PA to the Director of Development and Engagement, and Director of Policy and Strategy

Salary: circa £29,000 per annum depending on experience plus generous benefits

Location: Victoria, London (hybrid working with one to three days in the office each week)

Closing date: at 12 noon, Tuesday 07 May 2024

NHS Providers is the membership organisation for the NHS hospital, mental health, community, and ambulance services that treat patients and service users in the NHS. We help those NHS foundation trusts and trusts to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care by enabling them to learn from each other, acting as their public voice and helping shape the system in which they operate.

NHS Providers has all trusts in England in voluntary membership, collectively accounting for £115bn of annual expenditure and employing 1.4 million people.

Purpose of this role

To provide efficient and comprehensive administrative support to the joint directors of development and engagement (D&E), and director of policy and strategy (P&S). This would be an ideal role for a well-organised and enthusiastic candidate who is looking for the next step in their business administration career. The post-holder will also work closely with colleagues in the chair’s, chief executive’s, deputy chief executive’s and other directors’ offices, and will be a key member of a busy, but collaborative, executive support team (EST).

Accountabilities

Diary management and administrative duties

• Ensure the diary and travel arrangements for the directors are fully planned, organised and managed effectively. This will include booking travel tickets/hotels as required and any travel arrangements relating to member trust visits.
• Exercise judgment and flexibility in managing potential conflicting diary issues in a tactful and sensitive manner, having due regard for business priorities - consulting the directors and/or business manager where required.
• Assist the directors with their workflow through effective diary management and planning.
• Support the directors with their work/life balance - enabling them to take annual leave (e.g. through effective diary management and identifying suitable dates).
• Ensure the directors receive relevant papers and briefings in a timely manner, so that they have sufficient time to absorb the content and provide any feedback prior to their meetings.
• Keep the directors’ external meetings sheet up to date.
• Co-ordinate the director’s visits to member trusts with regard to booking dates and travel.
• Ensure that the directors’ Outlook contacts are current and accurate, and that details in the organisation’s customer relationship management (CRM) system are updated where necessary (CRM training will be provided).
• Undertake general administrative duties including formatting documents for the director (e.g. papers for SMT, EMT and the board), photocopying, scanning, maintaining hard and soft filing systems, and ordering office supplies for the director.
• Provide administrative support to the wider organisation as required. Such requests will be made on a case-by-case basis, via the business manager.

Communication and relationship management

• Effectively manage relationships with peers in external stakeholder organisations.
• Continually brief and update the directors with any pertinent information relating to their diaries that may be required.
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with colleagues in the chair’s, chief executive’s, deputy chief executive’s and other directors’ offices, and across the wider organisation, to ensure a high level of service to the director of D&E, and the director of policy and strategy.
• Work as an effective and approachable team member, actively contributing to EST meetings.
• As part of the directors’ office, act as the initial point of contact for external stakeholders, handling all queries in an efficient and courteous manner to promote a positive image of the organisation.
• Work closely with colleagues in the EST to continuously review and refine ways of working/best practice.

Customer service

• Be one of the first points of contact for telephone and written enquiries to the directors.
• Arrange meeting rooms, refreshments and materials/papers as required; and meet and greet visitors of all levels of seniority for the directors, and other members of the executive team.
• Ensure there is a backup support mechanism/system in place for planned absences and, in turn, provide assistance with tasks for other colleagues in the EST during periods of sickness/annual leave.
• Demonstrate flexibility in terms of attending the office to best support the directors/meet business need.
• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality, professionalism, and personal integrity.
• Support the directors with a small number of ad hoc personal tasks.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Providing administrative support at a senior level.
• Working with senior stakeholders.
• Complex diary management.
• Planning travel itineraries.
• Working with confidential information and documents.
• Providing excellent levels of customer care
• Servicing meetings.
• Office management and organisation systems.
• Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook - and be comfortable with using Excel spreadsheets to manage text-based information.
• Proven ability to prioritise a busy workload.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to deal with a wide range of staff and external stakeholders/organisations with tact and diplomacy.
• Methodical approach and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to be flexible, respond positively to change, work effectively and proactively under pressure and deal with conflicting priorities.
• Patient and logical approach to solving problems, with the ability to analyse information effectively.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Reliable, conscientious, proactive and well organised.
• Regularly asks 'How could I/we do this better?’ and acts on the responses.

Desirable:

• Working within a membership organisation or the healthcare sector.
• Good knowledge of geographical areas/transport links as the chief executive travels extensively across England.