Senior Executive Assistant to the Joint Chief Executive

Job purpose

To provide a full Executive Assistant service, managing their diary and correspondence, project management, and following up a wide range of issues arising from correspondence and meetings, working in collaboration with the Executive Coordinator. The Senior Executive Assistant will provide day to day management and supervision of the office administrative support function.

Location: Bristol

Job Type: Temporary 

Duration of booking: Expected to last 3 months with possible extension

Proposed start date: 28th April 2025

Pay Rates: Up to £23 per hour Umbrella or £20 per hour PAYE inclusive of holiday pay

Hours / Working Days: 37.5 hours per week / Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm 

Sector: Healthcare 

Based: Office / Hospital 

Main duties and responsibilities

Communication

• Provide front of office support to the Joint Chief Executive.  
• Communicate confidential, sensitive, and contentious information, both written and verbal, across multi-disciplinary teams, external organisations to inc. NHSE, BNSSG ICB, CQC and clients.  Ensure stakeholder visits and requests are managed in a timely way. 
• The Senior Executive Assistant will be expected to manage organisational arrangements on behalf of the Joint Chief Executive, including formal visits to hospital sites, hosting dignitaries and system partners (engaging with the communications teams the Executive Coordinator as required) as well as management of enquiries and correspondence.  
• To manage the electronic diary of the Joint Chief Executive, including arranging meetings, and taking minutes/notes and actions when necessary. 
• Be the point of contact for the Joint Chief Executive for internal and external enquiries, identifying problems and offering solutions.  Ensure visibility in the Trust representing the Joint Chief Executive and dealing with queries on their behalf. 
• Ensure the Joint Chief Executive receives appropriate briefings on current issues and produce reports on key items.
• Foster and maintain effective working relationships with the Council of Governors, both organisations’ Non-Executive Directors and Executive Directors, and the Executive administration team at both Trusts’ Headquarters, Divisional teams across all hospital sites, and staff at both other NHS and non-NHS organisations.
• Work with the communications and governance teams to ensure that internal and external communications for the Joint Chief Executive are fit for purpose and timely.

Planning and Organisation

• Plan and organise meetings involving the Trust Management Executives and Executive Directors at both organisations, and other groups by arrangements including the preparation of agendas.  
• Managing complex and conflicting priorities when managing diaries. Taking formal minutes and circulation of all relevant documentation ensuring corporate formats are followed, minutes are communicated, actioned and implemented.
• Prepare and commission/coordinate presentations for the Joint Chief Executive for meetings and staff briefings in conjunction with the Executive Coordinator and the communications and governance teams.
• Together with the Executive Coordinator, coordinate and supervise delegated project work, for example managing actions from the Integrated Care Board and other high-level forums attended or chaired by the Joint Chief Executive, collating data and information and associated actions.
• Arrange visits and walk rounds by the Joint Chief Executive

Knowledge and Experience

• Substantial secretarial and personal assistant experience at a senior level, including working with for an Executive Director (E)
• Experience managing projects to deadlines (E)
• Experience supervising or managing a team (E)
• Excellent knowledge and experience using computer packages e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (E)
• Significant experience taking minutes and creating reports (E)
• Previous NHS experience (D)
• A strong understanding of the local healthcare sector and wider political context within BNSSG (E)

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent and professional communications both face-to-face, over the phone and by email (E)
• Flexible approach to duties (E)
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines whilst maintaining a high standard of accuracy and attention to detail (E)
• Proven good organisational skills (E)
• Advanced Keyboard and IT skills (E)
• Ability to work effectively in a busy dept./service, adjusting to change and motivating others (E)
• Ability to work independently, taking own initiative to make complex decisions (E)
• Ability to deal with difficult situations, using diplomacy to manage and deal with internal and external stakeholder expectations (E)
• VDU user for majority of shift (E)
• Ability to analyse and solve complex conflicting priorities (E