UK Health Security Agency

Business Support Officer/Personal Assistant

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

The post holder will provide day-to-day administrative and PA support to the Director and senior management team within the Regions Directorate office. They will maintain effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external to the organisation. 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.

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working - This means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home.

For this role, we require our candidates to live in a commutable distance from our London offices in Canary Wharf and/or Colindale.

The balance between home and office working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy.

*Please be aware that this role can only be carried out from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

Working Pattern - Full Time (Applicants for Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working, Hybrid Working will be considered).

Main duties of the job

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

  • Provide comprehensive PA support to one or more senior member/s of the directorate.
  • Provide administrative support to the Directorate Office team.
  • Organise meetings and events and produce papers and minutes.
  • Carry out timely and accurate information analysis and reporting.
  • Contribute to effective information management.
  • Communicate and engage effectively with a range of people, including internal and external stakeholders.
  • Provide cover for other members of the team and assist with their workloads, as necessary.

Please review the Job Description for a full list of roles and responsibilities

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary, you can find full duties list within the Job Description.

We are looking for an exceptional Business Support Officer/Personal Assistant:

It is important, through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 1000 words, that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the criteria.

About us

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Benefits

  • 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 average employer contribution of 27%
  • Range of health and wellbeing support

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at Childcare Choices | 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More | Help with Costs | GOV.UK

Details

Date posted

12 September 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£27,690 to £32,203 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

CBA-UKHSA00509

Job locations

UKHSA Colindale or Canary Wharf

61 Colindale Avenue/10 South Colonnade

London

NW9 5EQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.

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

Please ensure that your statement of suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document and is uploaded in MS Word format.

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW

This post will involve a virtual interview on Microsoft Teams.

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 29th September 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: 4th October 2023

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
  • Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
  • Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

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:Complaints1@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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria please do provide evidence of how you meet this.

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

Please ensure that your statement of suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document and is uploaded in MS Word format.

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW

This post will involve a virtual interview on Microsoft Teams.

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 29th September 2023 unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: 4th October 2023

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rulesThis job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of theEuropean Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
  • Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
  • Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard. People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&Cs are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

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:Complaints1@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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to degree level/NVQ level 6 in relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification and/or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information.
  • Experience of organising meetings and producing supporting paperwork, including agendas and taking minutes/action notes.
  • Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload
  • IT skills and advanced Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint

Desirable

  • Experience working in a public-sector organisation
  • Ability to use digital tools e.g. JIRA

Skills, capabilities, and behaviours

Essential

  • Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Take time to consider the best communication channel to use for the audience, including making the best of digital resources and considering value for money (I)
  • Ability to use finance systems and support financial analysis for reports
  • Follow relevant policies, procedures and legislation to complete your work.
  • Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales

Desirable

  • Line management skills

Equality and diversity

Essential

  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  • Understand that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to degree level/NVQ level 6 in relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification and/or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information.
  • Experience of organising meetings and producing supporting paperwork, including agendas and taking minutes/action notes.
  • Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload
  • IT skills and advanced Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint

Desirable

  • Experience working in a public-sector organisation
  • Ability to use digital tools e.g. JIRA

Skills, capabilities, and behaviours

Essential

  • Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Take time to consider the best communication channel to use for the audience, including making the best of digital resources and considering value for money (I)
  • Ability to use finance systems and support financial analysis for reports
  • Follow relevant policies, procedures and legislation to complete your work.
  • Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales

Desirable

  • Line management skills

Equality and diversity

Essential

  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  • Understand that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

UKHSA Colindale or Canary Wharf

61 Colindale Avenue/10 South Colonnade

London

NW9 5EQ


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

UKHSA Colindale or Canary Wharf

61 Colindale Avenue/10 South Colonnade

London

NW9 5EQ


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior RPO Talent Specialist

Chloe Britten-Austin

UKHSA.recruitment@reed.com

Details

Date posted

12 September 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£27,690 to £32,203 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

CBA-UKHSA00509

Job locations

UKHSA Colindale or Canary Wharf

61 Colindale Avenue/10 South Colonnade

London

NW9 5EQ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

UK Health Security Agency's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)