Administration Assistant

Job overview

We are seeking an organised and proactive Administrative Assistant to support our Send Away Service, ensuring specialist referral reports, invoices and related documentation are processed accurately and on time. The role is key to maintaining robust records and financial governance, supporting service continuity and enabling clinical teams to access results promptly.

You will work closely with laboratory staff and the wider administration team, building trusted relationships and communicating professionally and confidentially at all times. You’ll help promote a culture aligned to LUHFT values by showing respect, raising concerns appropriately and contributing to service improvement.

This role is ideal for someone with strong administrative skills who enjoys working with systems and logs, can manage competing priorities, and is committed to high standards of accuracy, traceability and customer service.

Main duties of the job

You will coordinate end-to-end administration for the Send Away Service, including receiving and logging specialist reports, accurately transcribing results into LIMS, and tracking outstanding items to support timely clinical access and clear audit trails.

You will process invoices and supporting documentation, maintain accurate invoice logs, and support purchase order raising and receipting to ensure strong financial governance and continuity of specialist testing services.

You will provide day‑to‑day administrative support to laboratory teams, responding to enquiries, organising information, prioritising workloads to meet deadlines, and escalating discrepancies appropriately to minimise delays and errors.

Working in line with Trust policies and information governance requirements, you will handle patient and financial information sensitively and securely, contribute positively to a kind and inclusive team environment, and support continuous improvement by sharing ideas and adopting new ways of working.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will provide a high quality administrative and support service as part of the Administration Team, co-ordinating and managing documentation and maintaining accurate record and distribution systems to support the effective delivery of the service.

Main duties and responsibilities include:

• Manage and maintain document and data control processes using defined systems, ensuring a clear and accurate audit trail (logging, filing, version control and distribution).
• Provide relevant progress updates and reports to the appropriate Manager and proactively highlight risks, issues or discrepancies.
• Support quality and governance within the team by capturing key processes and reviewing them regularly, suggesting improvements where appropriate.
• Attend and minute meetings as required; maintain action/decision logs, follow up actions and provide updates to support delivery against deadlines.
• Provide day-to-day administrative support including diary co-ordination, arranging meetings/venues (and where required, catering), managing correspondence, telephone calls and enquiries, and undertaking general office duties (typing, photocopying, scanning, distributing and filing).
• Maintain an effective ‘bring forward’ system to ensure deadlines are met and actions are completed appropriately, with minimal supervision.
• Support the Manager with induction and supervision of new staff and with implementing policies and procedures.
• Co-operate fully with new technology and new ways of working; take responsibility for self-development and complete mandatory training as required.

Communication and ways of working The post holder will demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills when liaising with team members, Trust personnel and external bodies, and will represent the department professionally at all times.

Equality, diversity and inclusion All staff are expected to act in ways that support equality and diversity, treat everyone with dignity and respect, and recognise and report behaviour that undermines equality in line with Trust policy.

Confidentiality, information governance and records Confidentiality and data protection must be maintained at all times. The post holder is responsible for accurate record keeping and information quality, ensuring data is complete, accurate and stored/retained in line with Trust policies (including requirements relating to Freedom of Information requests).

Infection prevention, health & safety and safeguarding All staff will adhere to infection control policies and procedures and contribute to managing risk and maintaining a safe working environment. Staff must act in ways that safeguard the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults and complete required training.

In carrying out these duties you will be expected to role model LUHFT values and behaviours: being Caring in how you support colleagues and service users, Fair in how you treat people and speak up, and Innovative by learning, sharing ideas and helping improve how we work.