Senior Business Support Officer/PA to Clinical Director

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious healthcare organization is seeking an Executive Support to the Clinical Director in Milton Keynes. This role involves managing medical staffing, supporting recruitment processes, and overseeing complex rotas. Candidates should have significant administrative experience, preferably in the NHS, a degree or equivalent qualification, and excellent organizational skills. Join a team dedicated to delivering first-class patient care and enjoy a role at the heart of medical leadership.

Benefits

Opportunity to develop your career

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Significant experience of administration supporting Director/Executive level.
• Experience of managing medical rotas or equivalent.
• Experience of line management or supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Support the Clinical Director in all operational aspects of business.
• Lead recruitment and induction for junior doctors.
• Design, implement, and maintain compliant rotas.

Skills

Excellent organizational skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Computer literacy, including advanced use of Microsoft Office

Demonstrable skills in providing senior level executive support

Education

Degree or equivalent relevant experience

Appropriate secretarial qualification (eg RSA Stage 3)

Tools

RotaGeek

LocumNest

Job description

Job Overview

This is a high-level administrative position working with the Clinical Director for Mental Health to help execute the service objectives.

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a role that goes far beyond traditional administrative support, at the heart of our medical leadership team.

The postholder will work closely with the Clinical Director, playing a key role in promoting recruitment, supporting Resident Doctor wellbeing, encouraging rota cover during staffing pressures (including strike periods), and coordinating medical workforce planning. You’ll also be central to our recruitment success — writing high-quality job descriptions, supporting candidates, and helping us attract the best doctors to our services. You will need to be an excellent communicator, confident working with clinicians, emotionally intelligent, and enjoy solving problems in a fast-paced environment.

The position will develop and manage clear and systematic processes, ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of key business. The role is instrumental in assessing and implementing systems for reporting and administration. The post-holder will manage, train and supervise colleagues in the successful implementation of rota management and recruitment associated with medical staff.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will:

• Support the Clinical Director in all operational aspects of business, financial activity, and performance management.
• Support the Clinical Director to develop new initiatives and develop and implement local service changes by taking a lead through project management as required.
• Be expected to develop a clear understanding of all aspects of the service, exercising personal initiative and independent judgment, being accountable for the control and organisation of their own workload.
• Manage the Adult Consultant On Call, CAMHS Consultant On Call and Junior Doctor Out of Hours rotas as well as manage the Medical Scrutiny rota, ensuring robust and compliant systems are provided across the service.
• Line manage, oversee, train and support colleagues in the implementation of the rotas, ensuring compliance of contract rules.
• Work closely with the centrally based medical staffing department on recruitment for all medical vacancies.
• Lead on the induction and co-ordination for all medical staff in Milton Keynes.
  
  

Working for our organisation

There’s a place for you at CNWL.

We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.

We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Executive Support to Clinical Director

• Full PA/administrative support using modern technology.
• First point of contact: manage calls, emails, visitors.
• Complex diary/calendar management and meeting coordination.
• Summarise complex information and escalate as needed.
• Handle sensitive information and distressed service users.
• Liaise with senior internal/external stakeholders.
• Support complaints, policy development, performance monitoring, and project work.
• Meeting preparation, minuting, action tracking, and logistics.
• Maintain confidentiality and high standards in all communications.
  
  

Medical Staffing Support

• Lead recruitment and induction for junior doctors and LAS posts.
• Liaise with Medical Staffing, HR, Royal College, and Clinical Director.
• Manage issues related to sickness, grievance, disciplinary processes.
• Maintain confidential e-filing and support staff job planning and appraisal.
• Oversee accurate absence, payroll paperwork, and HealthRoster entries.
  
  

Rota Management

• Design, implement and maintain compliant rotas.
• Use RotaGeek and LocumNest for scheduling, reporting, and cover arrangements.
• Ensure safe staffing, equitable shift allocation, and business continuity.
• Manage locum booking, timesheets, and sickness tracking.
• Train and oversee staff involved in rota process
  
  

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent relevant experience or qualification
• Appropriate secretarial qualification eg RSA Stage 3 or equivalent
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Project Management Qualification (PRINCE2).
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant experience of administration within a complex area of business, supporting Director/Executive level with minimal supervision.
• Experience of managing medical rotas or equivalent
• Experience of using own initiative to work independently on non- routine matters and exercising judgement and decision-making skills across the work area
• Experience of line management or supervisory experience.
• Experience of managing complex projects through to successful completion.
• Experience of budgets and adhering to financial restrictions.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in the NHS
• Medical staffing experience
  
  

Skills

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable skills in providing senior level executive support and business support services to Director or Senior Manager level.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise workload, meeting long term and short-term timelines as well as the ability to adapt to fluctuating ones.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work closely with and develop successful working relationships with a wide variety of people
• Excellent numerical skills and ability to work within budget constraints
• Excellent communication skills as well as being able to use negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Computer literacy, including advanced use of Microsoft Office software.
• Robust decision-making skills alongside ability to use initiative and ability to work independently.
  
  

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Development and implementation of office systems and procedures.
• Managing multiple complex electronic diaries
• Experience of electronic mail and knowledge of computer networking systems.
• Development, implementation and management of rotas or equivalent.