Apprentice Business Support Officer

Job summary

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.

This is an apprenticeship role within the Business Operations Team where you’ll undertake a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship.

UKHSA’s Emergency Preparedness Resilience & Response and Response Operations Directorate within the Chief Medical Advisor’s Group, delivers front line services to help keep the nation health secure; delivering national capabilities in response to major incidents and outbreaks, up to and including pandemic scale, whilst supporting business as usual as required. The Directorate combines the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response function, operational response through national surge capabilities, Group wide planning and performance, programmes and transformation, and leads the planning for surge and response operational delivery across the Agency.

Job description

Our Business Operations Team works in partnership with corporate functions and the wider organisation to provide a range of business management and business support services to the Directorate. The post holder will be responsible for providing a comprehensive, efficient and confidential administrative service in support of the Directorate. In addition, the post holder will be responsible for assisting with the collation of data and supporting the production of reports. The post holder will contribute to the broader administrative support arrangements for the Directorate of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) and Response Operations. The post holder will work with minimal supervision and be expected to work flexibly as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing a wide range of specific administrative duties. The post holder may work with colleagues who are based across the country at different sites and/or who work remotely.

The Business Support Officer is a key part of the business support team and will undertake a range of duties to support senior managers within the Directorate as well as the Directorate as a whole.

• Administrative Support
• Project Support
• Financial and Resource Management
• Leadership and Management
• Communication and Key Working Relationships

This list is not exhaustive.

Administrative Support

• Provide administrative support to the Directorate office team.
• Communicate and engage effectively with a range of people, including internal and external staff and stakeholders. This will include dealing with enquiries promptly and courteously by various means.
• Responsible for the organisation of meetings, events, reports, papers, minutes and updating action logs. Providing secretariat support to teams and other internal meetings/networks as required.
• Support the development of systems and procedures to ensure efficiency, quality and cost effectiveness across the business.
• Participate in relevant working groups/projects, services/initiatives across the organisation representing the Team, Directorate or Group
• Carry out timely and accurate information analysis and present findings. This will include developing and maintaining databases as required.
• Contribute to effective information management (including maintaining administrative and information resources, i.e. filing systems) and assist with the dissemination and/or collation of information/returns.
• Responsible for organising and controlling own workload ensuring deadlines are observed and duties performed efficiently.
• Use the functions of MS Office including Excel spreadsheets, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Provide cover as directed by line manager for other members of the team in their absence and assist with their workloads as necessary.
• Provide project support in the absence of a dedicated role, handling information requests and tasks under tight deadlines.
• Provide cover as directed by line manager for other members of the team in their absence and assist with their workloads as necessary.

Project Support

• Undertake project support in the absence of a dedicated project support role in the structure, responding to information requests and other tasks which will involve meeting tight deadlines and may include using digital tools, for example JIRA. This will include assisting and working closely with members of the project team(s), supporting elements of projects as directed by the relevant lead or project manager; maintaining project plans; supporting the provision of management information; and participating in working groups.
  

Financial and Resource Management

• Provide support and information to aid effective management of budgets, including overseeing the placement and/or orders for goods using the MAPs system, receipt goods and maintain log of expenditure.
• Support the end of year/monthly close down of accounts.

Leadership and Management

• Be a visible, positive and competent role model/ motivator, and provide training, advice and support in own area of responsibility.

Communication and Key Working Relationships

• The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, responding directly where appropriate and this may include external stakeholders for example, members of the public or other public health organisations such as NHS and the Dept. of Health and Social care.

Apprenticeship and Professional Development

• As part of this role, you will work towards and attain a Level 3 qualification in Business Administration.
• Training will take place in the workplace and online with our training provider and you will have a dedicated 20% of your paid time to use towards your learning.
• Undergo a programme of on-going development and education, including the annual appraisal process, to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet the behaviours and competencies required to undertake the role.
• If applicant is currently undertaking an apprenticeship, whilst submitting application. They will not be eligible for this role.

Other

• In addition to the job specific requirements above, this role will require adherence to all UKHSA Policies and Procedures. A full list of these are available on Pulse
• All staff will adhere to UKHSA’s values actively demonstrating the positive behaviours
• All staff are expected to contribute to the delivery of corporate goals and objectives.
• The role holder may be expected to support corporate service activity as set out in the Corporate Services Standard Operating Procedures
• As a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, UKHSA has a set of civil protection responsibilities which it must fulfil in the response to any emergency/major incident. Staff may be asked to contribute to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies (as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations) as required.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Educated to a Level 2/GCSE in Maths and English or equivalent and/or relevant experience working at similar level within administration.
• If under the age of 19, a grade C (4) in GCSE Maths and English or equivalent, or be willing to complete functional skills (which the provider will deliver as part of the programme). This is not required for candidates aged 19 or older.
• Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload
• IT skills and Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
• Ability to follow relevant policies, procedures and legislation.
• Ability to work without supervision, to tight and often changing timescales.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
• Understand that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,547, UK Health Security Agency contributes £8,270 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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%

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and/or skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria..

At sift stage you will be assessed against the Essential role criteria listed in the job advert.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 750 word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 750 words. We will not consider any words over 750 words.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

In this scenario, only applicants meeting all essential criteria will move forward to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

Educated to a Level 2/GCSE in Maths and English or equivalent and/or relevant experience working at similar level within administration.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview stage (competency based):

You will be invited to a remote interview.

During the interview we will assess against the below:

• Knowledge
• Experience
• Skills and Abilities

Interviews dates are yet to be confirmed.

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

For Fixed term posts

If you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s, along with our Scientific Campus at Porton.

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 HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) or at one of our scientific campus sites (Porton).

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from 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 meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard (if based at one of the core locations) or Counter-terrorist Check (if based at our Scientific Campus in Porton.)

If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. 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 Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see:

Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information

UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers

Salary Information

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.

Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

• £28,547- £33,196 (National)
• £30,441- £35,576 (Outer London)
• £32,624-£37,737 (Inner London)

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Nigel Poole
• Email : nigel.poole@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website:
https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk