Departmental Business Support Officer

Job summary

We are seeking a Departmental Business Support Officer to join the Radiation Effects and Radiation Dosimetry team within the Radiation, Chemical, Climate and Environmental Hazards (RCCE) Directorate.

They will lead on a number of business support functions for the Department, Division and Directorate and be responsible for the implementation and management of relevant systems and processes.

The Departmental Business Support Officer may work with colleagues who are based across the country at different sites and/or who work remotely.

Specific duties of the role may vary depending on the site and teams/functions.

Job description

The Departmental Business Support Officer will provide operational support to a range of corporate functions which may include finance, procurement, accommodation, HR, governance, business continuity, risk management, staff engagement and internal communications.

This may also include providing Executive Assistant support to a Deputy Director.

Main duties include:

• Identifying opportunities to make improvements to business processes within individual

functions and across the Department, Radiation Protection Sciences Division and RCCE Directorate.

• Providing secretariat and managerial support to the senior management team and other internal meetings and external networks and committees.
• Supporting the Department, Division and Directorate to deliver on the business plan and key priorities in a timely and responsive fashion.
• Providing executive assistance to the Department Head and Deputy Director as required; for example, overseeing diary and email management to ensure time is being used effectively.
• Preparing briefings and presentations for the Departmental, Divisional and Director(s) meetings.
• Commissioning work from the wider team/or other directorates on behalf of the Department Head or Deputy Director and deciding what action to take regarding correspondence and emails in the Department Head or Deputy Director’s absence.
• Undertaking research and small ad hoc projects for the Department Head and/or Deputy Director.

Project Support

• Support corporate projects and service reviews, identifying requirements and providing options to improve ways of working across the Division and Directorate.
• Undertake project support when there isn’t a dedicated project officer, responding to information requests and other tasks which will involve meeting tight deadlines.
• Assist and work closely with members of the relevant project teams, providing information (including statistical information) to the project lead, planning and managing elements of projects as directed by the relevant lead for business services or project manager.
• In the absence of a project officer maintain project plans, supporting the provision of management information and participating in working groups.

Financial and Resource Management

Support the effective management of finance and other resources for the Department and Division, including:

• Follow UKHSA financial governance processes and support colleagues and budget holders to engage with national and local finance processes as needed.
• Ensure effective monitoring of project budget expenditure.
• Provide reports for the management team as required.
• Undertake procurement of services, supplies and equipment as directed and in line with corporate policy.
• Respond to the requirements of internal and external audit as directed. Maintaining accurate and efficient processes for records management.

Leadership and Management

• Be a visible, positive and a competent role model and motivator; and contribute to the induction of staff.
• Problem solve and make decisions and accept responsibility for own actions.
• Support managers to set and monitor team professional standards, including supporting the coordination of training, development and recruitment activity across the Department, Division and Directorate development and planning around the staff survey for the Department, Division and Directorate; delivery of the appraisal system and compliance with statutory and mandatory regulations.
• Effective line management (if applicable) of administrative staff and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the Department and Division’s needs. Line management will include undertaking appraisals; ensuring direct reports can achieve their objectives and have access to appropriate training; recruitment; induction; and progressing any disciplinary or capability issues.

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experienced in IT skills, advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Experienced of use of systems to order goods and services and an understanding of relevant policies and procedures.
• Experience of undertaking secretariat functions, administering meetings and events.
• Experience or understanding of budget management, business planning and business continuity processes.
• Experience of writing and preparing reports for senior colleagues and/or meetings.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in a public sector organisation or other large organisations.
• Experience of project management.
• Understanding of project principles, techniques and tools (C/A)
• Ability to use digital tools e.g. Jira

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,587, UK Health Security Agency contributes

£10,309 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.  

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.  

• Please visit our careers site for more information: UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers
• 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

Application & Sift (Competency-based)

At sift stage you will be assessed against the 5 Essential Criteria listed in this job advert.

You will be required to complete:

• an Application Form (‘Employer/Activity history’ section on the application)
• a 1000 word Supporting Statement - do not exceed 1000 words as we will not consider any words over and above this number

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role. You will receive a joint score for your application form and supporting statement.

The application form is the kind of information you would put into your CV – please be advised you will not be able to upload or email us your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible.

Longlisting

In the event of a large number of applications, we may longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all Essential Criteria
• Meets some Essential Criteria
• Meets no Essential Criteria

Only those that 'Meets all Essential Criteria' will progress to Shortlisting.

Shortlisting

In the event of a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift on the following Essential Criteria:

• Experience of undertaking secretariat functions, administering meetings and events.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview. Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview (Competency-based)

You will be invited to a single remote interview. Interview date(s) to be confirmed.

During the interview we will assess against the below in relation to the 5 Essential Criteria:

• Knowledge
• Experience
• Skills and Abilities

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Incident Response Activity

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell;

during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

• Salary Information
• Civil Service: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
• HEO Outer: £35,587 - £43,244 per annum, pro-rata

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Chilton Scientific Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0RQ.

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC). For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Secu