Secretary

NHS Scotland; Ayr; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Ayrshire and Arran is seeking a proactive secretary to support the Infrastructure and Support Services Senior Management Team based at Ailsa Hospital. You will provide a professional, confidential secretarial service including diary management, meeting administration and minute taking.

The role is 36 hours per week, on a fixed-term basis for 12 months, offering opportunities to contribute to governance processes and cross-cover across the directorate.

Qualifications

• HND in Business/Office Administration or equivalent experience.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced IT and Microsoft Office / M365 skills.
• Minute taking and meeting administration experience.
• Ability to prioritise workload, use initiative and work independently.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Experience supporting managers and working to tight deadlines.
• Desirable: Previous NHS experience and understanding of NHS systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide a dedicated, professional secretarial service to Heads of Service within the Infrastructure & Support Services Directorate.
• Act as a key point of contact, supporting day-to-day operation of senior management functions through diary management, meeting administration, and correspondence handling.
• Coordinate information and documentation; prepare reports and presentations; organise meetings; take minutes; maintain accurate records.
• Support recruitment, workforce and governance processes.
• Provide cross-cover for other secretaries as required and contribute to delivering a high-quality administrative service.

Skills

Organisation

Communication

IT Proficiency

Minute taking

Prioritisation

Confidentiality

Support managers

Education

HND in Business/Office Administration

Tools

Microsoft Office / M365

Job description

NHS Scotland

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Who We Are

NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland.

In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran, we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way.

To find out more about NHS Ayrshire and Arran please visit our website – AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application but your answers must be your own. Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you not an AI tool.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Position

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a secretary to support the Infrastructure and Support Services Senior Management Team based at Ailsa Hospital.

Hours

36 hours per week. This post is offered on a FTC basis for 12 months.

What You Will Do

To provide a dedicated, professional and comprehensive secretarial service to Heads of Service within the Infrastructure & Support Services Directorate. Acting as a key point of contact, the post holder will support the effective day-to-day operation of senior management functions through diary management, meeting administration, correspondence handling and the coordination of information and documentation. The role involves preparing reports and presentations, organising meetings, taking minutes, maintaining accurate records and supporting recruitment, workforce and governance processes. The post holder will work closely with colleagues across the Directorate, provide cross-cover for other secretaries as required and contribute to delivering a consistent, resilient and high-quality administrative support service.

Knowledge, Training And/or Experience Required To Do The Job

• Essential
• HND in Business/Office Administration or equivalent experience.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced IT and Microsoft Office / M365 skills.
• Minute taking and meeting administration experience.
• Ability to prioritise workload, use initiative and work independently.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Experience supporting managers and working to tight deadlines.
• Desirable
• Previous NHS experience and understanding of NHS systems and processes.
• Experience supporting senior management teams.
• Knowledge of workforce, recruitment and governance administration processes.

RIGHT TO WORK / CERTIFICATES OF SPONSORSHIP

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found within the attached Candidate Information Pack.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be able to offer visa sponsorship for certain roles, provided the post meets the minimum salary threshold and any other required criteria. When considering if a post meets the salary threshold for sponsorship, please note the salary advertised is based on a full-time contract and must be pro‑rated for part‑time positions. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is assessed on a case‑by‑case basis following interview and at the commencement of pre‑employment checks.

Posts close at midnight on the indicated date.

We are unable to provide sponsorship for Band 2 posts or bank contracts.

If you want to find out more about the role, please contact Dawn Kilday via [e-mail] or 07815864740.