[ref. u32818322] Senior Personal Assistant to the Joint Chief Executive - NHS

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Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and high performing Senior Executive PA for the Joint Chief Executive of NBT and UHBW.

This is a new and exciting opportunity for someone with proven Executive/Board level Executive PA experience. The postholder will work across both organisations.

• You will be working across two large acute NHS providers, in a vibrant and diverse city
• Work at the heart of both organisations as they form their hospital group
• A fascinating, fast-paced, and dynamic role; each day will be different
• You will be joining a friendly and high performing team

The Role:

As the Senior Executive PA supporting the Joint Chief Executive you will:

• Provide high level, professional PA support
• Act as an interface between the Joint Chief Executive and staff at all levels
• With guidance from the Executive Coordinator, develop a thorough understanding of the Joint Chief Executive’s priorities and ways of working
• Work with the Executive Coordinator to help ensure that the Joint Chief Executive’s priorities are effectively communicated to the Executive Teams and wider senior leadership

You:

The successful candidate will have significant experience of:

• Supporting Executive Directors in a fast-paced environment
• Working to very tight deadlines and managing conflicting priorities.
• Working within the NHS, with a strong knowledge of the sector landscape and priorities
• Working where discretion, good judgement, and the highest standards of professionalism are required

Main duties of the job

Job purpose

The Senior Executive Assistant is required to lead and develop the functions of the Joint Chief Executive, providing proactive and responsive professional support to the Joint Chief Executive with their strategic and operational functions at both Trusts.

To provide a full Executive Assistant service, managing their diary and correspondence, project management, and following up a wide range of issues arising from correspondence and meetings, working in collaboration with the Executive Coordinator.

The Senior Executive Assistant will provide day to day management and supervision of the office administrative support function.

Working for our organisation

Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties and responsibilities

• Provide front of office support to the Joint Chief Executive.
• Communicate confidential, sensitive, and contentious information, both written and verbal, across multi-disciplinary teams, external organisations to inc. NHSE/I, BNSSG ICB, CQC and HEE and clients. Ensure stakeholder visits and requests are managed in a timely way.
• The Senior Executive Assistant will be expected to manage organisational arrangements on behalf of the Joint Chief Executive, including formal visits to hospital sites, hosting dignitaries and system partners (engaging with the communications teams at both UHBW and NBT and the Executive Coordinator as required) as well as management of enquiries and correspondence.
• To manage the electronic diary of the Joint Chief Executive, including arranging meetings, and taking minutes/notes and actions when necessary,.
• Be the point of contact for the Joint Chief Executive for internal and external enquiries, identifying problems and offering solutions. Ensure visibility in the Trust representing the Joint Chief Executive and dealing with queries on their behalf.
• Ensure the Joint Chief Executive receives appropriate briefings on current issues and produce reports on key items.
• Foster and maintain effective working relationships with the UHBW Council of Governors, both organisations’ Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors, and the Executive administration team at both Trusts’ Headquarters, Divisional teams across all hospital sites, and staff at both other NHS and non-NHS organisations.
• Work with the communications and governance teams to ensure that internal and external communications for the Joint Chief Executive are fit for purpose and timely.

• Plan and organise meetings involving the Trust Management Executives and Executive Directors at both organisations, and other groups by arrangements including the preparation of agendas.
• Managing complex and conflicting priorities when managing diaries. Taking formal minutes and circulation of all relevant documentation ensuring corporate formats are followed, minutes are communicated, actioned and implemented.
• Prepare and commission/coordinate presentations for the Joint Chief Executive for meetings and staff briefings in conjunction with the Executive Coordinator and the communications and governance teams.
• Together with the Executive Coordinator, coordinate and supervise delegated project work, for example managing actions from the Integrated Care Board and other high-level forums attended or chaired by the Joint Chief Executive, collating data and information and associated actions.
• Arrange visits and walk rounds by the Joint Chief Executive

• Assist the Executive Coordinator and the Joint Chief Executive in managing the Joint CEO budgets and be an authorised signatory for the wider NBT Trust Headquarters office.
• Authorise EROS orders, timesheets and invoices when necessary.
• Work with the Executive Coordinator and Finance Business partner to ensure that all non-related pay expenditure is managed in line with budget.

• Monitor sickness and absences within the Joint Chief Executive’s team and the wider administrative support function, establishing and maintaining effective reporting systems in line with Trust policy.
• Monitor statutory and mandatory training for staff within the Joint Chief Executive’s office.
• Day to day management and supervision of the administrative support function, including conducting performance reviews.

• Ensure compliance with all Trust policies and procedures within own role and that of the Joint Chief Executive’s office.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of policies and work procedures within own area of work and proposes changes to own service.
• To implement policies/procedures as requested by the Joint Chief Executive, or identified by the post holder as being of relevant or due importance.
• Ensure all information governance regulations are adhered to and any freedom of information requests are complied with in line with statutory deadlines.
• Assist in the communication of new policies which impact staff and patients at either Trust.

• The post holder is directly accountable to the Joint Chief Executive with complete freedom to work on their own initiative and determine how work should be planned, prioritised, and delivered, seeking guidance and approval from the Joint Chief Executive, the Executive Coordinator, and the Directors of Corporate Governance as appropriate.
• Work in collaboration with the Executive Coordinator, to ensure that the Joint Chief Executive receives appropriate support and to plan, coordinate and ensure the Joint Chief Executive’s schedule is followed and respected.
• Proactively follow up on actions given to the Joint Chief Executive and liaise with Executives and senior managers to resolve issues
• Actively participate in wider Trust Headquarter meetings ensuring that best practice and ideas for improvement are tabled.

• Provide on the job training in relevant administrative tasks to staff within Trust Headquarters, as and when required.
• To adhere to both Trusts’ Health & Safety procedures, as well as all relevant policies of University Hospital Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust and North Bristol NHS Trust when on site at either organisation.
• Other duties appropriate to the grade as agreed between the post holder and manager.

Person specification

Skills and Experience

• Excellent and professional communications both face-to-face, over the phone and by email
• Ability to manage an unpredictable workload where there are frequent interruptions and distractions
• Proven good organisational skills

Apptitudes

• Methodical and reliable, with attention to detail and accuracy
• Capacity to adopt changes to working practices quickly
• Exhibit diplomacy, and listening skills with ability to interact with people of all levels and backgrounds

Knowledge & Experience

• Substantial secretarial and personal assistant experience at a senior level, including working with for an Executive Director
• A strong understanding of the local healthcare sector and wider political context within BNSSG

• Previous NHS experience

If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.

If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.

North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.

Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.