Job vacancy: Apprentice Personal Assistant, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool

Job summary

Main area: Finance and Information
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 3
Contract: Apprenticeship: 22 months (Fixed Term contract)
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (This is a 22 months fixed term apprenticeship post of 37.5 per week, Band 3 (under Apprenticeship guidelines of AFC, age appropriate, UK National Living Wage applies throughout the apprenticeship), leading to a Business Administration Level 3 Qualification)
Job ref: 409-7475872

Employer: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Knowsley Community College
Town: Liverpool
Salary: £24,937 - £26,598 Per Annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 29/10/2025 23:59
Interview date: 12/11/2025

Apprentice Personal Assistant

NHS AfC: Band 3

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

To organise and manage diaries for the Senior Leadership Team, providing a first-class secretarial service and ensuring their daily workload and priorities are met.
To maintain appointments and diary management, implementing bring forward systems, arranging venues, speakers, travel and accommodation, ensuring timely and efficient communication.
Plan, organise meetings and training events, this includes booking venues and hospitality. Design Flyers and send information out in advance to attendees and keep a record of attendance.
Take notes or minutes and actions at meetings, type and distribute electronic or hard copies within a given time frame, ensuring the dissemination of information requested at meetings. Ensuring that agendas are prepared and circulated prior to meetings.
To act as a point of contact within the Finance Department, Trust and to external users ensuring that communication links are always maintained. Ensuring that all communication functions are in place across the team.
Plan and create departmental newsletters, e-forms and questionnaires.
Co-ordinate and monitor compliance with mandatory training and appraisal activity for the team and reporting compliance.
Co-ordinate and monitor compliance with internal processes within the department, ensuring that First Aider, Fire Warden and other health and safety positions have assigned staff members, and are up to date with training where needed.
To co-operate with the introduction of new technologies and new IT systems and support the team with implementation.
Search the intranet and internet for particular policies and guidelines as requested by the Team.
Working as a team to ensure that adequate stationary and relevant stocks within the department are kept to an acceptable level.
Send e-mails and produce letters, Powerpoints and reports using detailed knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Co-ordinate FOI requests and responses, ensuring deadlines and appropriate governance is met throughout the process.
Prepare Human Resources administration as necessary, including staff change of details forms, variation forms and leavers form appropriately
To undertake tasks delegated by the team to assist in meeting activity targets and delivering Key Performance Indicators, ensuring deadlines are met.
Provide administrative and secretarial support to other Managers within the Department.
Work collaboratively with other members of the administrative and clerical team to ensure that the department always runs effectively
Maintain accurate and efficient records, manage filing and brought forward systems. Suggest and implement new and improved systems and ways of working where this will improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Deal effectively with mail, e-mails and telephone enquiries from within and outside of the Trust, communicating all relevant information to the team as appropriate.
Coordinate the Trust weekly lottery by following the appropriate guidance and governance.
Ensure that any correspondence and communication is recorded in real time on the InPhase system for all risks and incidents when required by the team.
Ensure that matters of a confidential nature, including information relating to staff and patients, are not divulged to any unauthorised person.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Finance Personal Assistant Apprentice will always ensure that the finance and information function comply with all Trust policies and professional standards associated with the role.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
Builds and maintains positive relationships within the finance, procurement and information team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
Demonstrate good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understand and apply social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
Is able to accept and deal with changing priorities related to both their own work and to the organisation.
Takes responsibility for your own work, accepts feedback in a positive way, uses initiative and shows resilience. Also takes responsibility for your own development, know when to ask questions to complete a task and informs their line manager when a task is complete.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

The post holder will ensure that Finance, Procurement and Information teams are kept up to date with all mandatory training, continued professional development and any relevant legislative changes.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Educated to GCSE Grade C/4 in English and Maths and/or equivalent qualification or experience. For those with an education, health and care plan or legacy statement, the Apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is equivalent to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
Commitment to and completion of the Business Administration Level 3 qualification.

Desirable criteria

RSA II typewriting / word processing skills and/or equivalent qualification or equivalent experience.
3-5 further GCSEs at C/4 or above or equivalent qualification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

Ability to accurately maintain computerised and manual filing/documentation systems.
IT skills with knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office package.

Desirable criteria

Previous experience within the NHS.

Skills

Essential criteria

Good telephone manner and customer services skills.
Ability to use own initiative and show resilience.
Ability to work in a team.
Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
Build and maintain positive relationships within the team and across the organisation.
Maintain confidentiality at all times.
Keyboard skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way.
Completes tasks to a high standard and is confident in making suggestions for improvements.

Desirable criteria

Knowledge of NHS finance terminology.

Other

Essential criteria

Willing and able to learn new skills.
The ability to receive and relay messages accurately and appropriately
Understanding of the confidential nature of the role and aware of Data Protection Act.
Comply with Trust policies and procedures at all times.

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [email protected]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.

The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab)

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click here to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship.

eVisa Update

For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK.

Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.

Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:

Create a UKVI account
Link their current passport
Access their eVisa straightaway to check all details. Incorrect information should be reported as soon as possible using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/report-error-evisa
Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working

We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:

All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.

You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.

Additional Information

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here.

An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.