Executive Assistant

To organise and plan the workload, diary and commitments (including all travel and accommodation arrangements as necessary) of the Group Chief Operating Officer & Chief Nurse, including the scheduling of formal and complex meetings, ensuring deadlines are achieved and there is a flow of workload. To source and gather all relevant information in order to prioritise workload and make decisions on behalf of the CEO Enterprise regarding conflicting demands for appointments, based on a sound knowledge of the priorities and deadlines involved in the directorate. To co-ordinate and facilitate meetings, including the monthly Board sub committees and Board meetings as required, producing agendas and papers, taking and transcribing formal and informal minutes and distributing them as appropriate, ensuring any actions are undertaken and follow up as required. This will also include transporting and setting up equipment, sourcing and booking venues, organising refreshments and ensuring meetings run smoothly and efficiently.
To facilitate effective liaison with people at all levels, including senior staff at the Department of Health, Government Departments, MPs, senior staff in partner organisations. Tact and diplomacy will be required in dealing with patients and members of the public who are sometimes irate and emotionally upset. To provide comprehensive EA/secretarial service, including accurate note taking, copy typing and professional presentation of a range of correspondence, reports, etc. for internal and external use, often to tight deadlines.
This will include the preparation of reports, using charts produced through Excel where appropriate, and presentations using PowerPoint, as required and on behalf of the Executive Team. To deal directly with all correspondence, using your own initiative to ensure that it is responded to in a timely manner, drafting responses where possible. This requires developing a good working knowledge of the work of Central Essex Community Services and the ability, knowledge and confidence to respond to often high level requests for information or advice on a range of topics and to a variety of senior level contacts and external stakeholders. Ongoing assistance to review the administration and clerical support for the Executive Office to ensure adequate administrative and secretarial cover is provided and resourced in the most effective way.
Providing supervisory role to staff, carrying out appraisals and identifying training needs. Co-ordination and management of admin provision across the Corporate Office in conjunction with managers. To provide professional advice and support to members of the administrative team. To ensure that incoming mail is dealt with or appropriately redirected and to forward items requiring input from others that cannot be otherwise dealt with, indicating clearly any deadlines or instructions as necessary to facilitate speedy resolution and prioritisation.
To provide professional, support and helpful advice and information. To act as a filter for all incoming calls, using initiative on issues which can be dealt with personally and where appropriate redirecting to other senior staff, proactively seeking information and passing on. this will include routine calls from members of the public via switchboard. To undertake specific pieces of work, projects or other reasonable duties on behalf of the CEO Enterprise, as agreed with them.
To work proactively with a high degree of autonomy and own initiative. To plan and prioritise your own work effectively, with excellent time management skills to ensure work is completed in a timely fashion. To implement and maintain efficient and workable manual and electronic systems and databases, including bring forward electronic filing systems, ensuring files and records are stored and retrieved appropriately. To ensure that information and documentation is readily available for meetings and discussions and bring forwards are provided in a timely fashion, with full briefing.
To develop and maintain administrative policies using systematic processes and lean methodologies to improve service efficiency within the office. The post holder will also be expected to implement policies and propose changes to practice.