About the job

Job summary

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
 
Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work. 

The job purpose 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

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

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.

For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Person specification

Essential criteria

•    Experience of using Microsoft Office software i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint or equivalent.
•    Ability to 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 fashion, 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.
•    An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable criteria

•    Educated to Level 2 and / or equivalent experience working at a similar level.
•    Experience handling sensitive and/or confidential data. 
•    Experience of arranging meetings and supporting events and taking minutes. 
•    Experience of working in an office environment. 
•    Talk to relevant people to get advice and information when unsure how to proceed

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,291, UK Health Security Agency contributes £6,558 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your knowledge, experience, skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift  

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of  a:

• CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
• 750 word Statement of Suitability.  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

The CV / Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.   

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist.

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria : Ability to handle telephone enquiries and receive visitors.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

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

Please do not exceed 750 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview. 

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location information  

UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow.  This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at Ashford, Civil Centre, Tannery Lane, Ashford, TN23 1PL.  Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site.  

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 

Disability Confident scheme  

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.  

Reserve List clause  

 

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.   

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.  

Starting salary  

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

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.    

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.   

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment  

  

  

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.