About the job

Job summary

The Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge current provides services to Addenbrooke’s, Royal Papworth, and the E&N Herts Hospitals, the surrounding district, and other NHS Laboratories. It has active research and epidemiological interests. The laboratory undergoes assessment against UKAS ISO 15189 standards, and has strong teaching interests. Set on the outskirts of the university city of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the UK and a thriving NHS Foundation Trust. Addenbrooke’s is closely associated with leading educational providers including the University of Cambridge and is a major centre for biomedical research and education.

The post holder will provide day-to-day administrative and/or dedicated PA support to the Directorate or senior management team.  They will maintain effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external to the organisation. 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

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

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to teams across the Directorate
• Lead and act as a central coordinating point of contact for a range of business administration activities. This will include delegated lead responsibility for certain corporate function processes. For example, compiling and updating health and safety risk assessments or reporting of sickness absence and preparing and submitting returns on behalf of the team as required.
• Communicate and engage effectively with a range of people, including internal and external staff and stakeholders. This will include dealing with stakeholder enquiries promptly and courteously by email, telephone, letter or in person, referring to the relevant lead where appropriate.
• Responsible for the organisation of meetings and events and production of reports, papers, minutes and updating action logs as required. This will include providing secretariat support to teams and other internal meetings and networks as required.
• Support the development of systems and procedures where necessary to ensure efficiency, quality and cost effectiveness across the business support and administration function.
• Participate in relevant internal working groups/projects, services and initiatives across the organisation representing the Team, Directorate or Centre
• Carry out timely and accurate information analysis and reporting on agreed areas of their working area and present findings in an agreed manner. This will include developing and maintaining databases as required by the job using a variety of digital and IT applications.
• Contribute to effective information management (including maintaining administrative and information resources, i.e. filing systems) and assist with the dissemination and/or collation of information/returns, in a timely manner.
• 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.
• You would be required to co-ordinate local documentation for new starters e.g. IT set up, plus general administrative support.
• The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly either by phone, email or face to face with a wide range of individuals including clinical and non-clinical staff, scientists, support staff, managers and corporate team staff for example, HR or Payroll.

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.

Person specification

We are looking for an exceptional Business Support Officer:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• 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
• Understand that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing, and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information
• Experience of organising meetings and producing supporting paperwork, including agendas, and taking minutes/action notes.
• Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload

• Ability to use finance systems and support financial analysis for reports

• Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales

• Line management skills
• Educated to degree level/NVQ level 6 in relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification and/or equivalent experience (C/A)

• IT skills and advanced Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel,
• Ability to use digital tools e.g. JIRA (A)

• You work well as part of a team and strive to ensure the team pulls together and is effective.

• You are inquisitive, you seek out new information and look for new ways to develop yourself.

Desirable

• Experience working in a public-sector organisation

• Follow relevant policies, procedures, and legislation to complete your work.

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%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. 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.

Please ensure that your statement of suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document and is uploaded in MS Word format. 

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

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

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. 

Please be aware that there may be a test within your interview, or you may be asked to prepare to deliver a presentation.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 2nd January 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: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.