Executive Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

To provide comprehensive executive secretarial/administrative service to the Executive Directors, utilising a full range of technical skills in the production of correspondence, reports, and presentations without supervision.

To have extensive experience in complex diary management and hold advanced keyboard skills.

It is essential for the post holder to have highly developed communication skills.

Ensure that diaries are managed with effective use of time, and to meet organisational requirements, including rescheduling conflicting appointments and making appropriate travel arrangements.

To screen emails and correspondence using judgement to establish the validity and priority of the contact and take action where appropriate, flagging those that require urgent action.

To represent the Executive Office, liaising with multi professional teams in both internal and external forums and be able to communicate and negotiate effectively with a range of stakeholders.

The post holder will be required to have the ability to communicate highly contentious sensitive information and data.

To build effective relationships with external and internal stakeholders at all levels, liaising with senior personnel of external agencies (Department of Health and Social Care, Members of Parliament, ICBs, NHSEI, Patient and Public Involvement Forum, Links etc.) as well as staff within the Trust (Executive/Non-Executive Directors and Clinical Directors, Clinicians etc.) in the performance of the role.

Responsible for the procurement of physical assets and supplies for the Executive Office ensuring agreed financial guidelines are adhered to when orders are placed.

To constantly improve systems and processes within the scope of responsibility to maximise efficiency within the Executive Office.

Develop and implement 4ward behaviours/initiatives that support the Executive Office and ensure the delivery of a high quality service.

To acquire and utilise an understanding of operational issues within the Trust and work with relevant staff in taking forward appropriate action.

To provide a visible professional presence which allows staff and other internal and external personnel to approach for assistance, advice and support.

To support the supervision of junior members of the administration team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Governance and Business Management

To work directly with the Executive Directors to plan and implement all activities required.

Support the Executive Directors with specific activities such as external stakeholder engagement, meeting organisation, diary management, executive recruitment and internal communications forums.

To work autonomously, managing own workload, effectively, prioritising work and managing risk as required, in consultation with the Executive Director/Line Manager.

Implement regular audits to ascertain mandatory training compliance, for the Executive Directors and wider teams.

To implement policies and procedures as part of own workload.

Responsible for the electronic rostering system for the Executive Directors and wider teams, maintaining records for sickness and holiday absence.

Executive Administration

To participate in meetings when requested, taking full responsibility for the identification of agenda items and subsequent drafting of agenda, collating and distribution of papers. To produce an accurate set of draft minutes for approval, within the Trust standards set by the Director of Corporate Governance, using advanced level of IT packages including word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, to produce required reports. Identification of follow-up action required and progress chase as necessary.

To plan and organise complex multi-disciplinary meetings including arrangements for venues and provision of materials.

Use robust communication and interpersonal skills and foster a supportive, innovative, learning culture which is in line with the Trusts 4Ward Signature Behaviours.

Maintain a focus on equality and diversity.

To provide support to the Executive Directors Office specifically to action correspondence as necessary, deal with telephone and other queries and provide information or redirect as appropriate. This includes self-generating correspondence where necessary, drafting responses for signature and ensuring routine correspondence is actioned and processed on their behalf.

To provide buddy support to your EA colleagues as and when required.

To monitor incoming e-mails and have discretion on distributing information for action as appropriate.

To establish and maintain appropriate filing and bring forward systems for the storage and retrieval of data including sensitive and confidential information. Ensure systems are in place for monitoring action and chasing of responses to ensure deadlines are met.

Acting as an expert role model, facilitating and supporting the delivery of effective services using recognised reasoning and decision-making skills, in line with best practice.

Ability to deal with frequent distressing and emotional calls from members of the public, and ensure an accurate record of information/detail is taken to enable the complaint to be resolved in a timely manner.

Reviewing and reflecting on own competence and performance and identifying any personal training needs.

To undertake projects using project management experience/knowledge which require analysis and interpretation, development of proposals, policy and influencing skills.

To manage business sensitive information appropriately.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree or equivalent level experience
• Secretarial training and qualifications
• Extensive knowledge of Microsoft packages
• Commitment to ongoing learning/training.
• Recognised IT Qualification at level 3 or above

Desirable

• Evidence of further study and personal development

Experience

Essential

• Ability to communicate and negotiate highly contentious information and data
• To have extenstive experience in complex diary management.
• Hold advanced keyboard skills
• Ability to adapt/design information systems
• Experience of working across organisations with multiple stakeholders
• Good understanding of NHS systems, processes and current developments and vision within the NHS at a local, regional and national level
• Experience of developing effective office policies, procedures and processes
• Ability to plan and organise a broad range of complex activities and or programmes, which require on-going formulation/adjustment
• Experienced and skilled user of Microsoft packages such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience, competency and a highly developed skill set in minute taking
• Use and interpret data effectively
• Ability to work with multiple databases and management systems
• Previous supervision experience

Skills/ Knowledge

Essential

• Able to manage conflicting priorities, organising workload effectively and meet deadlines, targets and objectives
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Ability to determine/prioritise own/others workload and forward plan effectively
• Able to motivate and support others
• Ability to make judgements involving complex situations, analysising against a range of options
• Ability to work autonomously and flexibly
• Ability to work on own initiative, make effective decisions with respect to complex and sensitive issues and problem solve.
• Ability to set and maintain standards and initiate improvements
• Proven excellent interpersonal skills
• Analytical, numerical and statistical skills
• Effective problem solving with the ability to identify and implement best practice solutions
• Ability to respond to the often competing agendas required in a large complex organisation with integrity and professionalism
• Ability to effectively provide and receive complex information which may require analysis and interpretation and develop solutions if requires
• Ability to work systematically with effective planning and prioritisaion

Internal Job Vacancy

Essential

• This vacancy is currently only open to internal applicants from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Could you please confirm below that you are a current member of staff.

Employer details

Employer name

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Charles Hastings Way

Worcester

Worcestershire

WR5 1DD

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)