Job summary
The Company Secretary will facilitate the functioning of Wye Valley NHS Trust's and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust's corporate business processes, supporting the Chair, Chief Executive, Managing Directors and Trust Boards. Moreover, they will act as 'wise counsel' to the Trusts' Boards and to the Trusts' Executive; providing a confidential source of advice for board members on all aspects of Board business, including issues of concern.
Main duties of the job
The post reports to the Managing Director of WVT with responsibility to the Chief Executive, Managing Directors and the Trusts' Chair to support them in their respective roles, providing strategic advice and counsel. The post holder will ensure that the Trusts acts in accordance with their statutory/regulatory duties and discharges their day-to-day business practices in accordance with corporate governance best practice. The post holder will also work with all the Trusts' Executives to support them in managing the flow of corporate business.
As a member of each trust's senior management team, the post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of the strategic direction and objectives that play a key role in embedding the mission, vision, values and goals of both organisations.
About us
Wye Valley NHS Trust is a member of an NHS Foundation Group with South Warwickshire NHS FT , the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Located on the border with Wales in the shadow of the Black Mountains, we provide acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys and run Hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.
We are a progressive and forward looking trust with ambitious plans to improve quality and integrate patient pathways through close collaborative working with our partners to deliver the quality of care we'd want for our family and friends.
More than 3,500 people work for the Trust - they tell us it's a great place to work, blending the busyness of a DGH with the benefits of working in a beautiful rural and unspoilt county like Herefordshire.
We can offer a great work-life balance and have a fine tradition of working with staff to help them achieve their full potential.
Russell Hardy, Trust Chairman: "The strength of the Trust is its amazing staff; a great place to work, a great place to develop your career and a great place to reach your potential."
Our values -Care, Accountability, Respect and Excellence - are at the heart of all we do. We believe in providing the right care in the right place at the right time...all the time.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate level specialist professional qualification - i.e. Chartered Governance Institute or associated subject, or demonstrable and significant equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Fully qualified Company Secretary (Chartered Governance Institute).
- Legal qualification.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
Essential
- Skilled at providing impartial, factual and risk assessed advice on complex matters.
- Highly effective interpersonal, communication, verbal and influencing skills.
- Highly developed critical appraisal skills
- Data analysis and information management skills including interpretation, analysis and comparison.
- Ability to effectively lead, motivate and manage a team to maximise its performance.
- Expert presentation skills
- Advanced keyboard and IT skills (Inc. use of IT systems such as Excel, Word, Access).
- In-depth specialist technical knowledge of corporate governance
- Time management
- Prioritisation
- Able to work in a team
Desirable
- A clear understanding of NHS priorities and principles of audit
- Some understanding of the following: Quality governance, Clinical Governance, Matters of law and legal processes
- Technical knowledge of NHS Trusts, the NHS regulatory framework, and the legal and statutory requirements.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of writing accurate and concise public and/or board level minutes and reports.
- Significant experience within a Corporate Governance or Company Secretarial role showing understanding of relevant legislation and governance issues.
- Budget management experience.
- Staff management and leadership experience, including recruitment and selection, organisation and planning of workload, appraisal and staff development, grievance and discipline.
- Evidence of successfully handling sensitive situations efficiently and confidently.
- Experience of developing monitoring systems to meet external scrutiny requirements.
- Experience of working with stakeholders and partner organisations.
- Experience of preparing and presenting reports for the Board of a complex organisation.
- Experience of working with a number of disciplines at a senior management level.
- Experience of risk management and/or Board assurance
Desirable
- Experience of developing and maintaining a Board Assurance Framework or equivalent
- Project Management including, target and timescale setting, establishing appropriate working parties, implementation of project in line with targets, budgets, assessing outcomes.
- Preparation, presentation and delivery of business cases.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Flexible and willing
- Uses initiative
- Knows limitations and seeks help as appropriate
- Motivated
- Able to work unsupervised
- Empathic
- Responsible and accountable
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate level specialist professional qualification - i.e. Chartered Governance Institute or associated subject, or demonstrable and significant equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Fully qualified Company Secretary (Chartered Governance Institute).
- Legal qualification.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
Essential
- Skilled at providing impartial, factual and risk assessed advice on complex matters.
- Highly effective interpersonal, communication, verbal and influencing skills.
- Highly developed critical appraisal skills
- Data analysis and information management skills including interpretation, analysis and comparison.
- Ability to effectively lead, motivate and manage a team to maximise its performance.
- Expert presentation skills
- Advanced keyboard and IT skills (Inc. use of IT systems such as Excel, Word, Access).
- In-depth specialist technical knowledge of corporate governance
- Time management
- Prioritisation
- Able to work in a team
Desirable
- A clear understanding of NHS priorities and principles of audit
- Some understanding of the following: Quality governance, Clinical Governance, Matters of law and legal processes
- Technical knowledge of NHS Trusts, the NHS regulatory framework, and the legal and statutory requirements.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of writing accurate and concise public and/or board level minutes and reports.
- Significant experience within a Corporate Governance or Company Secretarial role showing understanding of relevant legislation and governance issues.
- Budget management experience.
- Staff management and leadership experience, including recruitment and selection, organisation and planning of workload, appraisal and staff development, grievance and discipline.
- Evidence of successfully handling sensitive situations efficiently and confidently.
- Experience of developing monitoring systems to meet external scrutiny requirements.
- Experience of working with stakeholders and partner organisations.
- Experience of preparing and presenting reports for the Board of a complex organisation.
- Experience of working with a number of disciplines at a senior management level.
- Experience of risk management and/or Board assurance
Desirable
- Experience of developing and maintaining a Board Assurance Framework or equivalent
- Project Management including, target and timescale setting, establishing appropriate working parties, implementation of project in line with targets, budgets, assessing outcomes.
- Preparation, presentation and delivery of business cases.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Flexible and willing
- Uses initiative
- Knows limitations and seeks help as appropriate
- Motivated
- Able to work unsupervised
- Empathic
- Responsible and accountable
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.
