Business Support Assistant

Job Overview

Health Innovation Wessex (HIW) is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity to join one of England's leading health innovation organisations as a Business Support Assistant at a pivotal moment for the NHS, life sciences sector and the wider health and care system.

Job Title: Business Support Assistant

Contract: 23 Month Secondment/Fixed Term - Short Term Funding

Main duties of the job

This varied role sits at the heart of Health Innovation Wessex, providing high-quality business, administrative and project support across corporate services and programmes.

You will take ownership of key activities including coordinating meetings and events, managing schedules and reporting, preparing documentation, producing accurate minutes and actions, and executive support. You will support data collection and evaluation, and help improve business processes and standard operating procedures. You will also create clear, professional and visually engaging documents and reports.

Working with colleagues and partners across health, care, research and innovation, you will use initiative, manage competing priorities, keep delivery on track and escalate risks or issues when needed.

You Will Be Proactive, Organised And Collaborative, With

• Excellent Microsoft 365 skills including Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Forms, and confidence learning new technology.
• Experience creating branded materials using Canva or Adobe
• Experience organising face-to-face, virtual and hybrid meetings or events
• Strong administration, including managing demanding workloads, excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Sound judgement, accountability and the ability to work independently under pressure.
• A flexible, inclusive and team-focused approach aligned with our values
  
  

Working for our organisation

At Health Innovation Wessex, you will have the opportunity to support some of the most important challenges facing health and care today while helping programmes and corporate services deliver innovation across the NHS.

You will join a highly regarded organisation with a national reputation for collaboration, delivery and impact.

Health Innovation Wessex is a company limited by guarantee, owned by the NHS and University Members with staff hosted by University Hospital Southampton.

We Offer

• A unique opportunity to work at the forefront of health innovation and healthcare transformation.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements - provides for a minimum of 2 days in office or out visiting partners/stakeholders and home working aligned to the role and business needs.
• Commitment to professional development, leadership growth and continuous learning.
• A collaborative, ambitious and supportive culture.
• An organisation committed to inclusion, diversity and wellbeing. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive
• Modern office facilities at Southampton Science Park in Chilworth, one of the UK's leading centres for science, technology and innovation.
  
  

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Opportunity

As Business Support Assistant, you will provide essential corporate, administrative and project support that enables Health Innovation Wessex teams to deliver effectively. The role offers genuine variety and autonomy, with opportunities to coordinate high-profile meetings and events, contribute to programme delivery, improve ways of working and produce information that supports effective decision-making.

You Will

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Provide day-to-day corporate administration and business support, including diary and schedule management and executive support.
• Support projects and workstreams through planning, monitoring, documentation, reporting and follow-up
• Organise meetings, workshops, conferences and events, including logistics, invitations, agendas, papers and technology arrangements
• Take accurate formal minutes and complex actions, and supporting timely completion of agreed actions
• Manage reporting schedules and compiling project and corporate returns to defined timescales
• Develop corporate documentation, business processes and standard operating procedures
• Create high-quality, visually engaging documents, presentations, reports and marketing assets using Microsoft 365 and other design applications
• Support evaluation and reporting through data collection, surveys, analysis and information management
• Monitor plans and timescales, taking appropriate action and escalating emerging risks and issues
• Build effective relationships with colleagues, NHS partners, universities, suppliers and other stakeholders
• Work flexibly across the organisation in response to changing priorities and business needs
  
  

Join Us

This is an exceptional opportunity for an organised and motivated business support professional who wants to make a lasting difference to health outcomes, healthcare transformation and economic growth.

If you are passionate about innovation, inspired by the future of the NHS and excited by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Health Innovation Wessex, we would love to hear from you.

Together, we can accelerate innovation, improve lives and create a healthier future for Wessex and beyond.

Person specification

Qualifications / Training Required

Essential criteria

• Degree or equivalent experience in relevant discipline
• Evidence of ongoing personal development
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Project Management training (e.g. PRINCE II)
• Knowledge of the specialist work relevant to Health Innovation Wessex
• Knowledge and experience of the NHS and local health and care service functions
  
  

Previous or relevant experience necessary

Essential criteria

• Experience with high level competency in IT, with the ability to quickly adapt to new technologies, including demonstrating first class knowledge of Microsoft 365 Office / Teams/ Excel/ PowerPoint/ Word/ Forms or any other alternative applications
• Experience of organising and managing meetings/events including face to face, virtual or hybrid
• Experience of effectively prioritising and managing a varied and demanding workload to meet urgent deadlines
• Experience in corporate/business administration, including establishing business processes and drafting Standard Operating Procedures
• Experience of producing accurate records of meetings / actions
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience in creating and designing visually appealing, branded documentation using software such as Canva/Adobe
• Experience of project management including completing project documentation/reports