Job info	Job info details
Job title	PA and Team Support Officer to Director of Public Health
Strategic team/Directorate	Public Health
Service	Public Health
Business unit	Public Health
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Head of Public Health Improvement
Accountable to (line manager)	Head of Public Health Improvement
Salary grade	F
JE ref	PH25

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide high quality one to one Personal Assistant support to the Director of Public Health, the Consultants in Public Health and the wider directorate to ensure their work is effectively and efficiently supported. 
• Working with other PA’s, provide seamless cover support to other Directors/Divisional Directors/Consultants in Public Health as needed.
• To take a proactive role in directly supporting the work of Public Health’s Senior Leadership Team.
• To service a range of meetings as required, in particular producing a range of accurate minutes, notes and actions in a concise and timely manner.
• To provide wider administrative support for the Public Health Team as required.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The post will provide a high-quality PA and Team Support service that allows the Council’s Public Health Team to carry out their strategic priorities effectively.
• The wider Senior Leadership team will receive a highly organised and effective service.
• The PA pool will run efficiently, providing highly organised cover for each other (where required) to the benefit of Directors, Consultants in Public Health and Divisional Directors.
• To contribute towards the effective organisation of Public Health functions to ensure the directorate operates in an efficient, open and accountable way.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• First point of contact and gatekeeper for the Director of Public Health, managing their mailbox and diary, ensuring that all meetings are appropriately prepared for and reprioritising their time to ensure they can operate efficiently. 
• To deal with the full range of queries to the Director of Public Health from members of the public, media, organisations and other individuals (for example members, officers and partners) in a prompt, courteous and informative manner, including providing high level instruction and guidance to the public regarding public meetings.
• To research and collate information and statistics as required to enable the accurate drafting of briefings, reports, speeches, presentations, documents and correspondence.
• To provide wider support across the Public Health directorate including but not limited to providing administrative support for meetings (scheduling, arranging, booking, minuting etc), booking venues and travel and accommodation or ensuring that visitors are accommodated where necessary.
• Responsible for handling highly sensitive and confidential information including confidential employment matters, complaints, Freedom of Information requests, ensuring discretion and diplomacy.
• To prepare for and attend committee, strategic and contract management meetings as directed, ensuring that all paperwork is provided, accommodation and refreshments are organised, accurate minutes are taken and that participants follow the terms of reference.
• Exercising judgement and discretion in determining priorities daily and ensuring that all callers/visitors for the Director & Consultants in Public Health receive the highest standards of customer care.
• Meeting and greeting visitors at all levels of seniority in a professional friendly manner.
• Responsible for accurately transcribing recorded or dictated minutes / information and compiling relevant documents within a tight deadline when required.
• To be responsible for managing, organising and co-ordinating the preparation of large events and conferences, including visits to the organisation from external bodies (e.g., forums, away days, Public Health 3 Teams meetings, ensuring that visitors are well accommodated at all times.
• Responsible for ensuring that in the absence of the Director or Consultants in Public Health, all queries are followed up and responded to.   
• As directed by Head of Public Health Improvement, to work flexibly across Public Health undertaking other duties (e.g., assistance with inspections, audits or events) as required.
• Undertake training commensurate to the post.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• Using the Council’s financial system to order goods and services that are requested, including the generation and receipting of Purchase Orders.
• Undertake the payment of invoices in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working environment and conditions which includes ‘hybrid-working’ – working in both an office and home environment.
• To work outside normal office hours as and when required including evenings (and occasional weekends and Bank Holidays in the event of an emergency or for a pre-planned event where notice will be provided).

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort.
• Manual handling of equipment (e.g., laptop and projector) and carrying boxes of paper.

8. Specific resources used by the post

• IT equipment. 
• Telephone. 
• Scanner. 
• FIMS, MyView. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External - Members of the public, partner agencies and other local authority Public Health teams.
• Internal - Leader of the Council, Civic Mayor, councillors, officers (particularly other PA’s and Team Support Officers, Chief Executive, Directors and Divisional Directors) and other departments.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	PA and Team Support Officer to Director of Public Health
Strategic team/Directorate	Public Health
Service	Public Health
Business unit	Public Health

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, together with a positive, warm and flexible approach. Persuasive, discreet and able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including high profile partners in the private and public sectors and senior representatives of the Council as well as members of the Public.
• The ability to administer meetings with a particular focus on arranging and coordinating said meetings whilst able to produce accurate minutes, notes and action logs in a concise, efficient and timely manner.
• Ability to interpret complex information, undertake research on behalf of the Director and produce clear and concise draft written reports, letters, speeches and correspondence.
• Ability to work in a systematic meticulous way to a high standard, using own initiative to produce high quality work both on an individual level and at a team level, improving the overall service for leaders within the Council.
• Ability to display sensitivity, tact and diplomacy in all situations with high levels of political sensitivity.
• Ability to work with challenging, conflicting and tight deadlines, and to determine appropriate priorities with a flexible approach and ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities to ensure tasks are completed on time without supervision.
• A polite manner, particularly when working in circumstances where interruptions may be common.
• Ability to maintain good relationships with colleagues and customers and forge effective working relationships.
• Ability to work to a professional standard and take personal responsibility for a substantial workload with limited supervision.
• Commitment to providing high level of customer service.
• The ability to deal effectively and confidentially with both internal and external contacts whilst communicating complex and sometimes sensitive information.
• Highly proficient in the use of Information and Communication Technology including MS Office and other relevant systems, as well as excellent keyboard skills.
• Numeracy and budgeting monitoring skills to be able to compile and present accurate statistical data.
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• Ability to hold meetings to their terms of reference.
• Ability and confidence to interrupt meetings with actions.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• A broad understanding of local government structures.
• Highly proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office and associated programmes.
• An in-depth knowledge of a range of specialist administrative and organisational procedures, e.g., production of minutes, notes and actions, reports, speeches, letters, presentations, travel arrangements and organisation of meetings and events.
• Ability to quickly understand the relevant terms of reference for meetings within the Council’s constitution to ensure that appropriate constitutional advice can be provided to participants.
• Full understanding of the role of Personal Assistant.

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of Issue Manager (or Committee Management System), SPAR.net (or performance monitoring system), FIMS (or financial management) and web site development IT systems.
• Knowledge of Freedom of Information Act, GDPR and Political sensitivity issues.
• Knowledge of the Public Health Directorate and how it supports the overall aims of the organisation. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of supporting others to a high standard.
• Experience of providing high level customer service and working with clients who may be challenging.
• Proven experience of working in a busy office environment.
• Experience of maintaining accurate and methodical records, in particular the production of accurate and concise minutes, notes and actions.
• Extensive experience of using a range of PC based information technology and computerised systems to a high level.
• Experience of dealing with highly confidential and sensitive matters.
• Experience of providing high levels of professional support, e.g., diary management, production of letters, speeches, presentations and other correspondence.
• Experience of supporting meetings, documenting minutes and ensuring actions are recorded.
• Experience of undertaking research and analysing information.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of supporting senior managers.
• Experience of supporting elected members. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to NVQ Level 4 standard or equivalent.
• ECDL or equivalent experience.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• NVQ Level 4 Business Administration. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling).
• Ability to accommodate hybrid working e.g. part office based and part home-working.