Executive Assistant interview nhs

[megrob]

I have a job interview in the NHS for an Executive Assistant post. can anyone shed some light on what this role involes? What are the daytoday tasks/duties etc?

Have they not posted a job description with the role?

Exec PAs in NHS are like personal assistants and secretaries to executive directors and their deputies and assistants. They'll arrange meetings, do letters, take meeting minutes, book trains, arrange places on conferences, manage their diaries etc. They'll chase people up for work they've been asked to do and generally support the Exec director in getting through the week ahead. Theyll also take calls and pass messages on and meet and greet people they are booked to have meetings with. Its a very busy role

yes but its quite vague x

@LadyLolaRuben thank you. whats the difference in a PA to Executive Assit and what type of work do you need to chase ppl up on? what would be the challenges of this position

@Borgonzola yes but its quite vague

Execs get a lot of work allocated to them, tasks, projects etc. Although they have the workstreams to oversee, other people do the actual task. So it could be laying the request the relevant person following the meeting abd then following up a few days before the meeting to get the latest update. Then passing that info to the Exec so they can brief those in the meeting.

Not much difference between PAs and Executive Assistants other than PAs support senior staff who are not on the board of directors. Exec PAs support senior staff who are Executives on the Board. They do the same job just to different staff groups.

Exec PAs receive more external guests such as MPs, police, press/journalists. Even upset families/bereaved families. Exec PAs may help colleagues in Chief Executive's office when those Exec PAs are on leave to ensure continuous cover

@LadyLolaRuben thank you so much. have you done this role before. is there anything else you can tell me? what systems/databases they use or do they have any involement with data at all? how does a executive assist support in the prject work? x

Im a senior NHS manager working at sub board level, so I work with exec and other types of directors. I work with PAs and Exec PAs to get things done and on time.

PAs/Exec PAs are crucial for diary management and getting the days to run smoothly. They are also crucial for reminders to staff to ensure they know and are reminded to get tasks done by deadlines.

Making sure director has papers printed off and ready for meeting or available on their laptop to view is also crucial or they can't function in meetings.

Meeting minute taking is important, noting down key discussion points, actions agreed, decisions made etc.

Microsoft Office is important particularly Word and email. They may have a software system for creating meeting agendas and attaching the required meeting papers. Just ask them if they use anything specific and what its name is. Say with your general IT knowledge that you're sure you will pick that up fairly quickly after being shown.

Emphasise that you're approachable, professional etc - so can deal effectively with staff at all levels and staff groups in organisation and deal with those external such as MPs, police, families etc.

Tell them you can multitask and are resilient - cope under pressure. It really is a job that has a lot if things going on at once.

In terms of data they may ask you to do a quick analysis on spreadsheets. Nothing heavy just counting and totals etc. It could be a project they are working on that they need figures for following a data request such as freedom of information. It could be counting the meeting attendance for the year of all those who were supposed to attend to see who was naughty and good!

Other tasks they support project work for is arranging project meetings - getting everyone's availability is really difficult. Not only trying to get everyone together but trying to find a meeting room that is free at same time and will fit all the people can be difficult.

Keeping notes of whats agreed in project meeting. Agreeing to take on tasks such as project administration - drafting a group's terms of reference based on whats been said in meeting, creating a groups cycle of business - i.e. when certain reports and papers are due in and chasing the author for them.

When is your interview? Best of luck. Let us know how it goes

@LadyLolaRuben you have been fantastic help!!! honestky what a star!!! my interview is this friday. its a fixed term contract though.... do you know much about fixed term roles and how likely they will become permnant?? i am currently in a permnant position at the moment but been here 10 years with no career opportunities and all nhs jobs recently seem to be for fixed term. wanting to get out my currwnt job but worried of having no job at the end? says its fixed term for 9 months but with the possibility of being extended in future. but what if it is extended and then no job at the end??

You really need to find out why it is fixed term. A 9m post suggests it is covering maternity for the substantive post holder. If this is the case it is very unlikely you will be extended. Call or email the contact on the job posting and ask them. In my experience PAs tend to stay for a long time in the NHS and there isn't very much movement or opportunity for sidesteps.

@LadyLolaRuben reading your message i think an interview question may come up like "what do you think you will need to multitask in this role and how would you organise yourself to ensure all tasks are completed" what would be a good response to this? x

yes your absolutely right, I plan to call them tomorrow so i will ask thia question then.... but if its not for a maternity cover... what then.... does anyone lose rheir role/position after a fixed term... will i become unemployed or do they have to offer me aomething else?

@Wazzzzzuuuuuuup

Hi OP. NHS is terrible with job roles and contracts. Whatever the reason, I guarantee you will find get another PA type role with them or walk into one at another NHS organisation. They are desperate for decent PA type staff. Every hospital has a staff "bank". This is where you float around different depts doing different roles. Could be for days, weeks or months at a time. I really don't think you need to worry too much about that although there's no absolute guarantee

@LadyLolaRuben do you think im mad applying for a fixed term contract and if offered accepted it? as i said ive been in nhs on a permnant contract for 10 years. this interview on friday says something like "9 months fixed term with a high possibility of being extended"... what are your thoughts? stay where i am or go for it still

You would multitask based on deadline, urgency, how long each task took to complete and whether you needed info from others first (so you'd request the info and do other things whilst waiting a response).

You'd consider seeing if you could adjust or re negotiate a deadline if it was becoming a bit tight or seek support from another PA if possible to bring more resource to the task - then return favour another time.

You may even consider the time you do certain tasks. For example, prioritising doing meeting minutes first thing in morning when office is quieter with less interruptions. Or calling all staff at beginning of week for workstream updates so you have them by midweek to collate and feedback to director on time for end of week meeting.

Another trick is prioritising liaising with staff who are known to give delayed responses e.g. surgeons in theatre and clinics for the majority of their day, so don't have much admin time. Also getting to know their PAs so you can ask them to wave your email at them and prioritise a response.

Its always wise to give staff an earlier deadline than the actual one so you have time to mop up any non-responders x

Once a fixed term ends, you're unemployed. No redundancy etc. What is your current role and why do you want to leave?
Are you the main earner in your household...how much risk in your personal life is this to you?
PAs and Exec PA jobs always seem to come up.

@LadyLolaRuben so im a senior administrator presently. i wnat to leave as i have been in this role for 10 years and there is no opportunities. when their has been an opportunity they tend to offer it to those who are on 12 month fixed term contracts in order to keep hold of them (but i think this behaviour only tends to go in within our office and not external nhs offices - i think). so feeling a bit frustrated and not very valued even tho i work my ass off.
i have a mortgage and children. i want career development but nothjngs happening for me internally and most jobs externally are now being advertised as fixed terms? what would you do. the permanant contracts are like gold dust! ad harder to be offered it

So you're being taken for granted in your current role! Could you not ask your current employer if they would allow you to go on secondment to expand your knowledge and experience. That way you would have a role to fall back on. This is frequently why jobs are advertised in the NHS as fixed term roles - backfilling a secondment

@LadyLolaRuben yes, i am not the only one being taken for granted, there is a few of us who have just become unhaply due to it.

perfect, so what your saying is... if i am offered this position which is a 9m fixed term with a good poasibility of being extended, instead of handing in my notice... ask my current employment if i could go to it but on a secondment instead and see what they say? this makes me feel so much better! even goibg to job interview!

Yes ask your employer to let you go for 9 months. Sell it to them that it will expand your knowledge and skills to bring back to the admin role emphasising that its only for 9 months. Obviously you don't tell them you hope to never return!

They may say no because sorting cover is a pain but if you don't ask, you don't get.

Let us know how you get on. I'll keep checking the thread during the week in case you have any other queries x