Administrative Support Officer (ID4761)

Job summary

Can you work on your own initiative as well as working within a team? 

Are you an excellent communicator who enjoys helping others?

If so, we would love to hear from you! 

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes .

In this administrative role, under the direction of the department Admin Team Lead (ATL), you will provide vital administrative support to the Head of Department, Business Manager, ATL and other departmental staff in the day-to-day running of the Pathology & Animal Sciences department.

Job description

You will provide administrative support and operational expertise to science colleagues, Admin Team Lead, Business Manager and Head of Department. You will proactively handle purchasing, financial and administrative queries, and requests. Your work may include using Oracle SOP i-procurement systems to raise purchase requisitions, processing invoices and credit notes; using Excel for data entry and manipulation; registering files and logbooks; acting as Departmental Local Records Officer; compiling reports; booking meetings and rooms; minute taking; scanning, photocopying and other general administrative duties. You will be expected to comply with relevant safety and quality standards as well as support and contribute to overall departmental compliance.

Duties may include all or some of the below, and are not limited to:

Purchasing & Finance

• Create purchase requisitions, receipt orders, process invoices for payment, troubleshooting using Oracle SOP i-procurement system
• Liaising with suppliers to place orders, track deliveries and troubleshoot as required
• Carrying out regular stock checks to maintain appropriate stock levels of stationery and consumables
• Use bespoke forms to process foreign payments, set up new suppliers, make same-day urgent payments
• Use Excel to track and analyse financial data
• Filing order paperwork and delivery notes correctly, and acting as a problem solver for any delivery issues
• Assist line manager (ATL) with financial tasks - monthly housekeeping, fixed assets process, equipment register, raising journal requests

Records and Files

• Acting as Local Records Officer
• Creating and registering files and log books on the electronic records management system
• Closing and archiving files in accordance with quality standards and agency procedures
• Managing departmental publishing processes for controlled content and sending out review reminders
• Database entry using Excel and bespoke software e.g. scientific equipment/asset database, recruitment tracker, staff lists

Department Support

• Monitor a shared mailbox
• Compiling departmental reports, e.g., governance returns, stock lists, consumable logs
• General point of contact for queries from the Senior Management Team and scientists
• Organise meetings, book rooms and send out calendar invitations.
• Minute-taking
• Using travel booking system to book flights, hire cars, trains and hotels
• Filing, scanning, photocopying, incoming post distribution, and other ad-hoc duties
• Provide data entry support on the recruitment system
• Updating departmental organograms and contact lists
• Meet and greet visitors, following relevant visitor procedures and handle interviewee ID documents
• Develop and maintain relationships with key staff both inside and outside of the department.
• Any other work to assist the department as and when called upon
• Use transferable skills to support other SD departments in admin work when required

Person specification

Experience and skills

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Good Microsoft Excel and Word skills along with knowledge and experience of using other IT tools such as One Drive, MS Teams and SharePoint Online
• Understanding purchasing processes
• Familiarity with Oracle business accounting software or similar purchasing systems
• Confident problem-solving skills with an ability to take initiative and ownership of resolving issues
• Highly organised with excellent record keeping and attention to detail and an ability to balance and prioritise multiple tasks with competing deadlines
• Good written and oral communication skills, with ability to take minutes and prepare actions logs capturing salient points
• Ability to build relationships, communicate and interact effectively with colleagues and senior leaders
• Understanding of working within established Quality and Safety systems

Security clearance

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Government’s response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason all postholders based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance or above. It is up to each person applying for a post at APHA Weybridge to ensure they meet the residency criteria. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated.

Workplace arrangements

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. However, this post requires you to be working onsite at APHA Weybridge five days per week or less if part-time.

The post holder must work from the location listed in the Location section of the advert.

Ways of Working

Periodic travel within the UK may be required to attend training courses, conferences and meetings.

Out of hours work may be required. When overtime or out-of-hours work is required, APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

Restrictions on outside/domestic contact with small animals, mainly rodents and rabbits, may apply.

Health surveillance

The post will also require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge. It may also be necessary to undergo a pre-employment medical assessment.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,770, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes

£8,624 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Further benefits offered also include:

• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities tailored to your role.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• Staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.
• Three days with pay, per year, for volunteering (pro-rata for part-time employees).
• Making it work for you - with so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
• We have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site

These are just a few of our benefits we offer. To find out the full range of what we offer refer to the Information Pack attached for more detail.

Learning and Development

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role. This can include a variety of courses, Apprenticeships, paid Masters and PhD and on-the-job training specific to your role.

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Application Process

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and a Civil Service Numerical Test . If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 15th September 2026 . If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 15th September 2026 .

While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.

Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits; for further information visit the Reasonable adjustments for online tests - a candidate guide

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests durin