Personal Assistant (XN04)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be accountable for the provision of a comprehensive personal assistant service to the relevant Head of Service. This will include secretarial activities for example word processing, filing, diary management etc, but will also include developing, maintaining and managing office and information systems in support of the Head of Service. The post holder will play a key role in preparing agenda, taking, transcribing and distributing minutes, organising follow up action and ensuring an effective bring forward/briefing system in respect of key documentation required.

The post holder will be co-located with the other PA to SIM Heads of service. As a team cross cover will be provided to all Heads of Service.

The post holder may be responsible for:-

the recruitment and selection administration process, induction and orientation programmes, and staff training in the department.

the monitoring of sickness, holidays and other leave.

preparing and providing statistics to managers and to salaries and wages.

ensuring correspondence and administrative tasks are aligned to service

needs.

Be aware of and assist with achieving the service standards, targets and

objectives Departmental, Trust, Regional and National.

ensuring that processes/procedures comply with legislative requirements,

including Health & Safety, Data Protection and confidentiality.

3. ORGANISATIONAL CHART

4. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Undertakes secretarial duties including filing, note taking, word processing, photocopying, faxing and dealing with general communications.

Prioritise own workload and work with minimum supervision.

Through liaison and co-operation with colleagues/, ensure the seamless provision of an effective and efficient administrative and secretarial service to the Heads of service

Assist in recruitment and selection as appropriate and is involved in the departmental induction and orientation programme/s.

Assists in the organisation of the Departments workload.

Provides a comprehensive administrative and secretarial service to a identified Head of Service to ensure a coordinated and consistent service.

Maintains appointment diaries for the Head of Service and, as necessary, makes appropriate arrangements eg booking rooms for meetings, refreshments, travel and parking arrangements etc.

Deals with complex enquiries, investigating and researching matters, thereby providing appropriate information/guidance and advice, escalating issues to the relevant Head of Service.

Liaises with external contacts/organisations and with internal departments/colleagues to access appropriate information/advice as required to fulfil the role.

Researches, analyses, compiles and presents, as required, information/materials involving reference to relevant documents and utilising appropriate equipment/software packages.

Works in close liaison and support of other members of the team which may include providing cover for appropriate colleagues

Adheres to relevant Statutory Instruments and Trust Policies and Guidelines e.g. Data Protection, Health and Safety, Confidentiality and HR Policies and Guidelines.

Attend meetings to take notes/minutes, prepare an accurate record of the meeting and distribute agreed minutes/statements as required.

Attend training courses as necessary to undertake the duties of the post.

Records and monitors annual leave for the management team, reconciling leave booked with leave taken and resolving anomalies.

Produces and maintain monthly attendance records electronically for the management team and for the salaries and wages department

Such other duties at a comparable level of responsibility as may be allocated to the post and post holder.

5. THE LEEDS WAY VALUES

Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Patient-centred

Collaborative

Fair

Accountable

Empowered

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values

Additionally, the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:

Commitment to providing a high standard of efficient office practice ensuring a quality service is provided.

Demonstrate a customer focussed approach to role.

Professional and flexible approach and attitude.

Understand responsibilities with regard to confidentiality.

Commitment to personal development

Commitment to being an integral part of the service team this may be a multi-disciplinary team.

Honesty, integrity and discretion.

6. WEST YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF ACUTE TRUSTS (WYAAT)

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

By bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise across West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are working differently, innovating and driving forward change to deliver the highest quality care. By working for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of that change.

WYAAT is the acute sector arm of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, one of the largest integrated care systems in the country. The Partnerships ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and wellbeing, and the work of WYAAT, and each individual trust, supports that ambition.

7. INFECTION CONTROL

The jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal Infection Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and after contact with patients and their environment.

8. HEALTH AND SAFETY / RISK MANAGEMENT

All staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This includes complying at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed security and safer working procedures, and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting system

9. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

10. TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional Development remains a priority. The jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.

11. COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will be required to establish, maintain and respect working relationships and communication networks associated with the post. Communication will include those organisations, individuals and institutions which the post holder comes into contact with. Typically these will include internal networks associated with the specialty area as well as other external contacts as appropriate. The post holder will be expected to represent themselves and the service in a professional, courteous and respectful manner at all times.

12. SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

There may be a requirement to support the delivery of the service at other sites as necessary. This could be a regular feature of the post or only an occasional requirement. This will be confirmed following a discussion with the line manager.

Physical Effort:

The role requires a high level of speed and accuracy, equivalent to RSA 3, to maintain a high quality and efficient secretarial service. Frequent requirement for sitting in a restricted position. Word process and input for a substantial proportion of working time. Post holder will be required to lift notes and stationery, e.g. reams of paper.

Mental Effort:

Prolonged periods of concentration eg typing complex documents while subject to frequent interruption.

Emotional Effort:

Yes, frequently. The pressure of meeting deadlines and not being able to schedule meetings because of diary commitments is stressful.

Working Conditions:

Requirement to use VDU more or less continuously.

Person Specification

Skills & Behaviours

Essential

• Professional attitude to work
• Polite and helpful customer service skills
• Caring and understanding
• Common sense and initiative
• Ability to prioritise and organise workload
• Ability to supervise the clerical team
• Integrity
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Able to adapt to new working practices/processes
• Able to prioritise workload individual and that of the clerical team, if appropriate.
• Ability to manage own workload consisting of a variety of tasks and deadlines, achieving required deadlines
• Effective communication skills, verbal and written.
• Understand and adhere to Departmental/Service, Trust and NHS processes and protocols.
• Continually monitor, review and, where appropriate, suggest changes to improve the working practices and systems
• Demonstrate a commitment to team working, departmental and multi-disciplinary team.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified to RSA3 typing/word processing or equivalent experience
• Excellent typing skills
• GCSE (or equivalent) English Language grade C or above, or equivalent ability.
• A willingness to undergo training and new skills

Desirable

• A willingness to attend supervisory courses, e.g. instruction on interview procedures, managing yourself and others

Experience

Essential

• Supervisory processes and practices
• Secretarial and administrative processes and practices
• MS Office application experience
• NHS/Trust protocols/policies and procedures
• Experience of organising and servicing meetings
• Experience of dealing with people at all levels within and external to a large organisation
• An understanding of Service/Departmental, Trust and National standards/targets that impact on the service area.
• An excellent knowledge of a supervisory/PA role.
• The post holder should be aware of the Trusts Policies and Procedures including Recruitment and Selection; Annual Leave; motivated and lead by example to motivate other team members.
• Prioritise own workload and, where appropriate, that of the team.
• An ability to train staff, including temporary staff, as required and to assess and monitor progress on a continuing basis.
• An ability to accurately transcribe complicated/complex and sensitive tapes/notes notes and type complicated/complex information while subject to frequent interruptions.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to exchange confidential, sensitive or contentious information clearly and effectively at all levels, i.e. patients, relatives, colleagues and o
• An ability to exercise judgement when dealing with enquiries to evaluate the situation and resolve problems within their remit, escalating issues appropriately.
• To have an adaptable and flexible approach to working hours and practices.

Desirable

• Experience at senior level in a health care environment
• Previous supervisory experience
• Diary management experience

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

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

Leeds General Infirmary

Great George Street

Leeds

LS1 3EX

Employer's website

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