Helpdesk Operative

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion. We deliver high-quality care, clinical excellence, research, and innovation regionally, nationally, and internationally. We support people with rare and complex medical, surgical, and neurological conditions, cancers, and genetic disorders. The Trust is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, and values a workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Newcastle Hospitals are a leader in sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030 for our direct carbon footprint and Net Zero by 2040 for our broader footprint.

About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Estates Directorate as a Helpdesk Operative. You will work in a busy Helpdesk, receiving requests from across the hospital sites. The role involves a range of administrative duties and requires excellent telephone and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Take queries related to Trust car parking, including processing applications, concessions, and general parking enquiries.
• Provide advice, guidance, and support to deliver an efficient and professional Helpdesk service.
• Act as the main point of contact for emails and telephone calls from all wards and departments, making decisions on whether to handle queries or escalate them to the relevant section.
• Receive calls to the Helpdesk and follow agreed procedures for recording, initiating action, responding to customers, and updating the task management system.
• Follow agreed procedures to activate Helpdesk job processes.
• Comply with Trust policies and procedures, including operational changes for service development.
• Participate in the Service Desk cover rota as necessary, demonstrating commitment to flexible working patterns to meet service needs.
• Ensure all records are kept accurately and confidentially.
• Prioritise incoming work daily, responding quickly and appropriately to urgent or important issues.
• Raise purchase orders through Oracle and address any related queries.

Requirements

• Experience in a contact/call centre or busy office environment.
• Experience dealing with difficult customers or patients.
• Good communication skills (electronic, written, and verbal).
• Ability to demonstrate good keyboard skills.
• Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Able to work independently and as part of a busy team.

Qualifications

• Desirable: Keyboard qualification (RSA 1 or equivalent).
• Desirable: Understanding of Estates-related services.
• Desirable: Knowledge of Trust sites and locations.
• Desirable: Previous clerical experience.

Schedule

• 37.5 hours per week over a two-shift rota pattern (08:00 to 20:00).

Benefits

As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we strive to accommodate arrangements that work for both the service and our employees. For details on staff benefits, please refer to the attached documents.

Further details / informal visits

For more information, contact Denise Harmieson, Helpdesk & Admin Manager, at denise.harmieson@nhs.net or 0191 282 0013.