Board Secretary

Job summary Open only to applicants from Hampshire & Isle of Wight NHS system, which is limited to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trust, University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust, South Central Ambulance Service or Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust.
The post holder will be responsible for providing a corporate secretariat function to the Board of Directors and its core committees, ensuring their effective running and in compliance with the corporate governance framework.
Main duties of the job The post holder will act as advisor to the Board of Directors and support the Director of Corporate Governance, Executive team and Chairs on issues relating to highly complex corporate governance, ensuring the organisation's corporate affairs are undertaken and directed to the highest standards of probity and according to statutory and legislative requirements, and in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework.
The post holder will line manage the Risk and Governance Officer and act as a mentor within the team to ensure delivery of the highest standards of corporate governance and best practice.
This is a full-time post and is office based, with some level of flexibility offered under the organisation's hybrid working framework.
About us We offer excellent employment opportunities to new and existing staff.
We aim to be a model employer by embedding best HR practice and to support new ways of working.
We pride ourselves on offering good working conditions, job security, lifelong learning, fair pay and benefits, staff involvement and a balance between work and personal life.
We enjoy a forward thinking and innovative culture and our vision is to have healthy people, living healthy lives in healthy communities.
We understand the only way to deliver this is to have the right people with the right skills.
Here is a summary of some of the benefits and services which are on offer to staff: 27 days paid minimum holiday and bank holiday entitlement NHS pension scheme Sick pay policy Occupational health services including staff counselling services Flexible working and family friendly policies Flexible retirement and retirement vouchers Health Service Discounts - offers for stores, travel, equipment etc.
Successful candidates will be subject to a six-month probationary period.
Job description Job responsibilities Working Relationships Work closely with the Director of Corporate Governance and Head of Corporate Governance, to provide assurance that the corporate governance framework and processes are effective; Excellent relationship needed with the Governance team, particularly with the Risk and Governance Officer who is a direct report; Work closely with the Executive team and senior leaders; Work with the Board and its committees, including the Chairs to ensure support of meeting structures; Establish constructive working relationships with a range of internal stakeholders, including departmental leads across the organisation; Work with external stakeholders, including providers and partner organisations and auditors.
Operational responsibilities To act as secretary to the Board of Directors, including managing meetings of the Board and ensuring smooth running administratively; To act as secretary to the core committees of the Board, currently Audit & Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee, including managing meetings and ensuring their smooth running administratively; To be responsible for preparing agendas liaising with relevant chairs, collate and circulate papers, production of minutes for the Board and relevant Committees, maintenance of action and decision logs, registers; To advise on the governance implications of meeting paper content in line with governance policies; To ensure that the Board and its committees have all requisite information to enable them to function effectively and provide advice on all governance matters; To support the Chairs and Executive teams at all meetings to ensure compliance with the governance policies and framework including the legal, regulatory and statutory requirements; To manage the annual work plans and annual cycle planning for the Board and its core committees; To ensure that there is an appropriate information flow within and between the Board, its Committees and the executive functions; To support the Director of Corporate Governance in the development and delivery of an annual Board development programme; To support the Director of Corporate Governance to put into place and maintain a succession plan for members of the Board; To support with the appointment processes for new Board members, including induction programmes; To ensure that the Director of Corporate Governance is fully briefed on corporate governance developments, new law and guidance or other issues which might affect the Board, and developing and updating governance policies in line with this; To provide leadership with arrangements in respect of standards of business conduct and in particular conflicts of interest processes to ensure the Governance team manage processes in line with policy requirements; To line manage the Risk and Governance Officer in line with HR policies, including managing sensitive staff issues, and role model best practice to the team to demonstrate what good looks like; Provide reports for the senior meeting structure when required, including presentation of reports at meetings; The post holder is directly responsible for the operation of the information system used to record all Board decisions.
To participate in governance assurance mapping liaising with senior managers as required; To participate in internal audits related to governance; To support with annual reporting requirements, such as the annual report and annual, interim governance statements, memorandum of understanding, drafting and co-ordinating relevant sections; To contribute to the development of governance budgets/financial incentives alongside the Director of Corporate Governance Responsible for the procurement and maintenance of all physical assets used by the board and chair.
To represent the organisation and participate in external networks related to governance; To undertake reviews of and provide comment on draft policies from a governance viewpoint, and to be responsible for contributing to the implementation of said policies in the work place; Deputise for the Head of Corporate Governance when required; Use initiative to analyse and support with various highly complex risk and governance issues; Create documents and presentations of a high standard and present at meetings/run workshops/training sessions as required; Undertake specific project work when required.
This job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role; the job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation.
Person Specification Knowledge, Training and Experience Essential Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent qualification or equivalent experience Highly developed Specialist Board/Company Secretary experience Significant evidence of continued professional development in specialist area of Board secretarial duties and/or governance Governance/chartered secretary qualification Able to present information and reports in an accurate and confident manner to the Board of Directors, Executive team and all levels of the organization, deliver presentations and run workshops A good understanding of the health and social care environment and the roles and responsibilities within it and the NHS generally Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages Proven leadership experience Experience of operating in a complex organisation, leading on a portfolio area and building credible relationships across an organisation Communication and Relationship Skills Essential The ability to build trusted relationships and inspire the confidence of the Board of Directors Excellent communication skills, to produce concise information and advice to a range of stakeholders Planning and Organisational Skills Essential Effective organiser, planning ahead to meet deadlines and balance competing priorities Ability to manage short, medium and long term projects and plan strategically Professional, calm and efficient manner Attention to detail and accuracy Autonomy/ Freedom to Act Essential Ability to work on own initiative and proactively organise own workload without supervision, working to tight and frequently changing timescales Flexible and adaptable, to ensure service needs are met, balancing operational and strategic needs Adhere to confidentiality requirements