Job overview
We are seeking a highly motivated and organised individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a proven track-record of working at a senior Executive Director level to join our team as Executive Manager to the Chair and Chief Executive.
As the EM, you will play a vital role in providing high-level administrative and strategic support to the Trust Chair and the Chief Executive. You will be responsible for a wide range of administrative tasks, including interfacing with stakeholders managing diaries and inboxes, responding to correspondence, and producing presentations and reports. You will lead the management of the office and the team of Executive Assistants, fostering a strong collaborative working approach, to ensure that all Executive Directors are supported and ensuring that the team achieves its goals.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will liaise with senior staff across the Trust and externally, working to tight deadlines and dealing with complex, challenging and rapidly changing issues in a calm and professional manner. Given the wider remit of the role and the requirement to work autonomously on a daily basis, a highly experienced Executive Manager is required for this role. The need to be pro-active and adapt quickly to a changing, pressurised environment is vital for the success of the Chair and Chief Executive role as well as the wider organisation.
Working for our organisation
At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ around 10,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Providing executive support to the Chair and Chief Executive in relation to Trust business, which includes extensive back-to-back diary management, email management and correspondence, complex and frequent travel coordination and ensuring that the time of the Chair and Chief Executive is effectively managed and focused on the essential business of the Trust.
The post holder will be required to work in a fast-paced environment autonomously, exercising judgement and initiative on behalf of the Chair and Chief Executive when communicating on their behalf with other Directors, Senior Managers, other Trusts and external agencies eg CQC, DHSC, NHSE, MPs.
Proactively resolve complex and difficult issues on behalf of the Chief Executive, in liaison with other members of the Executive Team, to ensure that issues are appropriately and effectively addressed, and the Trust’s reputation is maintained.
To act as first point of contact for the Chief Executive and Chair, proactively and promptly reviewing and tracking incoming enquiries such as emails, invitations, complaints and correspondence and responding directly, delegating where appropriate to other Directors or senior managers, or advising on responses to the Chief Executive and Chair, providing clarity of outcome/actions and ensuring these are followed to resolution in a professional manner
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Educated to Degree Level or equivalent experience with additional specialist organisation, procedural and political knowledge.
* Evidence of continuous professional development
* Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages, including Outlook, Word, Powerpoint and Excel
Desirable criteria
* Willingness to undertake a Post Graduate Management Qualification if not already achieved.
Experience and Skills
Essential criteria
* Experience in a senior administrative role within a large complex organisation, usually around 5 years
* Experience of supporting senior staff at Board level
* Experience of developing best practice systems and processes for running a busy and high profile corporate office
* Experience of planning and organising work programmes and meetings, including taking senior level formal minutes and action tracking
* Experience of working under pressure and to tight deadlines in a fast paced office environment
* Excellent communication skills, with experience of working with senior stakeholders
* Natural leadership ability, with an enthusiastic and positive approach and ability to multi-task.
* Exceptional organisation skills
* Diplomatic and able to engage with people in a positive, encouraging way
* Organisationally and politically aware.
* Good motivational, influencing and negotiating skills, with proven experience of success with Trust Board Members, Directors, Clinicians, external organisations and stakeholders
* Able to convey ideas and complex advice clearly concisely, with conviction and in a persuasive manner often in the face of opposition or hostility when challenged.
* Appropriately assertive
* Good analytical skills. Able to analyse reports and complex administrative data and act on these appropriately. Able to challenge data and information requests to ensure the end result provides the clarity the requester needs
* Creative, imaginative and appropriately challenging
* Ability to prioritise/organise own and others’ work and timescales
* Effective motivational, interpersonal with strong negotiation and influencing skills
Desirable criteria
* An understanding of the key political and policy issues within the health service/local government and the implications for the Trust
Management
Essential criteria
* Experience of managing a team at a middle management level and continuously improving multiple and complex corporate office systems and processes
* Ability to delegate appropriately
* A demonstrated commitment to high professional and ethical standards, in a diverse workplace
* Budgetary management
Personal
Essential criteria
* Proven ability to work under own initiative, without supervision and also as part of high performance corporate headquarters team or equivalent
* Ability to demonstrate high level influence in all spheres of work
* Ability to receive, understand and respond to complex, sensitive and sometimes confidential issues
* Ability to function under pressure and proactively resolve conflicts and challenging issues rationally and effectively