Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Personal Assistant to support the Directorate Managers within the surgical division. The post holder is a key member of the Divisional Team supporting the Directorate Managers to deliver on their responsibilities to provide safe and effective clinical services that meet waiting time standards and financial targets. The position is full time and the post is based at Worcester Hospital. As well as being part of the busy department, you'll be required to prioritise your own workload on a day-to-day basis. Excellent IT and communication skills are essential for this role. You will demonstrate excellent organisational skills, must be flexible in approach, able to exercise initiative and demonstrate a consistently high standard of professionalism, being aware of the need for confidentiality and integrity. We would require a strong communicator and dedicated team player. Main duties of the job As a PA to Directorate Managers for the surgical division, you will be responsible for completing, but not limited to, tasks such as: Provide a comprehensive professional, high quality confidential, administration and personal assistant (PA) service to the Directorate Managers within the surgical division. Carry out diary and communications management, development, and maintenance for electronic filing systems Assist in communicating highly complex or sensitive information. Dealing with enquiries face to face, via telephone, and email. Manage the preparation, production and distribution of papers, agenda and minutes in support of meetings/committees. Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade, as delegated by the Personal Assistant to the Divisional Directors or the Directorate Managers. About us Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond. The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them. We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do. Our objectives are simple: Best services for local people Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients Best use of resources Best people Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system. We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer. Date posted 25 October 2024 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 4 Salary £26,530 to £29,114 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working Reference number C9365-24-1094-2 Job locations Charles Hastings Way Worcester Worcestershire WR5 1DD Job description Job responsibilities JOB PURPOSE: To provide a high level, comprehensive, efficient and confidential secretarial/administrative service to the Directorate Manager for General Surgery and Urology, the Directorate Manager for Trauma, Orthopaedics and Vascular, and the Directorate Manager for ENT, OMFS, Dermatology and Audiology, utilising a full range of technical skills in the production of correspondence, reports and presentations without supervision. The role includes the co-ordination, administration and facilitation of the teams to ensure that the Division can deliver its core objectives and targets. Key Duties The range and diversity of responsibilities will require the post holder to adopt a flexible approach. The ability to work independently, with competing priorities and to tight deadlines is essential. The post holder is a key member of the Divisional Team whose overarching goal is to enable, promote and support the effective use of data, information, knowledge and technology to improve, inform and support a portfolio of projects, services, and initiatives for three Directorates. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES To act as first point of contact for the Directorate Managers in the Surgery Division, dealing with staff at all levels inside and outside the Trust To work autonomously, prioritising own workload including carrying out enquiries and investigating issues, to ensure that an efficient service is always provided to the Directorate Managers. To manage the diaries for the Directorate Managers, including resolution of conflicting diary appointments. Provide efficient and confidential administrative secretarial assistance by developing, maintaining and updating filing systems, administrative procedures and personnel files. Take responsibility for the efficient organisation and maintenance of filing systems, ensuring that all papers for meetings are available and that there is an effective bring forward system ensuring that confidentiality is always maintained. Organise and maintain any archiving/storage facilities for personnel files within the Directorates and ensure that documents are stored electronically. Take responsibility for all matters relating to incoming and outgoing correspondence including monitoring of emails, initiating replies to routine correspondence on behalf of the Directorate Managers as necessary. In the absence of a Directorate Manager, to be responsible for the forwarding or re-direction of urgent items of business or correspondence. Be the initial point of contact for telephone and face-to-face enquiries from internal colleagues and external agencies, dealing with confidential, sensitive, complex and contentious issues as well as dealing with complex enquiries, and responding accordingly to ensure appropriate action is taken on specific issues. Ensure that all messages are prioritised and communicated to the Directorate Manager or other member of the Directorate Management Team. In the absence of the Directorate Manager initiate action where necessary and monitor action taken. Ensure that information requested from staff is received in a timely and accurate manner. Gather information requested by the Directorate Managers and present in a useful format, disseminating any information, which may be of interest to other staff members, associates and outside agencies. To cascade Trust information to staff within the Directorate teams via appropriate methods and to liaise with the Directorate Managers and the Directorate Management Team where appropriate. Maintain annual leave, sickness, study leave records ensuring leave does not coincide. Maintain the personal files for the staff within the Directorate Management Teams. Co-ordinate the recruitment processes, providing administrative support and arrangements for interviews on behalf of the Directorate Managers. Provide secretariat role to the Directorate Meetings and other committees. This will include co-ordinating and facilitating meetings, taking full responsibility for identification of agenda items, drafting agendas, taking formal minutes and identifying actions, distribution of relevant papers and ensuring follow-up action is undertaken. Conduct polite and courteous telephone conversations with all stakeholders demonstrating patience and understanding of whichever dilemmas they may be facing in a reassuring manner. To provide cover in the absence of the PA to Divisional Directors to ensure the smooth running of the service during planned and unplanned leave. Establish communication and maintain links with other staff and associates to ensure an effective and efficient administrative/secretarial service for the Directorate Managers. Be responsible for the procurement of physical assets and supplies for the Directorates, raising orders when directed ensuring agreed financial guidelines are adhered to when orders are placed. To manage the stock control of stationery and non-clinical related supplies for the Directorates. Maintain the staff intranet pages for the Directorates, ensuring that the information is up to date. Other duties, commensurate with the post, as directed by Divisional Directors, Directorate Managers and the PA to the Divisional Directors. Job description Job responsibilities JOB PURPOSE: To provide a high level, comprehensive, efficient and confidential secretarial/administrative service to the Directorate Manager for General Surgery and Urology, the Directorate Manager for Trauma, Orthopaedics and Vascular, and the Directorate Manager for ENT, OMFS, Dermatology and Audiology, utilising a full range of technical skills in the production of correspondence, reports and presentations without supervision. The role includes the co-ordination, administration and facilitation of the teams to ensure that the Division can deliver its core objectives and targets. Key Duties The range and diversity of responsibilities will require the post holder to adopt a flexible approach. The ability to work independently, with competing priorities and to tight deadlines is essential. The post holder is a key member of the Divisional Team whose overarching goal is to enable, promote and support the effective use of data, information, knowledge and technology to improve, inform and support a portfolio of projects, services, and initiatives for three Directorates. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES To act as first point of contact for the Directorate Managers in the Surgery Division, dealing with staff at all levels inside and outside the Trust To work autonomously, prioritising own workload including carrying out enquiries and investigating issues, to ensure that an efficient service is always provided to the Directorate Managers. To manage the diaries for the Directorate Managers, including resolution of conflicting diary appointments. Provide efficient and confidential administrative secretarial assistance by developing, maintaining and updating filing systems, administrative procedures and personnel files. Take responsibility for the efficient organisation and maintenance of filing systems, ensuring that all papers for meetings are available and that there is an effective bring forward system ensuring that confidentiality is always maintained. Organise and maintain any archiving/storage facilities for personnel files within the Directorates and ensure that documents are stored electronically. Take responsibility for all matters relating to incoming and outgoing correspondence including monitoring of emails, initiating replies to routine correspondence on behalf of the Directorate Managers as necessary. In the absence of a Directorate Manager, to be responsible for the forwarding or re-direction of urgent items of business or correspondence. Be the initial point of contact for telephone and face-to-face enquiries from internal colleagues and external agencies, dealing with confidential, sensitive, complex and contentious issues as well as dealing with complex enquiries, and responding accordingly to ensure appropriate action is taken on specific issues. Ensure that all messages are prioritised and communicated to the Directorate Manager or other member of the Directorate Management Team. In the absence of the Directorate Manager initiate action where necessary and monitor action taken. Ensure that information requested from staff is received in a timely and accurate manner. Gather information requested by the Directorate Managers and present in a useful format, disseminating any information, which may be of interest to other staff members, associates and outside agencies. To cascade Trust information to staff within the Directorate teams via appropriate methods and to liaise with the Directorate Managers and the Directorate Management Team where appropriate. Maintain annual leave, sickness, study leave records ensuring leave does not coincide. Maintain the personal files for the staff within the Directorate Management Teams. Co-ordinate the recruitment processes, providing administrative support and arrangements for interviews on behalf of the Directorate Managers. Provide secretariat role to the Directorate Meetings and other committees. This will include co-ordinating and facilitating meetings, taking full responsibility for identification of agenda items, drafting agendas, taking formal minutes and identifying actions, distribution of relevant papers and ensuring follow-up action is undertaken. Conduct polite and courteous telephone conversations with all stakeholders demonstrating patience and understanding of whichever dilemmas they may be facing in a reassuring manner. To provide cover in the absence of the PA to Divisional Directors to ensure the smooth running of the service during planned and unplanned leave. Establish communication and maintain links with other staff and associates to ensure an effective and efficient administrative/secretarial service for the Directorate Managers. Be responsible for the procurement of physical assets and supplies for the Directorates, raising orders when directed ensuring agreed financial guidelines are adhered to when orders are placed. To manage the stock control of stationery and non-clinical related supplies for the Directorates. Maintain the staff intranet pages for the Directorates, ensuring that the information is up to date. Other duties, commensurate with the post, as directed by Divisional Directors, Directorate Managers and the PA to the Divisional Directors. Person Specification Experience Essential Experience of working within a busy and high-profile environment working with complex issues with competing priorities and workloads. Experience of working as a PA. Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and Outlook. Experience in taking minutes of meetings. Accuracy and keen attention to detail Desirable Experience working in the NHS. Qualifications Essential GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English Language or equivalent NVQ level 3 or equivalent or equivalent level of proven experience Secretarial training and qualifications Desirable Evidence of continuous professional development. Knowledge and Skills Essential Work to a high level of accuracy, giving attention to detail Good understanding of NHS systems and processes Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work with multiple databases and management systems. Ability to determine/prioritise own/others workload and forward plan effectively Desirable Awareness of NHS targets and Trust priorities Personal Qualities Essential Tactful and diplomatic Discreet and able to deal appropriately with information of a sensitive or confidential nature Flexible and adaptable. Able to work under pressure. Ability to work under own initiative and part of a team. Excellent professional telephone manner. Courteous and respectful of others Ability to contribute to the continuous improvement of systems and processes Person Specification Experience Essential Experience of working within a busy and high-profile environment working with complex issues with competing priorities and workloads. Experience of working as a PA. Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and Outlook. Experience in taking minutes of meetings. Accuracy and keen attention to detail Desirable Experience working in the NHS. Qualifications Essential GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English Language or equivalent NVQ level 3 or equivalent or equivalent level of proven experience Secretarial training and qualifications Desirable Evidence of continuous professional development. Knowledge and Skills Essential Work to a high level of accuracy, giving attention to detail Good understanding of NHS systems and processes Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work with multiple databases and management systems. Ability to determine/prioritise own/others workload and forward plan effectively Desirable Awareness of NHS targets and Trust priorities Personal Qualities Essential Tactful and diplomatic Discreet and able to deal appropriately with information of a sensitive or confidential nature Flexible and adaptable. Able to work under pressure. Ability to work under own initiative and part of a team. Excellent professional telephone manner. Courteous and respectful of others Ability to contribute to the continuous improvement of systems and processes 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 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Address Charles Hastings Way Worcester Worcestershire WR5 1DD Employer's website https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)