26UHWM2404 Section Officer Healthcare Records and Switchboard Departments - Grade VI

University Hospital Waterford•Waterford, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The position of Staff Officer encompasses both managerial and administrative responsibilities which include the following: Administration: Ensure the efficient day-to-day administration of area of responsibility. Ensure deadlines are met and that service levels are maintained. Ensure an even distribution of workload among team, taking into account absence due to annual leave etc. Ensure policies and procedures are well documented and understood and adhered to by staff in own section. Ensure accurate attention to detail in own work and work of team. Use appropriate technology to ensure work is completed to a high standard. Ensure that archives and records are accurate, maintained confidentially and readily available to the appropriate authority. Ensure line management is kept informed of issues. Ensure that the service is kept informed and that their views are communicated to senior management. Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service. Human Resources / Supervision of Staff: Supervise and ensure the well-being of staff within own remit. Support managers in handling staff issues including attendance, conduct, capability, and performance matters. Create and maintain a positive working environment among staff members, which contributes to maintaining and enhancing effective working relationships. Deal with under performance in a timely and constructive manner. Identify training and development needs of staff in own area. Promote co-operation and working in harmony with other teams and disciplines. Act as escalation point for complex employee relations or staffing issues, ensuring appropriate HR involvement. Ensure consistent application of HR policies and procedures across services. Oversee time and attendance management processes, including accuracy of payroll inputs and compliance with deadlines. Customer Service: Promote and maintain a customer focused environment by ensuring service-users are treated with dignity and respect. Seek feedback from service users/customers and implement change to incorporate same, in agreement with line manager. Service Delivery and Improvement: Embrace change and adapt local work practices accordingly, ensuring team knows how to action changes. Encourage and support staff through change processes. Monitor efficiency of service provided by team, identify and implement changes to the administration of the service where inefficiencies arise. Standards, Policies, Procedures & Legislation: Maintain own knowledge of relevant HSE policies, procedures, guidelines and practices to perform the role effectively and to ensure current work standards are met by own team. Maintain own knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation e.g. Financial Regulations, Health & Safety Legislation, Employment Legislation, FOI Acts etc. Pursue continuous professional development in order to develop management expertise and professional knowledge. Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards and other standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards. Support Services: Working as part of the wider Support Services Management function ensuring that departmental operations run effectively while contributing to the broader objectives of the Support Services team. The role requires close collaboration with colleagues across multiple areas and the ability to undertake duties as delegated by line manager. The role requires flexibility, adaptability and collaboration with a dynamic environment recognising that departmental structures, reporting structures and responsibilities may evolve in response to service needs. Work in close conjunction with the Support Services Manager on Support Service projects. Collaborate across the support services manager team to support cross departmental initiative and share objectives. Undertake cross cover of duties within the Support Services Management team during times of leave or absences. Will be responsible to use the IFMS procurement system as required to support departmental processes. Key Responsibilities: Operational Leadership & Service Coordination: Provide operational oversight and coordination across Healthcare Records and Switchboard services. Support Service Managers in the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient day-to-day operations. Ensure consistency of service delivery standards, policies, and procedures across both departments. Monitor service performance and ensure timely escalation and resolution of operational issues. Maintain oversight of 24/7 service delivery arrangements and ensure continuity of critical services. Hold delegated responsibility for operational performance, resilience, and stability across both services. Act as the primary operational lead for service recovery and escalation of issues impacting service delivery. Ensure timely identification, assessment, and resolution of operational risks and service disruptions. Lead on corrective action planning following incidents, performance issues, audits, or service failures. Ensure escalation pathways are effectively managed and issues are addressed at the appropriate level without delay. Maintain accountability for service performance outcomes across both departments. Oversee monitoring of KPIs, performance indicators, quality standards, and compliance requirements. Ensure risks are identified, recorded, reviewed, and mitigated in line with organisational governance frameworks. Contribute to relevant committees, working groups, and governance forums. Ensure effective communication of decisions and actions into operational teams. Ensure workforce systems are used effectively to support operational and financial accuracy. Ensure full compliance with mandatory training requirements across services. Work with managers to identify training gaps and implement corrective action plans. Oversee workforce development planning to ensure staff competency meets service requirements. Promote continuous learning and development across both departments. Monitor and report on training compliance and workforce readiness. Lead and support the implementation of service change and transformation initiatives. Work collaboratively with senior management to design and deliver service improvements. Support service managers in embedding operational change within teams. Ensure change is effectively planned, communicated, and sustained. Contribute to organisational restructuring and service alignment initiatives. Ensure services remain adaptable to evolving organisational requirements. Lead and/or contribute to service development and improvement projects. Deliver assigned projects within agreed timelines, governance structures, and outcomes. Ensure project outputs are embedded into operational practice. Work across departments and stakeholders to deliver cross-functional initiatives. Provide regular reporting on project progress, risks, and outcomes. Support effective resource utilisation and workforce planning across both services. Ensure accurate and timely revenue capture processes, particularly in relation to Emergency Department patient registration activity. Identify and support delivery of cost improvement and efficiency initiatives. Contribute to budget monitoring and financial governance within services. Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders across clinical and non-clinical services. Represent services in relevant meetings, committees, and working groups. Ensure effective communication and implementation of cross-service decisions. Support cross-cover arrangements across wider support services as required. Support staff within your area of responsibility with raising purchase orders and invoices via the IFMS system. Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Business Continuity: Support the development, maintenance, and testing of Major Incident, Emergency Preparedness, and Business Continuity Plans across both services. Ensure alignment of departmental plans with organisational emergency planning frameworks. Coordinate the testing, exercising, and evaluation of incident response procedures. Lead on post-incident reviews, ensuring lessons learned are embedded into service improvements. Act as a key contributor to hospital-wide incident response and resilience arrangements. Hospital-wide governance and emergency planning groups. The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Requirements

Managerial and administrative responsibilities
Efficient day-to-day administration of area of responsibility
Meeting deadlines and maintaining service levels
Even distribution of workload among team, considering absences
Well-documented, understood, and adhered to policies and procedures
Accurate attention to detail in own work and team's work
Use of appropriate technology for high-standard work
Accurate, confidential, and readily available archives and records
Keeping line management informed of issues
Communicating service information and views to senior management
Support for sustainable energy, water, and waste initiatives
Supervision and well-being of staff
Support for managers in handling staff issues (attendance, conduct, capability, performance)
Creation and maintenance of a positive working environment
Timely and constructive dealing with underperformance
Identification of training and development needs
Promotion of co-operation with other teams and disciplines
Acting as escalation point for complex employee relations or staffing issues
Consistent application of HR policies and procedures
Overseeing time and attendance management processes, including payroll accuracy and deadlines
Promotion and maintenance of a customer-focused environment
Seeking and implementing feedback from service users/customers
Embracing change and adapting local work practices
Encouraging and supporting staff through change processes
Monitoring service efficiency and implementing improvements
Maintaining knowledge of relevant HSE policies, procedures, guidelines, and practices
Maintaining knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation (Financial, Health & Safety, Employment, FOI)
Pursuing continuous professional development
Working knowledge of HIQA Standards and other relevant standards (Healthcare, HAI, Hygiene)
Compliance with associated HSE protocols
Working as part of the wider Support Services Management function
Close collaboration with colleagues across multiple areas
Flexibility, adaptability, and collaboration in a dynamic environment
Working in conjunction with the Support Services Manager on Support Service projects
Collaboration with the support services manager team
Undertaking cross-cover duties within the Support Services Management team
Using the IFMS procurement system
Providing operational oversight and coordination across Healthcare Records and Switchboard services
Supporting Service Managers in delivery of operations
Ensuring consistency of service delivery standards, policies, and procedures
Monitoring service performance and escalating/resolving operational issues
Maintaining oversight of 24/7 service delivery and continuity
Delegated responsibility for operational performance, resilience, and stability
Acting as primary operational lead for service recovery and escalation
Ensuring timely identification, assessment, and resolution of operational risks and disruptions
Leading corrective action planning following incidents, performance issues, audits, or service failures
Ensuring effective management of escalation pathways
Maintaining accountability for service performance outcomes
Overseeing monitoring of KPIs, performance indicators, quality standards, and compliance requirements
Ensuring risks are identified, recorded, reviewed, and mitigated
Contributing to relevant committees, working groups, and governance forums
Ensuring effective communication of decisions and actions
Ensuring effective use of workforce systems for operational and financial accuracy
Ensuring full compliance with mandatory training requirements
Working with managers to identify training gaps and implement corrective action plans
Overseeing workforce development planning
Promoting continuous learning and development
Monitoring and reporting on training compliance and workforce readiness
Leading and supporting the implementation of service change and transformation initiatives
Working collaboratively with senior management on service improvements
Supporting service managers in embedding operational change
Ensuring change is effectively planned, communicated, and sustained
Contributing to organisational restructuring and service alignment
Ensuring services remain adaptable to evolving organisational requirements
Leading and/or contributing to service development and improvement projects
Delivering assigned projects within agreed timelines, governance structures, and outcomes
Ensuring project outputs are embedded into operational practice
Working across departments and stakeholders to deliver cross-functional initiatives
Providing regular reporting on project progress, risks, and outcomes
Supporting effective resource utilisation and workforce planning
Ensuring accurate and timely revenue capture processes
Identifying and supporting delivery of cost improvement and efficiency initiatives
Contributing to budget monitoring and financial governance
Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
Representing services in relevant meetings, committees, and working groups
Ensuring effective communication and implementation of cross-service decisions
Supporting cross-cover arrangements across wider support services
Supporting staff with raising purchase orders and invoices via the IFMS system
Supporting the development, maintenance, and testing of Major Incident, Emergency Preparedness, and Business Continuity Plans
Ensuring alignment of departmental plans with organisational emergency planning frameworks
Coordinating the testing, exercising, and evaluation of incident response procedures
Leading on post-incident reviews
Acting as a key contributor to hospital-wide incident response and resilience arrangements

Responsibilities

Ensure the efficient day-to-day administration of area of responsibility
Ensure deadlines are met and that service levels are maintained
Ensure an even distribution of workload among team, taking into account absence due to annual leave etc.
Ensure policies and procedures are well documented and understood and adhered to by staff in own section
Ensure accurate attention to detail in own work and work of team
Use appropriate technology to ensure work is completed to a high standard
Ensure that archives and records are accurate, maintained confidentially and readily available to the appropriate authority
Ensure line management is kept informed of issues
Ensure that the service is kept informed and that their views are communicated to senior management
Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service
Supervise and ensure the well-being of staff within own remit
Support managers in handling staff issues including attendance, conduct, capability, and performance matters
Create and maintain a positive working environment among staff members, which contributes to maintaining and enhancing effective working relationships
Deal with under performance in a timely and constructive manner
Identify training and development needs of staff in own area
Promote co-operation and working in harmony with other teams and disciplines
Act as escalation point for complex employee relations or staffing issues, ensuring appropriate HR involvement
Ensure consistent application of HR policies and procedures across services
Oversee time and attendance management processes, including accuracy of payroll inputs and compliance with deadlines
Promote and maintain a customer focused environment by ensuring service-users are treated with dignity and respect
Seek feedback from service users/customers and implement change to incorporate same, in agreement with line manager
Embrace change and adapt local work practices accordingly, ensuring team knows how to action changes
Encourage and support staff through change processes
Monitor efficiency of service provided by team, identify and implement changes to the administration of the service where inefficiencies arise
Maintain own knowledge of relevant HSE policies, procedures, guidelines and practices to perform the role effectively and to ensure current work standards are met by own team
Maintain own knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation e.g. Financial Regulations, Health & Safety Legislation, Employment Legislation, FOI Acts etc
Pursue continuous professional development in order to develop management expertise and professional knowledge
Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards and other standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards
Working as part of the wider Support Services Management function ensuring that departmental operations run effectively while contributing to the broader objectives of the Support Services team
The role requires close collaboration with colleagues across multiple areas and the ability to undertake duties as delegated by line manager
The role requires flexibility, adaptability and collaboration with a dynamic environment recognising that departmental structures, reporting structures and responsibilities may evolve in response to service needs
Work in close conjunction with the Support Services Manager on Support Service projects
Collaborate across the support services manager team to support cross departmental initiative and share objectives
Undertake cross cover of duties within the Support Services Management team during times of leave or absences
Will be responsible to use the IFMS procurement system as required to support departmental processes
Provide operational oversight and coordination across Healthcare Records and Switchboard services
Support Service Managers in the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient day-to-day operations
Ensure consistency of service delivery standards, policies, and procedures across both departments
Monitor service performance and ensure timely escalation and resolution of operational issues
Maintain oversight of 24/7 service delivery arrangements and ensure continuity of critical services
Hold delegated responsibility for operational performance, resilience, and stability across both services
Act as the primary operational lead for service recovery and escalation of issues impacting service delivery
Ensure timely identification, assessment, and resolution of operational risks and service disruptions
Lead on corrective action planning following incidents, performance issues, audits, or service failures
Ensure escalation pathways are effectively managed and issues are addressed at the appropriate level without delay
Maintain accountability for service performance outcomes across both departments
Oversee monitoring of KPIs, performance indicators, quality standards, and compliance requirements
Ensure risks are identified, recorded, reviewed, and mitigated in line with organisational governance frameworks
Contribute to relevant committees, working groups, and governance forums
Ensure effective communication of decisions and actions into operational teams
Ensure workforce systems are used effectively to support operational and financial accuracy
Ensure full compliance with mandatory training requirements across services
Work with managers to identify training gaps and implement corrective action plans
Oversee workforce development planning to ensure staff competency meets service requirements
Promote continuous learning and development across both departments
Monitor and report on training compliance and workforce readiness
Lead and support the implementation of service change and transformation initiatives
Work collaboratively with senior management to design and deliver service improvements
Support service managers in embedding operational change within teams
Ensure change is effectively planned, communicated, and sustained
Contribute to organisational restructuring and service alignment initiatives
Ensure services remain adaptable to evolving organisational requirements
Lead and/or contribute to service development and improvement projects
Deliver assigned projects within agreed timelines, governance structures, and outcomes
Ensure project outputs are embedded into operational practice
Work across departments and stakeholders to deliver cross-functional initiatives
Provide regular reporting on project progress, risks, and outcomes
Support effective resource utilisation and workforce planning across both services
Ensure accurate and timely revenue capture processes, particularly in relation to Emergency Department patient registration activity
Identify and support delivery of cost improvement and efficiency initiatives
Contribute to budget monitoring and financial governance within services
Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders across clinical and non-clinical services
Represent services in relevant meetings, committees, and working groups
Ensure effective communication and implementation of cross-service decisions
Support cross-cover arrangements across wider support services as required
Support staff within your area of responsibility with raising purchase orders and invoices via the IFMS system
Support the development, maintenance, and testing of Major Incident, Emergency Preparedness, and Business Continuity Plans across both services
Ensure alignment of departmental plans with organisational emergency planning frameworks
Coordinate the testing, exercising, and evaluation of incident response procedures
Lead on post-incident reviews, ensuring lessons learned are embedded into service improvements
Act as a key contributor to hospital-wide incident response and resilience arrangements
The post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office