About the job

Job summary

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.

The Food, Water and Environmental (FW&E) Microbiology Laboratories are specialist microbiology laboratories within the UKHSA. Based in 3 sites across the country, the laboratories are geographically well placed to work with local authorities in order to protect the public from health threats posed by contaminated food, water and the environment. The London FW&E Laboratory provides a microbiology testing and advisory service to Local Authorities, Port Health Authorities, hospitals and commercial clients in London. The laboratory accredited to ISO 17025 and is recognised as an Official Food Control Laboratory for the microbiological examination of food and foodstuffs within the EU.

Job description

Main duties of the job

To provide efficient and effective clerical and administrative support to the laboratory. Undertake administrative, financial, and human resource related tasks under the direction of the Laboratory Administrator

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

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.

Internal

• Laboratory Management Team
• Laboratory Administrative Team
• Laboratory staff across the FW&E Microbiology Service
• Other laboratory staff throughout UKHSA

External

• Local and Port Health Authorities
• Commercial Customers
• Professional Contacts, including UKAS
• Hospitals
• Members of the Public

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Service Delivery

• To provide a complete administrative and secretarial support function to the laboratory, on a day to day basis performing duties such as the typing of letters, reports and papers for publication and the preparation of audio-visual aides, using the appropriate computer package.  Organise local meetings involving room booking and informing attendees of meeting arrangements.

• Receive orders from the laboratory and process on Money and People Services (MAPS) which is the UKHSA finance, purchasing, HR and payroll system, this will often involve phoning suppliers and obtaining up to date prices and product details. The post-holder will also enter goods received notes on to the system and maintain a file of all orders which will be updated daily.  Place and follow up urgent orders by telephone as required.
• Support the data entry staff by entering and interpreting information on the laboratory computer systems including the use of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for FW&E samples.
• Liaise with customers and colleagues both by telephone and e-mail systems where appropriate regarding the provision of information from laboratory systems, including supporting the Laboratory Manager in the provision of contract and financial information.
• To take, and where appropriate, deal with, enquiries to the laboratory regarding our activities.
• Assist in general administrative duties including post, photocopying and maintaining filing systems, including both manual and electronic files.
• To participate in the supervision and training of other staff, in particularly regarding data entry activities
• To assist in the updating and writing of Standard Operating Procedures for administrative functions.

1. General

• Be adaptable to change and to work flexibly, maintaining appropriate levels of training as necessary.
• Maintain effective communication with line managers and to ensure that where problems occur, they are highlighted with the Laboratory Manager and are documented using appropriate laboratory policy.
• Demonstrate a positive attitude to the laboratory and other members of the team.
• To perform any other duties, commensurate with grade, as requested by the Line Manager.
• Organise and review Transport collections for our customers

        3. Customer Relationships

• Respond to requests and communicate accurately, information and results to other laboratory staff, as required.
• Refer queries to other, more senior staff, as appropriate.

1. Financial Management

• To assist the laboratory administrator in the invoicing of all laboratory customers and settlement of any associated queries.

1. Quality Systems Management

• Participate in activities necessary for the maintenance and development of the Quality System in accordance with UKAS requirements.
• Support the laboratory’s accreditation to ISO 17025 and ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards.

1. Asset Management

• Assist in the maintenance of equipment in the administration area in order to ensure efficient and safe operation.
• Assist in the maintenance of stocks of stationery, ensuring that stocks are received, stored and used appropriately.

1. Strategy, Policy and Service Development

• To support the implementation of new methods and technologies into the laboratory, in order to maximize quality and efficiency of testing
• Support appropriate income generation activities for the laboratory, in accordance with the National FW&E objectives, in conjunction with the Laboratory Management Team.

1. IT Infrastructure

• To be competent in the use of the laboratory’s IT systems and for the basic inputting of data into the system.

1. Security / Health & Safety

• To ensure confidentiality and conformity to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles and the Laboratory Information Systems and Technology Security policy.
• To ensure that health and safety are afforded priority and to demonstrate commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors.
• To ensure attendance of self and managed staff on safety training courses as required in the UKHSA Health and Safety Training Policy and other safety policies as appropriate.
• To agree to implement safety objectives.
• To ensure that a Laboratory/Office Safety Code of Conduct is implemented.
• To ensure that risk assessments are implemented and maintained.
• To report risks that cannot be controlled to the Laboratory Manager
• To notify accidents, near misses, dangerous situations and shortcomings in health and safety via the appropriate management structure

Your attention is drawn to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which requires you to take reasonable care of the health and safety of yourself and others which may be affected by your acts and omissions at work; and co-operate with the UKHSA on matters of health and safety.

1. Other Duties

• To participate in training and development activities, as required.
• To develop professional expertise by undertaking further appropriate training as required.
• To perform other duties as directed by the Laboratory Manager, Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Service within the framework of the job summary.
• Be prepared to work flexibly across the entire FW&E Microbiology Service as required, maintaining appropriate levels of training as necessary.

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 the directorate.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organization.

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.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications:

Good standard of general education e.g. GCSE level including English language

(Desirable: Basic secretarial training RSA 3 ECDL)

Knowledge and experience

Experience of working as part of a team

IT literate with some experience of data entry

Experience of working with integrated software packages, including Windows, MS Office, Email, and internet

Maintain adequate levels of confidentiality

(Desirable: Previously worked in a busy office environment for a   minimum of 2 years. Previous experience of working within the NHS or public health including Medical/microbiological data entry)

Skills / capabilities and behaviours

To be able to work in an organised and flexible manner, with the ability to cross over to other office roles when necessary

Ability to prioritize own workload effectively

Communicate clearly both orally and in writing with a wide range of people of differing levels within the organisation

Word process and data input both precisely and quickly in a variety of formats

Demonstrate a high level of motivation and commitment to high standards

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,392, UK Health Security Agency contributes £7,125 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

Selection Process:  

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours/Strengths

Stage 1: Application & Sift  
 

Success profiles 
 You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of   

• a CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
• a 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 and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.

Stage 2: Interview  

You will be invited to a face to face interview 

Behaviours and strengths will be tested at interview. 

There will be a  Short 15min Assessment/Test related daily elements of job role

 The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be 

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace

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

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).   

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  

Face to Face interviews 

If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview   

 

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.