About the job

Job summary

To be eligible:

You must:

Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years

You must NOT:

No Business Studies degree, Business BTEC or Business Studies A level

No Science degrees and preferably no science A levels as it is a level 3 science apprenticeship

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Diagnostics and Pathogen Characterisation and Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre departments at Porton Down, Salisbury for the role of an administrative apprentice as part of the Admin Team supporting the department. The successful candidate should have experience in customer service. 

The successful post holder will receive training in all areas of administration, including, organisational skills, multi-tasking, minute taking and, diary management along with undertaking a Level 3 qualification in Business Administration. 

It is essential for candidates to have Qualifications of 5 GCSE grades Level 4/C and above or equivalent with an admin qualification or experience as desirable. All applications should also demonstrate experience in customer service.

Location

As this is a specialist role, it will be based and operate out of UKHSA Porton Down in Salisbury.

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

Job description

The Research department, based at UKHSA Porton - Salisbury, is the UK’s largest capability for the handling of dangerous human pathogens and animal modelling of infectious diseases. The capability is used to understand pathogenesis and undertake pre-clinical development and assessment of new vaccines and therapeutics.

The capability is also used to undertake studies in microbiological aerobiology, decontamination, and detection, and to develop diagnostic assays for clinical use. Studies are focused on high priority activities including  Ebola, Zika, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Q Fever, Anthrax, Melioidosis, Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease, Tuberculosis, Monkeypox, Influenza, Pertussis, Meningococcal disease, Group B Streptococcal disease, Legionnaires Disease, Healthcare Acquired Infections, Anti-Microbial Resistance, etc

This role is part of the Diagnostics and Pathogen Characterisation and Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre Administration Team, that reports into the Operations Team who support in the delivery of scientific strategy.

The main duties of this role are to support the Business Support Manager – Admin Lead in the delivery of the administrative service to the Department, to include:

• To learn the admin supporting duties to include minute taking, meeting preparation, diary management and the preparation of official documents.
• To contribute to office cover during absence of other administrative team members, where appropriate to the post holder’s grade.
• To undertake general office duties as necessary, i.e., photocopying, faxing, post, hospitality duties. Arrange travel and hotel bookings in line with UKHSA policies and procedures
• Communicate with colleagues across department and UKHSA.

The job holder will also be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

Administrative Tasks

• Provide a professional front of house reception and hospitality service for the department which may involve meeting and greeting visitors to the building/site
• Provide flexible departmental support in-line with emerging priorities/challenges and during periods of capacity pressure. This will include a reciprocal arrangement to contribute to office cover during absence of other administrative team members, where appropriate to the post holder’s grade. In addition, staff will become familiar with the other duties of the team administrators in order to facilitate business continuity during times of crises or other pressures
• To undertake general office duties as necessary, i.e., photocopying, faxing, post, hospitality duties. Arrange travel and hotel bookings in line with UKHSA policies and procedures
• Assist with the dissemination and/or collation of information/returns for business
• Learn admin supporting duties to departmental meetings, such as minute taking, agenda preparation, collating meeting papers
• Multi-diary management for staff within the department management in a timely manner
• Undertake the typing of correspondence, reports, documents, audio manuscript or draft responses as required
• Liaise with multi-disciplinary colleagues across UKHSA

Health and Safety

• To understand individual responsibility and contribution to health and safety and human resources procedures and adhere to agreed policies
• Contribute to health and safety procedures and undertake tasks as necessary

Information Management

• Contribute to office systems and the overall efficiency of the centre, e.g., maintaining contact databases. post, filing, and archiving duties
• To develop and maintain efficient filing systems (paper format and electronic), including contributing to efficient maintenance of electronic data files on the shared drives
• Adhere to office security systems
• Update appropriate departmental databases, including absence tracker

Financial Tasks

• Administer basic financial transactions on UKHSA systems. For example, place orders and receipt goods/ services on the MaPS financial system

Emergency Response

• Contributing to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies (as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations) as required and in line with the post holder’s grade

Other

• The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role.
• You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager
• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the centre and UKHSA
• It should be noted that some work of the centre is of a confidential nature and must not be communicated to other persons except where required for authorised purposes

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description) and the following criteria below:

The behaviours are:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service – Lead Criteria at sifting
• Delivering at pace
• Leadership

The Technical’s are:

• Relevant Experience
• Communicating and Influencing
• Tackling new tasks

Essential criteria

• Good standard of education, minimum of four GCSEs (A-C) or equivalent demonstrable experience in a relevant role
• Good knowledge and application of literacy and numeracy skills
• Knowledge and understanding of good customer care
• Excellent communication skills and ability to record accurate messages
• Flexible approach to role, commitment, and ability to learn new skills
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable criteria

• General administrative experience
• Experience in using Microsoft Office software e.g., Word, Excel and Outlook
• Experience of database entry work
• Experience of delivering good quality telephone skills
• Excellent keyboard skills, ability to input data accurately and good attention to detail
• Experience of working as part of a team
• Used to working in a busy environment

Benefits

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

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

• 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. You will be assessed on the above listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

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

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.  

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

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

Please do not exceed 500 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

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. 

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at pace
• Leadership

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 9th July 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.

Interviews: w/c TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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

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&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/

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. 

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.