Chief Operating Officer jobs in United Kingdom

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and suitably qualified individual to join our Chief Operating Officer's (COO) Office at the Northern General Hospital (NGH).

We are looking for a Personal Assistant to support the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Performance and Information Director, providing high-level administrative support to both posts, with an understanding of confidentiality and a flexible and adaptable approach to work. You will be working as part of a wider Admin and Clerical team, enhancing the smooth running of the COO department.

The successful candidate will be self-motivated, reliable, and approachable and possess exceptional organisational skills, be used to working with senior colleagues in a busy environment, and with the ability to demonstrate how they lead by example and take responsibility for delivering a consistently high-level, quality, and robust administrative service.

Experience as a Personal Assistant, working in a busy setting is preferred, with the ability to prioritise workload, multitask and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines also being a necessity. Experience of arranging and attending formal meetings, including the preparation and distribution of agendas, collation of papers, chasing of actions and transcribing of minutes is essential, along with a focussed and professional attitude towards your work.

To support the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and the Performance and Information Director, providing a full range of Personal Assistant duties.

To ensure the management and support service to the Directorate is well co-ordinated and evenly balanced whilst maintaining a sensible level of individual accountability and direction within the team.

To be the first point of contact for external and internal parties to access the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Performance and Information Director.

The Office of the COO is a busy and diverse department, with the Executive Director being responsible for the operational delivery of the Trust. As a result, the office is a fast paced, patient focused service which works closely with clinical, managerial and administrative teams across our organisation to support delivery of high quality care for our patients.

There are daily contacts with a wide range of senior managers and staff from all directorates within the Trust and many external organisations.

The PA is required to work on a daily basis with personnel up to Chief Executive / Chairman level as well as key external parties, often handling sensitive information and requiring the need to prioritise at speed.

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

Date posted: 07 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 4

Salary: £26,530 to £29,114 a year pa/ pro rata for part time staff

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 190-0164-DIR

Job locations: Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU

• GCSE level (or equivalent experience/ qualifications) at grade C/4 or above in English and Maths
• OCR Word Processing III or equivalent
• Knowledge and understanding of using Microsoft Office Excel Software

• Diploma in Business Administration (level 4), or, experience in business administration that would equate to level 4, or, NVQ3 qualification plus other short courses (e.g. ILM3, ECDL)

• Relevant PA or secretarial experience
• Experience of working with multidisciplinary teams
• Knowledge and understanding of clerical procedures within a large organisation
• Experience of Microsoft office packages, especially Word, Excel including Pivot tables and PowerPoint
• Experience of audio typing and real time minute taking
• Experience of implementing and managing processes for filtering and prioritising large volumes of email traffic for multiple staff members

• Experience of staff management
• Experience of providing PA experience to senior managers within the NHS

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to provide guidance and support
• Excellent organisational skills
• Good written communication skills including the ability to present information in a clear manner
• Ability to prioritise effectively, including when working to tight deadlines
• Ability to deal effectively with conflict and to minimise its escalation
• Ability to solve problems
• Competent to interpret numerical information
• Ability to keep accurate and appropriate staff records
• Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality
• Good verbal communication skills

• Ability to produce brief reports including numerical information.
• Knowledge of medical terminology

• Knowledge of ESR and PALMS

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here.

Employer name: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU

Employer's website: https://www.sth.nhs.uk