Executive Assistant to the Chair and the Chief Executive

Job description

Job responsibilities

To work closely with the Chair and Chief Executive in all aspects of their work. With a complete understanding of the Chief Executives workload, effectively draft memos, letters, and co-ordinate responses with minimum supervision and guidance. Manage the electronic diary and day to day telephone queries.

Take positive action in all areas of work in the absence of or on behalf of the Chair and Chief Executive and ensure that the Chair and Chief Executive are apprised of the course of action taken. This involves a high level of prioritising and problem solving skills and a well-developed ability to relate absorbed knowledge to new emerging problems without guidance. Prioritise and plan the office workload to meet set deadlines.

Ensure that important issues that have a significant impact on the Chair and Chief Executives roles are brought to their attention.

Take responsibility for providing information on all aspects of the Chair and Chief Executives work by carrying out research as required from a variety of sources both online and hard copy and effectively recording and communicating this to others.

Efficient, courteous and sympathetic handling of all personal and telephone calls to the office, including both internal and external calls regarding complaints when callers may be emotional / distressed / unhappy, including enquiries of a complex nature.

Deal with complex and sensitive issues and information, taking into account their commercial, personal and political sensitivities and see them through to their final conclusion with minimal direction.

Manage the multiple demands of the Chair, and Chief Executives time and proactively manage diaries, by forward planning and organising regular meetings and events.

Manage and respond to requests for the Chair and Chief Executives time and/or information, including unscheduled visits. Ensure that the Chair and Chief Executive are aware of appointments and that all relevant papers are available.

Deal with all incoming correspondence and telephone calls in a highly resourceful way, taking initiative to deal with routine correspondence to confidential level, responding to or redirecting correspondence or calls as appropriate and ensuring that any urgent or important business is brought to the attention of the Chair or Chief Executive, as appropriate and in good time.

Responding to often complex and sensitive correspondence on behalf of the Chief Executive without supervision, redirecting queries where appropriate, and highlighting items of importance that need to be brought to the Chief Executives attention.

Filter/screening all telephone calls and visits in a professional and courteous manner, always ensuring that appropriate access is given to the Chair/Chief Executive.

Effective monitoring of work that has been assigned elsewhere and reassessing priorities and refocusing of the Chief Executives attention at times of sustained pressure. To follow up as appropriate.

Taking responsibility, in the absence of the Chief Executive, for asking other Directors or managers to take action on any unexpected but immediate issues falling within the remit of their posts.

Produce letters, memos, reports, tables, minutes and other documents. Compose and generate correspondence, agendas, minutes and mail merges as necessary. Distribute correspondence and data without supervision.

Compile agendas, minutes and follow up actions of relevant meetings, including the Executive Team meetings, and support Board and Board Committee meetings as needed. Co-ordinate arrangements for a variety of high-level meetings, internally and externally, assembling appropriate material as required to ensure smooth running, ordering necessary equipment and refreshments. This could involve the very diplomatic cancellation and rearrangement of meetings.

Develop and continually improve effective information management systems. This includes maintaining an efficient brought forward system to effectively monitor work that has been delegated elsewhere and progress / chase outstanding items, and regularly review old files in line with departmental retention and disposal arrangements.

Undertake project work for the Chief Executive.

Respond to enquiries and the gathering, collating and maintenance of information as required.

Provide support, and guidance on the process for submitting complaints.

Review complaints letters that are ready for sign off by Chief Executive, ensuing that format and standard is consistent.

Provide an effective interface with a range of people within the Trust, including Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors, Senior Managers and externally, with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, SWL Integrated Care Board, Members of Parliament, Local Authorities, Directors and Senior Managers from other Trusts and organisations, and members of the public. Ensure in all dealings that a positive image of the Trust is projected and that account is always taken of the political sensitivity, and often very confidential nature of the work involved.

Deal sensitively with staff, patients, carers and members of the public who may be distressed, hostile and/or confrontational and where possible defuse volatile situations and seek to negotiate an acceptable way forward to deal with the complainants concerns.

Line manage the Executive Directors PAs which will include responsibility for appraisal, objective setting and personal development, identifying any training needs.

To ensure the Executive Directors PAs are managed in relation to support of workload. This includes responsibility for recruitment and retention, induction, grievances, performance and disciplinary matters.

Manage and monitor sick leave of PAs reporting as necessary to Human Resources, payroll directorate and Directors in accordance with Trust Policies.

To ensure periods of absences are suitably covered, and general presence of PA support at HQ is confirmed and coordinated, to ensure cover throughout the week

To plan and coordinate support for Executive Directors in the absence of their PAs with the day to day operational matters.

To complete monthly sickness and absence returns on administrative staff, ensuring that appropriate sickness certificates are received and the Trusts Sickness policy is monitored and adhered to.

Develop and manage a process for Executive Directors leave to ensure adequate cover at all times from senior Trust staff.

Be responsible for scheduling the Hospital on-call weekly rotas for Executive Directors taking into account individual commitments and leave. Advise switchboard and other appropriate personnel of the rota and ensure the correct contact details for the Executive Directors are available.

Work collaboratively with Executive Directors PAs to ensure peaks in workloads are shared and high priority tasks are completed. Work flexibly to support Executive Directors as and when needed.

To manage annual leave and absence planning across Executive Directors and Chair and Chief Executive on a monthly basis, ensuring completion of Healthroster by the required date.

Maintain overview of annual leave for all Executive Directors, as well as location of work, and share with relevant members of the Executive, Senior Management on a weekly basis.

Ensuring the smooth functioning and running of Trust HQ.

Maintain absolute confidentiality and discretion in respect of patient, staff and organisational information.

Set and demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, organisational and interpersonal skills at all times.

Ensure adequate stationery supplies are available for the department.

In liaison with the Chief Executive and Chief People Officer undertake administration for recruitment process for executive director posts and, when required, Non-Executive Director vacancies following advert. This will include arranging interview date, setting timetable for interview, taking up references and arranging visits for candidates if required. Organising venue, presentation equipment etc.

Set up meetings on Chair and Chief Executives request, coordinating availability of attendees and identifying most appropriate dates, times and venues.

Organise seminars and meetings, including liaison with speakers, venues and caterers, attending and/or facilitating as necessary.

Maintaining the leave charts and monitor annual leave and sickness for absence of staff reporting to the CEO.

Fire/health and safety marshal for Trust HQ

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised secretarial qualification such as Higher Diploma in Business Administration
• Degree or equivalent experience.
• Excellent IT skills(Microsoft Office and Excel)

Previous Experience

Essential

• Proven experience working for an Executive Director
• Sound experience working at a senior level in the management of the Chief Executive's Corporate office
• Significant experience of supporting an NHS Board
• Staff management experience

Knowledge and Understanding

Essential

• Evidence of managing complex arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness
• Evidence of successfully handling sensitive situations efficiently and confidentially
• Understanding of Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection requirements
• Political awareness of the NHS and roles of partner organisations

Desirable

• Acquired knowledge of NHS complaints procedure

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

Address

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

530 London Road

London

CR7 7YE

Employer's website

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