Chaplaincy Administrator

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust -
Harlow

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Job details

£28,392 - £31,157 a year
1 day ago

Qualifications

Microsoft Powerpoint
Microsoft Outlook
Organisational skills
IT
Typing
Audio typing
Business
Communication skills

Full job description

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wavea national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Job overview

Provide a brief summary of the role, its purpose within the team or department, and how it contributes to the wider organisation. This should be a high-level overview that gives candidates a clear idea of what the job is about.

To provide an effective, efficient and comprehensive secretarial and administrative service to the Spiritual and Religious Care Department. As the first point of contact with the department, the position is more than an admin role due to the nature of the situations and referrals that come to the department, which requires a calm and pastoral demeanour, especially when dealing with difficult phone enquiries and referrals.

ROLE OF DEPARTMENT

The chaplaincy or spiritual care department works across the hospital to provide pastoral, spiritual, and religious care to any patient, their relatives, carers, staff, and volunteers who wish to see a chaplain, whatever their beliefs, religious tradition, or life stance. The department acts as a resource for clinical staff to ensure appropriate and sensitive care for people of different faith backgrounds and provides a link to community faith and belief groups. The department provides a 24/7 on-call service to patients and staff members.

Main duties of the job

List the key responsibilities and tasks the post holder will be expected to carry out. Use bullet points for clarity and focus on the core aspects of the role.

SCOPE AND RANGE

To provide a full range of administrative/secretarial services to support the Head of Chaplaincy, and the spiritual care team.
To work as part of the departmental team, but also work autonomously using their own initiative and flexibility in daily decision making.
Develop and maintain efficient communication links with internal and external agencies.
To effectively carry out all tasks associated with spiritual care administration, including maintenance of an on call rota, duty sheets, local databases.
To empathically and sensitively receive occasional phone calls from distress people seeking spiritual care support.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provide a comprehensive secretarial and administrative service for the Spiritual Care Department, including:
- Typing, including audio typing
- Filing, including maintaining Project Files and confidential personnel records.
- Photocopying
- Use of Trust’s information systems and e-mail to facilitate the smooth and effective running of the department
- Minute taking and the administration of external committees
Maintenance of Spiritual Care database, including accurate data input and retrieval of relevant information for collating periodic figures/reports using inbuilt database functions.
To manage all aspects of document retrieval, filing and bring forward systems ensuring that protocol standards and accuracy are maintained.
To collect, prioritise and distribute incoming and outgoing correspondence
Directing and prioritising queries as to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery
Maintain departmental appointment diaries where requested
Arrange and co-ordinate meetings / teaching sessions, including booking venues, ensuring supporting papers are available, taking and distributing meeting notes and minutes.
Reporting of equipment / building / fabric repairs / damages to relevant departments
To record, prepare and distribute minutes and follow up any action points if required
To assist in arranging and preparing presentations

EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

PC - The jobholder will use this on a regular day-to-day basis, as the use of a computer is essential in carrying out their duties e.g. Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Outlook.

Photocopier - The jobholder will use this to duplicate reports and other paper based information.

Telephone The jobholder will use this on a day-to-day basis, as the use of a telephone is essential in carrying out duties.

Scanner the post holder will use this to convert pages of text/drawings to electronic format for electronic transmission and to attach to the database.

Laptop computer used to take to meetings when providing presentations.

Data projector used at meetings alongside the laptop computer when providing presentations.

SYSTEMS

Paper and electronic records relating to project management including:

Management approval records and template letters
Project Files maintenance, creating, updating
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) (maintaining)
Electronic data storage and manipulation e.g. Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint

DECISIONS & JUDGEMENTS

At times the post holder will require to make decisions without direction of senior staff as they are often the first point of contact for the department

The post holder has access to senior staff to advise on more complex matters if required

Daily prioritisation of workload, the preparation of letters, memos and other correspondence for signature

The use of discretion when handling and screening highly sensitive information e.g patient/staff referrals, staff personal files, incident reports, telephone calls from individuals seeking support or guidance.

The post holder has day to day responsibility for the effective and efficient management of their own workload

Other administrations duties to ensure the efficient and effective running of the Spiritual Care Department are carried out as directed by the lead chaplain.

COMMUNICATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS

Regular contact via telephone, letters fax and e-mail with internal and external contacts.

As first point of contact with the department it is important that the post holder has a responsive and informative approach and maintains a calm demeanour when dealing with difficult calls.
Communications can contain confidential or sensitive information a high degree of discretion is always required

Internal

Spiritual Care Team
Clinical and Non-Clinical Support Services e.g. Clinical Directorates, Finance, HR, etc.
Volunteer services

External

Community faith and belief group representatives
Other Trust’s spiritual care departments
General public enquiries

DEMANDS OF THE JOB (physical, mental, emotional)

Physical

Physical skills required for high degree fast and accurate typing using a PC keyboard
Physical demands also involve retrieval and filing of departmental documentation
Sitting for long periods of time in one position typing / administrative work / answering telephone

Mental

The post holder is expected to respond to unpredictable work demands including frequent interruptions which can lead to a change of task on a daily basis whilst still being expected to complete tasks within given timescales
High levels of concentration required for typing lengthy reports and policies
To deliver a full remit of the role of the post holder requires to have excellent organisational, communication and IT skills which include speed and accuracy
Confidentiality, diplomacy and discretion are required at all times

Emotional

Letters / emails frequently contain confidential information.
Occasional phone calls from people seeking spiritual support

Environmental

More or less continuous use of display screen equipment.
Shared office space can lead to noisy difficult working conditions causing interruptions

MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB

The need to deal and prioritise a wide and varied fluctuation in workload in response to competing demands made on the service by researchers and staff.

Dealing with enquiries from various community faith and belief groups

KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB

RSA3 / SVQ3 / NC in Secretarial Studies / Business Studies or equivalent
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a secretarial / office administration role
Proficient IT skills which include a full working knowledge of Microsoft packages
Audio typing
Excellent organisational and communication skills
Ability to work under pressure

Note: Vacancy may close early if maximum numbers of applicants reached

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