Head of Executive Office

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Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

This is an exciting new opportunity to join an evolving team that will will be liaising directly with senior leaders across the NELFT and the systems in which NELFT operates and you will have a key role in managing the reputation of the office of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Management Team, and the Trust more broadly.

Main duties of the job

As the Head of Executive Office, the post-holder will lead delivery of a highly effective support service to the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and the Executive Management Team (EMT).

You will be responsible for providing the strategic and operational management of a professional executive support function to all areas of the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive's portfolio, ensuring that they are fully briefed and prepared for all activities within their remit. This will include advising on and progressing projects as requested by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief of Staff.

It is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic leader to lead the team of Executive Assistants to the Executive Management Team, ensuring that the EA team; Operates efficiently and effectively, Provides an excellent and professional service to the Trust's senior leadership. To be open and responsive, equitable, inclusive and kind. Building strong relationships internally and externally
This will be an opportunity to refine and communicate current processes, drive innovation and design new ways of working to make the most effective use of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Management Team's time. We look forward to your application.

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post-holder will:
• Manage the Executive Office, to ensure it runs smoothly and efficiently at all times.
• Proactively support the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive, their time and workload, in a highly effective manner to facilitate their ability to lead the organisation effectively.
• Use judgement to prepare or commission briefing for the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive on specific topics, including research and analysis of information as required.
• Manage the administration of weekly Executive Management Team meetings, including taking minutes and maintaining the action log.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief of Staff, keeping them informed of relevant issues, commitments and responsibilities, prioritising and following up as appropriate.
• Work with the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive's EA to:
o Prioritise incoming issues and concerns, including those of a sensitive and confidential nature, determining the appropriate course of action, referral or response and taking responsibility for necessary follow up action.
o Proactively manage the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive's diaries and 'bring forward' system in an effective and efficient manner, anticipating the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive's requirements, responding to changing circumstances and demands on their time.
o Manage the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive's correspondence, including emails, to a very high standard, prioritising and routing as appropriate and dealing with less complex matters directly where appropriate.
o Produce the director on-call rota and collate directors' annual leave ensuring adherence to Trust requirements.
• Act as an effective channel of communication between the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive and the rest of the organisation.
• Co-ordinate the drafting of board papers that the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive are responsible for producing.
• Act as an effective link between the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive and the Executive Management Team, attending and providing administrative support for the weekly EMT meetings as well as attending Board of Directors meetings.
• Establish effective relationships with key partner organisations across the systems in which the Trust operates, liaising with them on behalf of the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.
• Attend ad-hoc meetings, recording and chasing actions on behalf of the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive. Track issues for follow up and progress and chase as required.
• Use initiative, diplomacy and tact and take a proactive approach to solving problems and delegating issues as appropriate. Provide rapid response to conflicting demands and priorities.
• At all times act as an ambassador for the Trust, being professional, confident, courteous and helpful. Work sensitively and professionally with the highly sensitive and confidential information to which the post-holder will be privy.
• Lead the team of Executive Assistants to the Executive Management Team, ensuring that the EA team:
o Operates efficiently and effectively
o Provides an excellent and professional service to the Trust's senior leadership
o Has a reputation for being approachable, responsive, helpful and professional - across the Trust and with partner organisations from across the systems in which the Trust operates
o Has a strong sense of team and a culture of professionalism and mutual support
o Actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion

These leadership and management responsibilities will include:
o Provision of effective and supportive line management, including regular 1:1 supervisions and appraisals, working in partnership with the Executive Director(s) the EA supports as appropriate.
o Leadership of regular team meetings and away-days
o Facilitation of professional development opportunities
o Leadership of recruitment
o Provision of training to new members of the EA team in office administration and support systems and processes.
o Management of the EA team budget
o Management of overall EA resource to ensure Executive Directors are allocated the right support at the right time to enable them to fulfil their roles effectively. This will include allocation of EA support to Executive Directors, working in conjunction with the relevant Executive Director.
o Management of cover arrangements and providing cover for the EA to the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive to ensure consistency of support
o Management of a rota for EA physical presence in the Executive Management Team Office at Trust Headquarters (CEME)
• Raise purchase orders, process invoices and expense claims and monitor expenditure.

The post-holder will be required to use a computer every day and will be a highly proficient user of the Microsoft Office suite.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.

Person specification

Application and Interview

Essential criteria

• 5 Ps
• Qualification - educated masters or equivalent
• Experience - Significant exposure dealing with senior management
• Experience of dealing with highly confidential infortmation
• Experience of policies , procedures and processes; implementing and setting up
• Experience of leading a team
• Have good, judgement and using initiative, good communicator and being emotionally intelligent

Desirable criteria

• Experience of managing a senior leaders office
• Using QI methodology to make improvements
• Evidence of EDI

Other

Essential criteria

• Able to travel
• Advanced IT skills including Microsoft Office/Virtual meeting platforms

Understanding of Health and Social Care

Essential criteria

• Being politically aware
• Understanding of the Health and Social Care environment and current developments

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

• A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a 'Top 10 Family Friendly Employer' from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.

Supporting our Armed Forces

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have supportive policies, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans. reservists and military spouses and give additional leave to our Reservists so that they can attend their annual camp.

Equal opportunities employer

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity and positively encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of any protected characteristic.

We are a Disability Confident employer and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with disabilities. If you require this application in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape please contact the recruitment team on 0300 300 1530 or email recruitment@nelft.nhs.uk.

Correspondence with us

You are advised to regularly check your emails (including any junk mail/spam folders) for correspondence related to this post.

In the event of a high number of responses to any advert, NELFT reserves the right to close the vacancy early. If you do not hear from us within three weeks of the closing date then please assume you have not been successful on this occasion.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Documents to download

• Job Description Head of Executive Office (PDF, 582.4KB)
• NELFT Application - Hints and Tips (PDF, 38.4KB)