Position overview

The Executive Assistant provides high level administrative and organisational support to the Chief Executive, ensuring the effective operation of the executive office and enabling the Chief Executive to lead the organisation’s health priorities. The role acts as a trusted advisor and central coordination point, managing complex workflows, anticipating needs, and ensuring the Chief Executive is supported to make decisions.

Operating with a high degree of autonomy, judgement and professionalism, the Executive Assistant is responsible for a wide range of support and coordination functions including diary management and meeting support, documentation coordination and secretariat support.

Reporting to the Senior Director, and as a key representative of the Chief Executive’s office, the Executive Assistant builds and maintains strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, other ACT Government agencies, health partners, and community representatives.

The position ensures that interactions with the Chief Executive are well-managed, purposeful, and aligned with organisational priorities, while upholding the highest standards of integrity, discretion, and service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Under limited direction, you will:

1. Provide high level administrative support including management of the daily administrative activities within the CEO Office, including but not limited to management of the CEO’s personal inbox, correspondence, telephone calls, calendar, meeting papers, and travel.
2. Lead and manage communications with other executive support staff to facilitate timely responses to CEO emails.
3. Provide secretariat support for meetings and committees including preparation of meeting papers, follow up of action items and coordination of reporting.
4. Prepare draft documentation on behalf of the CEO or office including but not limited to emails, correspondence, project plans, meeting minutes, submissions and briefs.
5. Manage invoices, leave and travel applications, timesheets and recruitment actions, seeking advice and assistance from senior officers where appropriate.
6. Allocate and coordinate tasks assigned to, by and through the executive office, including coordination of associated documentation such as briefs, submissions, policies and other correspondence.
7. Undertake project support work to support the CEO or division.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following:

• Proven success in executive support including preparation and coordination of calendars and documents such as official minutes, submissions, policies and correspondence.
• Highly developed coordination, organisation, liaison and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to successfully negotiate a complex executive calendar.
• Demonstrated experience in providing secretarial support to committees including agenda preparation, minute taking, coordination of actions, and other related tasks.

Qualifications

Essential

• N/A

Desirable

• N/A

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 12 months’ work experience as an executive assistant to a senior executive.

Desirable

• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Proven success in executive support including preparation and coordination of calendars and documents such as official minutes, submissions, policies and correspondence.
2. Exceptional organisational skills and demonstrated ability to be proactive, flexible and to manage competing priorities, while working under pressure and in a changing work environment.
3. Proven interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential issues, to liaise with internal and external stakeholders at a range of levels and to develop corporate relations and networks.
4. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.