About the job

Job summary

The laboratory in Bristol is situated within the Severn Pathology suite of laboratories at North Bristol NHS Trust Southmead site. The laboratory receives in excess of 1 million specimens a year from a large number of clinical specialties across the Bristol and Bath hospital trusts which contribute to an interesting and varied workload.

As the Administration Officer, you will assist the Laboratory Office Manager in providing personnel and administrative functions, ensuring that an efficient and effective administrative service is provided to the laboratories, its staff, its customers and UKHSA Bristol.  You also will provide secretarial & administrative support to members of the Bristol Laboratory team including the taking of formal minutes.

You will be responsible for assisting with liaison between the Bristol laboratory and other units of UKHSA, NHS organisations and local authorities. The post holder would be expected to assist in any UKHSA coordinated response or activity of a national/international nature, e.g. a bioterrorism incident or a major disease outbreak, e.g. SARS. 

Location

This is a lab based role located at Severn Pathology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB.

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

Job description

As the Administration Officer, you will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• To provide secretarial and administrative support to members of the Bristol Laboratory.
• To record and prepare draft minutes and action tables for meetings, specifying decisions made and follow up action required for subsequent completion.
• To organise a range of meetings and events, including venue, attendees and occasional travel arrangements.
• To ensure the timely registration of goods received notes onto Finance and Resource Management system
• To undertake office functions for members of the Bristol Laboratory team, including:
  • arrangement of meetings
  • maintenance of diaries
  • dealing with telephone enquiries, directing and prioritising queries as appropriate, to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery
  • IT support, e.g. word processing, generate and maintain spreadsheets for the collection and analysis of data
  • assistance with checking of ledgers etc.

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. For the full list of responsibilities and duties, please see the full job description.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of up to 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• English & Maths GCSE or above
• Basic Typing Qualification
• Good IT skills
• Data entry skills
• IT skills
• Able to use basic IT systems
• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality
• Show a willingness to learn and improve
• Excellent formal minute taking skills
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Good numeracy and literacy skills
• Able to work with accuracy and to meet deadlines
• Ability to train others
• Good telephone manner
• Ability to work either in a team or under one’s own initiative
• Motivation and enthusiasm for the role
• Reliability and flexibility

Desirable

• IT qualification e.g. ECDL

Benefits

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

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form and a statement of suitability. 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.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview either by video or face to face.

Please note that you may be asked to undertake a test or presentation at interview.

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. 

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th February 2024 – 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: TBC 2024

Interviews: w/c TBC 2024

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)

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 NHS Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s 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/

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.

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.