[ref. c03134522] Corporate Assistant to Trust Secretary - NHS

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to provide efficient, effective and professional administrative support services to the Trust Secretary and Assistant Trust Secretary. The post demands excellent time management, organisational and communication skills (with both internal and external organisations) and an adaptable approach to produce work within required timescales.

The post- holder will report to, and provide a high quality, responsive and flexible administrative support service, to the Trust Secretary, whose role is to ensure that the Trust has effective corporate governance arrangements in place (which includes ensuring that the Trust Board and its sub-committees are effectively supported and administered).

Main duties of the job

Provide secretarial support to the Trust Secretary and Assistant Trust Secretary, managing diaries via Microsoft Office, making appointments, arranging meetings (both internal and external), booking venues, Manage the “Corporate Meetings” Outlook calendar and ensure relevant meetings are recorded (to enable these to be visible across the Trust).

Receive and prioritise mail, both electronic and hard copy, and wherever possible respond to on behalf of the Trust Secretary or Assistant Trust Secretary, ensuring that all urgent matters are attended to in a timely fashion.

Respond to telephone enquiries with tact and discretion, recognising that some of the issues dealt with by the Trust Secretary’s office will be of a complex and sensitive nature.

Help with the maintenance of the forward programme of agenda items for all of the Committees and meetings coordinated by the Trust Secretary’s Office (which presently comprises the Trust Board, Charitable Funds Committee, Finance and Performance Committee, Audit and Governance Committee, Patient Experience Committee, Quality Committee People and Organisational Development Committee Policy Ratification Committee and Executive Team Meeting (ETM)).

Fulfil the secretariat function (including taking the minutes) of the Policy Ratification Committee and other meetings, as required (to cover the Assistant Trust Secretary or Trust Secretary).

Working for our organisation

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Interview date: TBC

Person specification

Qualifications

• Level 6 qualification (e.g. Bachelor degree BA/BSc, NVQ level 6, ordinary degree without honours)or equivalent demonstrable experience
• Coaching or development qualification
• Quality Improvement knowledge

• IT qualification (e.g. European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) or equivalent)

Experience/Knowledge

• Personal Assistant experience at the senior management level of an organisation.
• Experience of providing a comprehensive administration service to senior managers
• Experience of handling highly confidential and sensitive information
• Experience of working in a complex, busy and pressurised environment with competing priorities.
• Management and leadership experience, especially in busy and pressurised environments
• Experience of providing support to senior management in the NHS.
• Experience of using all Microsoft Office software to a high degree of competence.
• Knowledge of administrative procedures, project management or information analysis
• Strong knowledge of grammar / spelling.

• Experience of preparing reports / presentational materials.
• Experience of providing support to a Company Secretary function.
• Use of the Admincontrol meetings portal (or other meetings portals)
• Use of Microsoft Teams
• Knowledge of corporate governance processes.
• Understanding of health and social care sector, including working knowledge of NHS structures, policies and processes
• Experience of managing formal and informal HR processes

Skills

• Excellent IT skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy and organisational skills
• Ability to write routine correspondence.
• Ability to prioritise workload. To work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales, with conflicting priorities.
• Problem solving skills.

• Above average typing speed (50 wpm and over)
• Ability to concentrate and focus on diverse tasks whilst dealing with frequent interruptions
• Ability to pull together comprehensive draft reports, data and letters.
• Negotiating, networking and persuasive skills

In the event that we receive a high volume of applications, we may need to close the application process earlier than planned. To avoid missing out, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please contact the Recruiting Manager for an informal discussion should you have any queries relating to the role for which you are applying.

We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints, and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work.

You can find out more here: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Good luck! We look forward to welcoming you to our exceptional team!