Senior PA to Deputy Directors of Strategy, Culture & Education

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide high level expertise in administrative, secretarial and office management to support the Deputy Director in a way that is responsive to their needs and contributes to the effectiveness of their roles.

To work closely with the Deputy Director in the planning and delivery of work and supporting SLMs whilst in an acting-up position for the Director.

To manage the monitoring and compliance of annual leave within that group, and communication around planning, etc, and ensure consistency around locality.

To manage enquiries directed to the Deputy Director and the Management Team, ensuring that any enquiries which are inappropriate to either are properly directed elsewhere.

To ensure that appropriate support is provided to the SCE Team.

To liaise internally with Executive and Non-Executive Directors, Senior Managers, staff, and take decisions in the absence of the Deputy Director.

Work closely with the Deputy Directors on all aspects of their work. With a complete understanding of their workload and its complexity, effectively draft emails, internal memoranda, letters, and coordinate responses, delegating to the administrators, where appropriate, with minimum supervision and guidance.

Work closely with members of the Senior Management Team in the achievement of agreed objectives and across the full range of duties to achieve key operational standards and strategic objectives and at times, where necessary, use delegated authority.

Promptly deal with the compilation of agendas, formal minutes and follow up actions for all meetings relevant to the Deputy Director and Senior Management Team, including the coordination of meetings, both internally and externally, ensuring that appropriate materials, equipment, and refreshments are available. This could also involve, on occasion, the very diplomatic cancellation and rearrangement of high-level meetings.

Ensuring that the Deputy Director is always aware of appointments and that all relevant papers are available prior to meetings and events.

Maintaining an efficient Bring Forward System to effectively monitor work and to progress/chase outstanding work which has been delegated elsewhere.

Coordinate and process applications for Senior Managers leave to always ensure adequate cover.

Making appropriate travel arrangements on behalf of the Deputy Director and preparation of suitable itineraries.

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

Expertly assist the Deputy Director in prioritising and planning workload to meet predetermined deadlines.

Take positive action in all areas of work in the absence of, or on behalf of, the Director and Business Support and ensure that they are well versed with the action taken. This involves a high-level ability to prioritise work.

Effectively manage the processes for all incoming correspondence (electronic and paper) and telephone calls in a highly resourceful way and without reference to others, delegating to other management and administrators in the first instance but responding to, or redirecting, correspondence or calls as appropriate and ensuring that any urgent or important business is brought to the attention of the Deputy Director, as appropriate and in good time.

This will involve:

o Expertly reviewing and prioritising emails received by the Deputy Director, responding to queries where appropriate, redirecting or delegating queries where appropriate, and identifying items of importance that need to be brought to the Deputy Directors attention

o Overseeing the response to routine and general correspondence on behalf of the Deputy Director without supervision.

o Effective monitoring of work for the Deputy Director.

o Taking responsibility, in the absence of the Deputy Director, for asking other managers and directors to take action on any unexpected but immediate issues falling within the remit of their posts.

o Assimilating complex information, dealing with distressed individuals, and taking decisions in the absence of the Deputy Director and Senior Management Team without reference to others.

Assist with the coordination, preparation, and distribution of papers for Senior Management Meetings. This may also involve taking notes at a wide range of meetings.

Provide expertise in the use of computer software as required (Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

Undertake ad hoc projects, including data research and representing the Directorate, for example staff survey coordination. This will require working on own initiative and under stated guidelines using a high degree of personal judgement.

Prioritise own work and objectives to ensure tasks and goals are achieved on time.

Ensure that important issues that have a significant impact on the Deputy Director are brought to his attention.

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

Liaise with Human Resource regarding recruitment processes, including Information for Candidates and Application Packs, arranging shortlisting and selection dates, interviewing, and any informal visits.

Maintaining the Departments document storage to ensure documents are easy to find; and managing secure and confidential information as needed.

Ensure all documentation is completed and verified in accordance with Trust procedures and protocols.

Responsible for day-to-day administrative duties and any other relevant duties including the completion of relevant service documentation, such as HR paperwork and obtaining appropriate signatures for authorisation.

To undertake additional duties/projects at the discretion of the Deputy Director commensurate with the role and the post holders knowledge and experience. Demonstrating skills for providing solutions when dealing with complex data.

Some of the work is high profile, eg attending Disciplinary and Grievance Hearings or confidential discussions at Executive Team Level, requiring sensitivity and diplomacy.

Organise meeting venues, presentational equipment and catering arrangements as required. This will require negotiating best value for money for the Trust.

To attend Capability, Disciplinary, Grievance, and Appeal Hearings, and provide accurate and timely minutes.

Implement new Trust Policies and Procedures and ensure that existing ones are fully adhered to.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Degree Level or equivalent level of experience in a senior administrative role, leading to sound knowledge of administrative procedures.
• OCR Level 2 Diploma in Secretarial Skills, or equivalent.

SKills and Knowledge

Essential

• Able to draw on strong communication and problem-solving skills to resolve telephone and other queries from staff, service users or carers, who may on occasion be upset or angry.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills in personal, written, and telephone contacts.
• Strong analytical and critical reasoning skills and effective problem-solving ability.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of Data Protection, and patient and staff confidentiality requirements.

Personal Qualities, Abilities and Attributes

Essential

• Ability to remain organised and calm when under pressure.
• Able to travel as required, dependent on location of role.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of setting up and operating administrative and organisational procedures required for the efficient management of office business.
• Diary Management
• Experience of planning, organising, and taking minutes at meetings.

Desirable

• Project coordination 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

East of England Ambulance Service

Address

Melbourn HQ

3 Whiting Way

Melbourn, Cambridgeshire

SG8 6NA

Employer's website

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