Executive Assistant | NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board

This vacancy is only available to Internal applicants from NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Health and Care organisations within the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System (ICS). Applications received outside of these organisations will not be considered

Are you a highly experienced Executive Assistant working with executive level posts? Or are you a Personal Assistant/Secretary looking for a challenge and potentially the chance to develop your career within the corporate field?

You'll need to be a very organised, motivated, diligent and resilient individual, who is able to provide a high quality, efficient administrative and secretarial service. The role involves exposure to corporate business and some high-level operations, as well as working within a broader team providing support to our Executives and senior colleagues.

Given the importance of this role in interfacing with the public and senior partners across the Cheshire and Merseyside health and social care system, we are looking for an individual that will be a great ambassador for our organisation, consistently demonstrating our core values.

The Executive Assistant will also be required to provide administrative support to key meetings of the ICB.

The post holder will need to develop a close working relationship with the Chair and Chief Executive, agreeing processes and workload management. The post holder will be supported on a day-to-day basis by the Business Manager to the Chief Executive who also line manages the post, and be part of the wider Executive Assistants team who work together to support each other and will be on hand to onboard and support the new incumbent.

There is some flexibility around working hours but the role requires daily contact with the Chief Executive to manage the changing nature of the work.

33% of the population of Cheshire and Merseyside live in the most deprived 20% of neighbourhoods in England.

• To work autonomously as a Executive Assistant undertaking a multifunctional role that delivers outstanding corporate services across the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB to provide confidential and comprehensive dedicated support to the ICB Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate affairs and governance function. This includes being proactive in pre-empting the needs of these individuals and to action correspondence and enquiries as appropriate
• To ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Corporate Affairs and Governance team and support function.
• Work flexibly, with other team members, to ensure that high quality administration and Executive assistant support is provided at all times and to provide a positive image and promote the vision and values of the ICB.
• To provide support across the administrative functions of the ICB including supporting other team members when required.
• To apply the ICBs standard operating procedures and procedures for Corporate Administration and PA Support.
• In all the above the Executive Assistant will use both self-management and team working skills to assist in achieving organisational objectives and delivery of the key business needs of the ICB.
• To develop and deliver (with your line manager) a work plan that outlines some of the specific duties and responsibilities of the role that you undertake.

Main Duties & Key responsibilities

• To provide a professional, efficient and comprehensive support service to the ICB Executive Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate affairs and governance function
• Compose responses to routine correspondence and e-mails to external and internal sources on behalf of and in the absence of the Executive Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate affairs and governance function.
• To manage the effective use of time for the Executive Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate business function by exercising own judgment and initiative in contributing to their priorities and programmes of work which includes effective diary management.
• To provide a discrete, courteous and efficient first point of contact for all communication to the Executive Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate business function managing and prioritising calls and correspondence on their behalf.
• To support key meetings as determined in line with agreed portfolio, including minuting meetings and preparing meeting packs
• To accurately prepare presentations, letters and other correspondence using; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the internet/intranet to the highest standard and within agreed deadlines using the ICBs corporate style.
• To source, extract and analyse management information from various sources as requested e.g., National Guidance, DoH reports. This includes report preparation, on behalf of the Executive Directors, Associate Directors and the wider corporate business function, based on an analysis of data and preparing summaries of complex national reports and policy documents.
• To manage, maintain and develop effective (and consistent) office systems and processes, ensuring information is stored and retrieved in a systematic way and to ensure compliance with information governance policy and confidentiality requirements.
• To manage, maintain and develop effective systems to include planning and ensuring document availability for scheduled meetings. In addition, collating actions for executives and developing status reports based on a range of strategic areas, including corporate objectives and performance against relevant targets. Also ensuring these are undertaken in a timely manner.
• To be flexible in undertaking proactive self-management in order to effectively prioritise own workload, deal with frequent unpredictable work demands and interruptions, meet expected and unexpected deadlines. To include the development and utilisation of systems to support prioritisation of work and to enable reprioritisation based on urgent email correspondence or requests for information, e.g., urgent NHS England/Improvement submissions or MP requests.
• To undertake review of area of responsibility to consider areas for change in practice.
• To demonstrate an empathic and reassuring approach when dealing with sensitive and contentious issues arising within the ICB.
• To participate in cover arrangements and general holiday/sickness relief arrangements within the corporate team, and wider ICB if/when required.
• To support a range of core corporate functions and services as agreed which include:

1. Administrative Procedures across the ICB: acting as ambassadors for the corporate approach to a range of administration functions i.e., electronic minute taking, and adherence to Corporate Standards, including the standardised development and utilisation of agreed templates
2. Protocols; implementing and disseminating new/reviewed protocols and their areas of work and in support of the Corporate Team / ICB
3. Best working practices: embedding best working practices across the

• To provide a professional, efficient and comprehensive support service to the Chair, Accountable Officer and/or Executive Directors and Associate Clinical Directors. Compose responses to routine correspondence and e-mails to external and internal sources on behalf of and in the absence of the Chair, Accountable Officer and/or Executive Directors and Associate Clinical Directors
• To manage the effective use of time for the Chair, Accountable Officer and/or Executive Directors and Associate Clinical Directors by exercising own judgment and initiative in contributing to their priorities and programmes of work which includes effective diary management.
• To provide a discrete, courteous and efficient first point of contact for all communication to the Chair, Accountable Officer and/or Executive Directors and Associate Clinical Directors, managing and prioritising calls and correspondence on their behalf.
• To support key meetings as determined in line with agreed portfolio
• To accurately prepare presentations, letters and other correspondence using; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the internet/intranet to the highest standard and within agreed deadlines using the ICBs corporate style.
• To source, extract and analyse management information from various sources as requested e.g., National Guidance, DoH reports. This includes report preparation, on behalf of the Chief Officer, ICB Chair, Executive Team Directors, based on an analysis of data and preparing summaries of complex national reports and policy documents.
• To manage, maintain and develop effective (and consistent) office systems and processes, ensuring information is stored and retrieved in a systematic way and to ensure compliance with information governance policy and confidentiality requirements.
• To manage, maintain and develop effective systems to include planning and ensuring document availability for scheduled meetings. In addition, collating actions for executives and developing status reports based on a range of strategic areas, including corporate objectives and performance against relevant targets. Also ensuring these are undertaken in a timely manner.
• To be flexible in undertaking proactive self-management in order to effectively prioritise own workload, deal with frequent unpredictable work demands and interruptions, meet expected and unexpected deadlines. To include the development and utilisation of systems to support prioritisation of work and to enable reprioritisation based on urgent email correspondence or requests for information, e.g., urgent NHS England/Improvement submissions or MP requests.
• To undertake review of area of responsibility to consider areas for change in practice.
• To demonstrate an empathic and reassuring approach when dealing with sensitive and contentious issues arising within the ICB.
• To participate in cover arrangements and general holiday/sickness relief arrangements within the corporate team, and wider ICB if/when required.
• To support a range of core corporate functions and services as agreed which include:

1. Administrative Procedures across the ICB: acting as ambassadors for the corporate approach to a range of administration functions i.e., electronic minute taking, and adherence to Corporate Standards, including the standardised development and utilisation of agreed templates
2. Protocols; implementing and disseminating new/reviewed protocols and their areas of work and in support of the Corporate Team / ICB
3. Best working practices: embedding best working practices across the organisation

• Provide line management to Corporate Support Officer roles, providing mentorship and development support.
• Organise travel and accommodation as needed for senior management, ensuring value for money and efficient use of time.

The main duties and responsibilities described above are not exhaustive and the post holder can expect to take on other responsibilities or specific tasks as required.

Further, over time it is likely the remit and requirements of the role will evolve, and the post holder will be expected to adjust their working approach and style to accommodate these. As a new post within the organisation, to reflect the above, it is expected that this job description would be reviewed regularly, by agreement.

This advert closes on Wednesday 6 Nov 2024