Trust Board Business Manager

Job overview

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is seeking an exceptional Trust Board Business Manager to join the Chief Executive’s Office in a pivotal senior role supporting the Trust Chair and Board.

Reporting to the Trust’s Chief Executive, the Trust Board Business Manager will play a critical role in enabling the effective operation of the Trust Board, ensuring that statutory responsibilities are discharged and high standards of corporate governance are maintained. This is a highly influential and facilitative post, requiring sound judgement, discretion and the ability to operate confidently at Board level.

The postholder will act as a trusted advisor to the Trust Chair and Board members. Key responsibilities include leading all aspects of Trust Board governance; managing the delivery of regulatory and improvement action plans; overseeing the development and coordination of the Board’s annual work programme; and ensuring high-quality administration of Board and Committee business, including effective information flow and accurate record keeping.

Provide comprehensive support to the Trust Chair and Non-Executive Directors, including preparing high-quality briefings and correspondence, supporting Board development and appraisal processes, and maintaining key statutory registers. The role includes responsibility for key governance outputs such as the Annual Governance Statement and Annual Report, alongside oversight of Board-related budgets and external governance requirements.

Main duties of the job

The Trust Board Business Manager is a critically important role supporting and enabling the Trust Chair in facilitating an effective Board and in ensuring all statutory functions of the Board of an NHS Trust are performed and legislative duties are met. The postholder will serve as a confidante to the Chair and other members of the Trust Board and assist in various ways.

The postholder is accountable and responsible for the effective delivery of all regulatory action plans at Board level, including but not limited to a Board development programme and the Trust Care Quality Commission well-led action plan. The postholder will be expected to discharge all the requisite activities of a Trust Board secretary and advise the Board on developments in governance issues.

The postholder is accountable for high quality and effective management and administration of the Trust Board and Board Committees, ensuring they are appropriately recorded and improving existing processes and systems where relevant. The postholder will work closely with Committee Chairs and the responsible Executive Directors and their Executive Administrators to ensure the Committees are operating at the highest quality.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The Trust Board Business Manager is the organisational lead for all matters relating to Trust Board governance. In the context of an evolving health and social care system, the postholder will support the Chair in ensuring that Trust Board procedures are complied with and that the Board fulfils its statutory duties. Advise on and participate in statutory governance questions pertaining to integrated care systems.
• Devise and maintain Standing Orders and the Schedule of Matters Reserved for the Board, and ensure that the Trust complies with its Standing Orders and that any amendments are drafted and incorporated in line with correct procedures.
• Further develop and pro-actively deliver implementation of Trust regulatory action plans including the Care Quality Commission Well-led action plan.
• Undertake research/investigations as appropriate in order to prepare briefing reports on a wide range of highly complex and sensitive topics. Communicate the outcome of such findings with the relevant parties including at Executive and Board level.
• Working closely with the Board, provide strategic leadership to the development and delivery of an annual Board work plan including but not limited to: Board development plan; an annual Board self-review; appraisals; Annual Governance Statement and Annual Report, which will involve liaising with external partners/providers as relevant; and management of all aspects of Board away days.
• Deliver and oversee effective and excellent Trust Board and Board Committee management and administration, including but not limited to: development of annual work plan; contemporaneous and accurate minute-taking for Trust Board and Board Committee meetings; ensuring robust communication between members of the Trust Board; and facilitating reliable and accurate information flows between Board and its Committees.
• Maintain the Trust Board Assurance Framework, working closely with members of the Trust Board.
• Working closely with the Chief People Officer, coordinate the Board Fit and Proper Person process. Manage the Non-Executive Director appraisal process and returns to the regulator.
• Accountable and responsible for delivery of the Annual Governance Statement and Annual Report, working closely with finance, audit and communications to ensure smooth and timely submission and publication.
• Support the Chief Executive in all aspects of governance relating to the effective functioning of the Executive team.
• Act as Trust Board secretary for the organisation, including all the requisite tasks this entails.
• Maintain oversight of all Trust statutory registers including but not limited to: declarations of interest; gifts and hospitality; use of the Trust seal.
• Working in coordination with the CEO Chief of Staff, identify the Trust Chair’s needs for briefings ahead of meetings and accompany the Chair to key meetings, undertaking follow-up actions where appropriate.