping to learn
- What you would like your career to look like over the next 2–3 years
Important Application Instructions
We receive a large number of applications.
Applications may not progress if they:
- Do not include the required video introduction
- Do not include a CV
- Do not answer the application questions
- Do not demonstrate at least 2 years of relevant experience
- Cannot provide genuine examples of automation experience
- Submit generic or copied responses that do not address this role
We are looking for someone who is intelligent, organised, dependable, technologically curious, commercially aware, an excellent communicator and capable of taking ownership.
If you enjoy learning, improving systems, solving problems and becoming an important part of a growing business, we would like to hear from you.
Click on Apply to know more.