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Job summary

Main area
Trust secretary
Grade
Band 8c
Contract
Fixed term: 8 months (Limited funding)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
391-RFL-8053618
Employer
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Free Hospital
Town
London
Salary
£88,250 - £100,355 per annum inclusive of HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/06/2026 23:59

Employer heading

NHS

Band 8c RFL Trust Secretary

Band 8c

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community.  This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.

Click here to view our video Welcome to the Royal Free

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to fair and transparent recruitment and requires applicants to provide accurate information, as misleading details may affect their application or employment and may be verified in line with the Fraud Act 2006. For further information please visit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.

 

Job overview

The Royal Free London (RFL) is entering an exciting new chapter, as one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, following the integration of North Middlesex University Hospital into our group. Together, we now deliver world-class care across four major hospitals and more than 70 satellite sites, reaching communities across north London and beyond.

Our executive office is at the heart of our organisation, ensuring its smooth running and supporting our most senior leaders as they drive forward the trust’s strategy and objectives.

Working in a fast-paced, high-profile environment, where no day is the same, the team provides a professional, calm and reassuring presence in our trust headquarters. 

You will lead the trust's executive office, helping to ensure it delivers the best possible service, managing the highest levels of corporate governance, acting as an expert advisor to the group chief executive and group chair, along with all members of the trust board. 

You will ensure the trust's corporate affairs are undertaken and directed to the highest standards, in keeping with the Royal Free London's status as one of the most prestigious trusts in England.

Main duties of the job

Leads the Royal Free London executive office, with management responsibility for the trust’s executive support managers and committee secretaries

-       Is responsible for establishing and managing the highest levels of corporate governance, acting as the expert advisor to the group chief executive and group chair and the trust board on issues relating to corporate governance

-       Ensures the trust’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 regulatory framework (statute, terms of authorisation and constitution) enforced by NHS regulators

-       Is responsible for working with, and in support of, all of the group’s executive and non-executive directors to deliver an efficient and well-organised trust committee structure, in keeping with the RFL constitution and accountability framework

-       Responsible for ensuring that the board and its committees, including those established in wholly owned subsidiaries, provide a comprehensive and robust governance structure.

    The postholder is required to act as an independent and impartial arbiter to the trust board and council of governors. 

-

Working for our organisation

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.

Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top.


For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person specification

Trust Values, Equal Opportunities & Other Requirements

Essential criteria
  • Trust Values, Equal Opportunities & Other Requirements
  • Commitment and adherence to equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Able to work in evenings to attend Board and Governor meetings

Education / Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Post graduate professional / management qualification or equivalent experience

Skills/ Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Well-developed interpersonal and facilitation skills, with ability to gain and sustain credibility with Board of Directors/CoG
  • Able to present well reasoned and structured argument orally and in writing
  • A track record of effectively managing the preparation of Board and committee papers and of high-level briefing to internal and external audiences
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to understand issues rapidly and to explain them clearly and succinctly
  • Ability to work successfully with a variety of different people and well- developed influencing skills
  • Evidence of the ability to work as a team member at a variety of professional levels
  • Ability to understand issues quickly and explain them clearly and succinctly
  • Excellent minute-taking skills
  • Able to prioritise workload to achieve deadlines
  • Able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or confidential information
  • Good presentation skills
  • Ability to explain complex matters to non-experts
  • IT Skills

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience working as a company secretary or in a senior governance role in a large and/or complex organisation
  • Experience of supporting Boards and Committees and working at Board level, particularly with nonexecutive directors
  • Evidence of creating successful partnerships with both internal and external stakeholders
  • Evidence of managing complex arrangements to a high degree of accuracy, timeliness and effectiveness
  • Evidence of successfully handling sensitive situations efficiently and confidentially
  • Experience of taking a corporate lead on key organisation-wide projects

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Theoretical and practical knowledge of corporate governance, relevant legislation, and best practice
  • Knowledge and understanding of risk management systems and processes.
  • Knowledge of best practice administration for Boards and committees

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • High degree of personal integrity
  • Ability to work under pressure to demanding timetables
  • Confident in working with high profile organisations
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Able to build excellent relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and partners
  • Methodical with high level organisational and administrative skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team at a variety of levels
  • Excellent team player with skills to develop collaborative relationships
  • Able to work autonomously

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Nursing TimesApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleDisability confident employerTimewise PartnerCare Quality Commission - Requires improvementEnei MemberArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Ian Lloyd
Job title
Director of communications & corporate affairs
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07967 595 592
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