Project Support Officer (ID4588)

Job summary

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.

Project Support Officer (PSO) – provides appropriate project support to APHA Project Leaders (PLs) and budget holders to ensure their projects are planned, monitored and controlled effectively. Their role is to prepare and provide information and analysis for PLs and Lead Scientists, monitoring the financial and scientific progress of projects and to flag any deviations. Contribute towards the provision of similar information for stakeholders and customers. The PSO will ensure that projects are set up on all relevant agency systems and included in the annual budget planning and closed when completed. The role requires the candidate to be proactive, demonstrate excellent communication skills, and be able to build strong relationships with PLs and staff across both the Directorate, and agency, and to be able to convey project specific finance issues to them.

The purpose of the role is as follows:

• Support PLs in the planning of new projects
• Ensure projects are planned onto the APHA business systems
• Monitor scientific and delivery progress of projects, and their financial status; forecasting and budgeting
• Stakeholder reporting and communication
• Assist with the submission of project / contract documentation
• Maintaining registered files and supporting audit requirements
• To advise on funding / business opportunities in accordance with Agency Procedures and processes

Job description

To advise on funding/business opportunities in accordance with Agency Procedures and processes

• Provide advice and guidance in relation to new requests for work and/or extensions to existing projects. Recommend projects to be reviewed at project approval meetings to exercise governance, ensure that the correct forms and costs are included with submission
• Provide project support to APHA Project Leaders (PLs) and budget holders to ensure their projects are planned, monitored and controlled effectively

Key contacts may include: PLs, project team members, heads of department, work group leaders, lead scientists, network procurement, sub-contractors/collaborators/suppliers, customers (e.g. external organisations, policy leads, devolved administrations, funding sponsors).

Support Project Leaders in the planning of new projects (prior to approval)

• Provide advice and guidance concerning APHA Business Systems, Contracts and Customers where required.
• Input proposal cost breakdown information to generate official proposal costings, prior to customer quotations, using appropriate contingency and margin.

Monitor scientific and delivery progress of projects, and their financial status

• Ensure that systems are regularly updated with the correct project milestones and deliverables information, to ensure the accuracy of KPIs (key performance indicators).
• Utilise appropriate systems for financial reconciliation activities
• Attend in-year project meetings, provide guidance on financial, administration and planning issues.
• Attend and actively participate at Finance Review Meetings, providing status updates on project income and expenditure, forecasting and budgets.
• Raise journals and deferrals for project income and expenditure.
• Raise purchase orders for high value costs, following specified approvals process.
• Attend related project meetings, budget and forecasting reviews with Project Leaders and budget holders.

Ensure projects are planned onto the APHA business systems

• Plan all projects into required systems.
• Ensure that projects are correctly set up in Oracle for project effort and cost recording.

Stakeholder reporting and communication

• Develop and maintain communication routes and relationships to ensure that all stakeholders are advised, as appropriate, of project progress and delivery.
• Provide analysis and information to PLs, lead scientists, heads of department and other stakeholders to support them in their project/portfolio management responsibilities.
• Participate in project and portfolio customer meetings.
• Produce progress reports at agreed timescales for PLs, lead scientists, heads of department and other stakeholders
• Input financial and administration information into proposal documents, annual and final reports
• Work closely with finance teams to support the delivery of accurate information to Defra and customers.

Assist with the submission of project / contract documentation

• Liaise with Project Leaders to produce project/contract documentation.
• Check, collate and obtain signatures where required for all proposal documents.
• Provide appropriate documentation to enable projects to be covered by appropriate contracts and agreements.
• Carry out in-year project amendments as confirmed or required by Customers; manage change control procedures.
• Supporting Lead Scientists with bid submission activities

Maintaining registered files and supporting audit requirements

• Identify all significant project related documentation. Store electronic records in shared work areas.
• Maintain electronic records archive.
• Exercise good records management, data/information handling, and maintain the quality of files in readiness for audits and quality checks.

Person specification

Experience and skills:

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Experience of working to a high standard of accuracy and/or quality standards.
• Good mathematics skills and computer literacy, including Microsoft Office Tools – solid understanding of, and competency in, Excel is essential.
• The ability and willingness to learn new programmes and systems required for the role.
• Ability to work independently (plan and organise own work activities, resolve routine work problems and judge when to refer issues to management) and as part of a team.
• Good communication skills and ability to interact with colleagues at all grades and wide range of stakeholders.
• High level organisational and time management skills. Ability to manage a variety of tasks at any one time, work under pressure and achieve strict deadlines.

Security clearance – Weybridge Only

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. The post holder must work from one of the location/s listed in the Location section of the advert. Subject to office capacity, the specific location can be discussed during the interview process.

Periodic travel within the UK and Europe may be required to attend training courses, conferences and scientific meetings. If not based at the Weybridge site, regular visits to the site will be required (travel costs will be covered by the department).

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.

A valid full driving licence is necessary or access to an alternative means of transport.

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

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

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Experience of working within a finance or a business support (Project Support Office/Business/Finance Office) environment.
• Experience of forecasting/budgeting linear and non-linear project finances from both income and expenditure perspectives

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,715, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,608 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering days per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

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.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete 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 08/06/2026. 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. For more guidance about the online Civil Service tests, please see the GOV.UK website: Civil Service online tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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 08/06/2026.

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.

You will also be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website. There is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
• A 500-word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviour, Working Together. Please use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.

CV Guidance

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages.

Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and scored against the essential criteria.

Personal Statement Guidance

When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the criteria. Consider the Job Description and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.

Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above in each area will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the Lead Behaviour, Working Together. The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk with the vacancy reference number, your applicant reference number, and the closing date.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on

• Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
• Technical skills, as outlined in the advert following theSuccess Profiles: Technical - GOV.UKframework. These will be assessed through a structured set of questions. Technical questions will explore your technical knowledge in specific areas.
• Behaviours (Working Together and Delivering at Pace). The Behaviour criteria outlined in theSuccess Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UKframework for EO positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview.

Your interview will be conducted face to face or on-line. You will be notified of the location when you are invited to interview.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

After the interview

Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.

Location

Please be aware that this role will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Where multiple locations are listed, the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes. Please note that all listed locations are subject to desk availability.

Candidates intending to be based at Weybridge must undergo additional criminal record checks. The level of security needed to be based at Weybridge is Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC). Please note that these checks can take up to 6 months to complete and may delay your start date. See our vetting charter (opens in a new window)

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. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Working Pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis, where continuity can be arranged.
We welcome applications from individuals seeking alternative working patterns; however, preferred arrangements may not always be possible. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their preferences with the vacancy holder at interview or offer stage.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please see our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least three years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that are required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criterion, CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks before taking up the post. CTC is only required if based at the APHA Weybridge site.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Further Information

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 Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Abigail Lambert
• Email : Abigail.lambert@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email :