Administrative Support (ID1797)

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Weybridge

About the job

Job summary

Do you have excellent communication skills? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment? Do you enjoy working to tight deadlines? If so, we would love to hear from you!

Under the lead of the department, Admin Team Lead (ATL), you will provide administrative support to the Head of Department, Business Manager, Quality Manager, ATL and departmental staff in the day to day running of the science department.

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.

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.

Job description

To provide administrative support and operational expertise to science colleagues, Admin Team Lead, Business Manager, Quality Manager and Head of Department. Proactively handle procurement, 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. To manage departmental shared mailboxes and process incoming mail as appropriate. The postholder will be expected to comply with relevant 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:

Procurement & Finance

• Monitoring the SLSD Procurement Mailbox
• Create purchase requisitions, receipt orders, process invoices for payment, troubleshooting using Oracle SOP i-procurement system
• Carrying out regular stock checks to maintain appropriate stock levels of stationery and consumables
• Use bespoke forms to processing foreign payments, set up new suppliers, make CHAPS payments
• Use Excel and Oracle systems to process industrial gas and courier invoices
• Assist Line Manager (ATL) with financial tasks e.g. monthly housekeeping, fixed assets process, equipment register

Records and Files

• Acting as Local Records Officer
• Registering files and log books on the electronic records file system (CRMS)
• Closing and archiving files in accordance with quality standards and agency procedures
• Database entry using Excel and bespoke s/w e.g. scientific equipment/asset database, recruitment tracker, staff lists

Department Support

• Admin Support to the Test Validation Team; monitoring the test validation mailbox, preparing and filing of validation data, maintaining the test validation data index and archive
• Monitor the ADTS mailbox and set up new user requests, quality checks on reports to ensure compliance with procedures
• Administration support for the Master Test Schedule
• Assist with Debtor queries
• 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
• Updating departmental organograms (Visio) and contact lists (Excel)
• Any other work to assist the department as and when called upon
• Use transferable skills to support other SD departments in admin work

Person specification

Skills and Experience

• Good MS Excel and Word skills
• Knowledge and experience of using One Drive, MS Teams and SharePoint Online
• Understanding purchasing processes
• Familiarity with Oracle business accounting software or similar purchasing systems
• Highly organised with excellent record keeping
• Ability to balance and prioritise multiple tasks with competing deadlines
• Good written and spoken English with ability to take minutes and prepare action logs capturing salient points
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with senior leaders
• Previous experience in office environment

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

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

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,245, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £7,356 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 (27%), 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 day 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. 

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 : Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk
• Email : Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.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 https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/ to visit Civil Service Commission.

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