Executive Assistant Job at Health Research Authority

Executive Assistant Job at Health Research Authority – The HRA is a Non Departmental Public Body with the remit to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health and social care research.  We do this by supporting and promoting a robust and efficient regulatory and governance framework in the UK. We provide the Research Ethics Service (RES), Confidentiality Advice function, assessments and assurances on behalf of the NHS, and learning, guidance and advice for the research community. 

Our ambition is to make the UK a great place to do research, where more money invested in research goes into carrying out relevant, good quality research.

Our purpose is to ensure that research involving NHS patients and members of the public is approved through a proportionate and robust system, that they are provided with the information they need to help them decide whether they wish to take part, and that their opportunity to do so is maximised by simplifying the processes by which high quality research is assessed.  We have already delivered significant improvements by centralising and simplifying the approval of research in the NHS in England, and are undertaking a range of significant programmes to deliver further improvements.

Job overview

Reporting to the Business Operations Manager, the Executive Assistant is responsible for providing comprehensive high calibre administrative support to the Approvals Service Directorate, and EA support to the Director, Deputy Director and senior management team.

The postholder will undertake multiple requests relating to work activities and manage deadlines appropriately. This will include providing effective, proactive diary management and prioritising high level competing demands.

The postholder will organise travel, accommodation and events for the Directorate and provide support to recruitment processes and external stakeholder events.

They will also provide secretariat support to a variety of internal and external meetings, producing agendas and high-quality minutes, monitoring risk registers and action and decision logs and liaising with action or risk owners. 

The role will require collaborative working with a range of internal and external stakeholders in areas that may be sensitive, confidential and complex and the post-holder will be required to work under their own initiative and to problem solve under general oversight and direction from their line manager, displaying a high level of tact, diplomacy, sound judgment in when to seek further opinion.

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Supporting the Business Operations manager in facilitating the recruitment process for staff across the Approvals Directorate. 

Providing comprehensive high calibre administrative and executive assistant support to the Director, Deputy Director and wider Approvals Management team. Proactively managing diaries, anticipating and addressing conflicts

Providing secretariat support to a wide variety of meetings, drafting agendas, circulating papers, taking minutes and following up on actions.  

Interpreting complex and sensitive requests for information, ensuring these are answered appropriately and promptly,  prioritising where urgent contact needs to be made with the Director, Deputy Director or other managers.

Liaising with HRA colleagues and communicating with a variety of stakeholders and organisations, often at high level, on behalf of the Directorate management team.

Supporting the face-to-face event programme for REC members, organising venues, materials and catering alongside other ad hoc tasks relating to the event programme. 

Booking travel and accommodation as required for the Approvals Directorate.

Supporting the management team, and working with colleagues to ensure that the business and administrative aspect of Approvals Directorate work is sustained at all times.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree, or portfolio of evidence demonstrating ability to work at this level

Knowledge, skills and expertise

Essential criteria

• Excellent keyboard skills and competent use of MS Office 365

Experience

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working within the NHS, higher education, and/or clinical research
• Experience of organising events

Knowledge, skills and expertise

Essential criteria

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise against a background of change and frequently changing demands
• Strong communication and influencing skills with the ability to communicate complex and/or sensitive information in a diplomatic and effective manner

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of providing support to senior teams, including compiling agendas and taking minutes to a high standard with the ability to record detailed complex and sensitive information accurately and clearly
• Excellent organisational skills with extensive complex diary management skills and experience

Analytical and judgemental skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to manage a complex workload with competing priorities, using own initiative to take decisions and actions in line with the business aims of the organisation
• Experience of communicating verbally and in writing with a wide range of stakeholders, with the ability to understand and interpret complex and potentially sensitive information and make decisions accordingly

Interpersonal skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to work as part of a team, building strong working relationships within and across organisations
• Excellent interpersonal skills to include diplomacy, tact and sensitivity, negotiating and influencing and the ability to work well with others at all levels in an organisation, including senior staff

Other

Essential criteria

• Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity

Accepting applications until: 20-Nov-2025 23:59