Senior PA - Business Administration Apprentice

NHS Blood and Transplant; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join an established industry player as a Senior PA Apprentice, where you will gain invaluable experience and skills while supporting a dedicated team. This role offers a unique opportunity to learn and grow within the NHS, contributing to the vital work of saving lives. You will manage correspondence, maintain clinical records, and foster relationships across departments, ensuring smooth operations. With a commitment to your professional development, you will complete a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship while enjoying flexible working and generous leave. Embrace this exciting career path and make a real difference in the lives of patients and donors alike.

Benefits

Training and development throughout NHSBT Apprenticeship Scheme

Flexible working opportunities

27 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

NHS pension scheme

Continuous learning culture

Support for personal and professional growth

Qualifications

• Experience in handling conflicting deadlines and priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office packages is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive PA service to the RCI Team.
• Manage diaries, organise meetings, and produce reports.

Skills

Communication Skills

Time Management

Confidentiality

Report Writing

Education

GCSE in English

GCSE in Maths

Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship

Tools

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint)

Job description

Senior PA – Business Administration Apprentice (RCI)

Job Summary

Being part of our Apprenticeship Programme is a good opportunity for you to gain valuable knowledge and experience, as well as develop a range of transferrable skills. The position is therefore suited to someone who values learning and has a desire to start an interesting and rewarding career path within NHSBT.

In this role, you'll compose and type correspondence, including reports and papers. Manage data input for patient/donor results, maintain clinical records, and forge strong relationships with internal departments and external bodies.

Additionally, you'll manage confidential information, organise induction training for new staff, and collaborate with other PAs to ensure support during absences or busy periods. Playing your part in helping thousands of patients live better, fuller lives.

Alongside completing the Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship, you’ll be managing diaries, organising and documenting meetings, producing reports for meetings, making travel and accommodation arrangements, and helping with clerical laboratory tasks. Building strong working relationships with other departments and organisations will be crucial to your success. You’ll have a proactive style, excellent communication skills, and be focused on looking for opportunities to reduce or improve administration.

Main duties of the job

In this role as Senior PA Apprentice, you will provide a comprehensive personal assistant service to the RCI Team. You will be:

1. Acting as a central source of communication between the RCI team and other Managers in the Directorate and other Directorates and with agencies/contacts external to the organisation.
2. Providing clerical and other support to the laboratory which will involve booking in patient blood samples on to the laboratory test system.
3. Supporting and deputising for other secretarial and administrative staff as and when required.
4. Ensuring the smooth running of the Manager’s office and the timely prioritisation of all administrative duties.
5. Arranging meetings, producing agenda, taking minutes, and chasing progress on actions.

About You

Experience and Knowledge

1. Experience of handling conflicting deadlines and priorities.
2. Understanding of the need for confidentiality.
3. Some experience of working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages or equivalent Systems.

By the end of the apprenticeship:

1. Experience researching and preparing clear and concise reports, analysis and recommendations, from the results.
2. Experience in running bring forward systems and chasing progress on actions.
3. Experience of working as a PA to Senior Management level or above.
4. Experience in producing meeting agendas and minute taking.
5. High proficiency in working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint).

Qualifications and Training

1. GCSE grade C or above in English and Maths.
2. Commitment to studying towards and completing the Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship programme.
3. Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).

By the end of the apprenticeship:

1. OCR (RSA) level 2 certificate in text processing or equivalent experience.
2. Experience of working as a PA to Senior Management level or above.
3. NVQ level 3 in Administration or equivalent level.

Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives, and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do.

By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert, and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What we offer:

1. Training and development throughout NHSBT Apprenticeship Scheme.
2. NHSBT promotes flexible working opportunities where the role will allow.
3. 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
4. NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions
5. We’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.

This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Sunday 16th February 2025.

Interviews are anticipated to be held on 27th/28th February 2025 – subject to confirmation.

For informal enquiries please contact:

Name: Ian Skidmore

Job Title: Head of RCI Laboratory • RCI Reference Birmingham

Contact Details: [e-mail]