UK Health Security Agency
Administrative Officer
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Scientific Campus - Colindale, London
Job Summary
The purpose of the job is to work collaboratively with all members of the team and/or Directorate to provide an accurate and effective administrative support service.
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.
Job Description
Administrative Support
- Provide comprehensive administrative support to teams across the Directorate, including diary management of one or more senior staff, if required.
- To be responsible for dealing with telephone enquiries and other communications that may require a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality.
- Action routine correspondence, prepare acknowledgements and response letters as requested.
- Collate information and data to produce reports and documents as required; some may be confidential and/or complex.
- Assist with the dissemination and/or collation of information/returns for business operations in a timely manner.
- Provide Incident Co-ordination administrative cover on rotation as required (if applicable).
- Improve the quality of services and contribute to the improvement of the administration service.
- To be responsible for organising and controlling own workload ensuring deadlines are observed and duties performed efficiently.
- Provide cover as directed by line manager for other members of the team in their absence and assist with their workloads as necessary.
Financial and Resource Management
- Assist with the procurement of goods and services in-line with UKHSA policies and procedures, including overseeing ordering of stationery and general equipment supplies for the office; ensuring appropriate levels of stock are maintained; and arranging travel and hotel bookings.
Meetings and Events
- Arrange, attend and provide secretariat support to teams and other internal and external meetings and/or networks as required. This will include booking venues; organising hospitality; preparing and producing paperwork, i.e. agendas, action logs, collating and distributing all necessary information and documentation electronically and taking minutes or action notes as required. Ensuring all minutes or action notes are issued in a timely manner and agreed actions are appropriately recorded.
- Assist with organising external and/or internal conferences, away days and training days, including registration and preparing resources.
Information Governance
- Operate and update a range of databases and computerised case management / surveillance systems. Input data and information accurately and completely, using the correct formats consistently with legislation, policies and procedures.
- Always adhere to clinical governance and security of information arrangements.
- Assist in the effective use and maintenance of the office environment and systems and support the introduction of, and working with, systems to manage these effectively; this will include organising and maintaining comprehensive electronic filing systems and using digital tools, for example JIRA.
Adherence to all UKHSA Policies and Procedures
Delivery of Corporate Goals and Objectives
Category 1 Response as Necessary
Professional Development
- Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events.
- To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Develop Key Working Relationships with a Wide Range of Stakeholders
The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include taking phone calls and/or emails from members of the public and/or stakeholders.
This list is not exhaustive
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- GCSEs in Maths and English or equivalent education, or relevant experience in an administrative/business role.
- IT skills and Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint (or equivalent).
- 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.
- Ability to prioritise own work and work with minimal supervision.
- Ability to produce work that is accurate in a timely manner, whilst multi-tasking and working in a busy environment.
- Ability to follow guidance, policies and processes, including handling sensitive and confidential data.
- Ability to handle telephone enquiries and receive visitors.
Desirable Criteria
- Talk to relevant people to get advice and information when unsure how to proceed.
- Experience handling sensitive and/or confidential data.
- Experience of arranging meetings and supporting events and taking minutes.
- Experience of working in an office environment.
- You are inquisitive, you seek out new information and look for new ways to develop yourself.
Salary Information
Alongside your salary of £29,613, UK Health Security Agency contributes £8,578 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).
Selection Process Details
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Competency Based
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 1500 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.
Stage 2: Interview
Competency Based
You will be invited to a single face to face interview at Colindale, Scientific Campus, London.
When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview in the form of questions.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
Eligibility Criteria
External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale, London.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC)
When based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have 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.
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: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 (
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location