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Business Support Manager

UK Health Security Agency
Bristol, VA Contractor
POSTED ON 9/24/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/24/2025
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Bristol office, 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EH. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using 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).

Job Summary

The South West team sits in the Regions directorate of the Chief Medical Advisor Group. Based out of our Bristol office, the post holder will be expected to lead and support the function in a business management role, overseeing the implementation and management of relevant systems and processes. The post holder may work with colleagues who are based across the country at different sites and/or who work remotely.

The post holder will provide business continuity cover for the Acute Response centre & oversee this function for a set amount of time across a monthly rota.

They will provide an on site presence as the office manager ensuring processes around site safety and security are adhered to.

The Main Pillars/aspects Of This Role Are

  • Operational Support
  • Project Support
  • Financial and Resource Management
  • Leadership and Management
  • Quality and Governance
  • Communication and Key Working Relationships

Please see the Job Description section below for full detail.

Working for your organisation

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.  

Job Description

Operational Support

  • Provide operational support to a range of corporate functions which may include finance, accommodation, HR, governance, business continuity, risk management, staff engagement and internal communications.
  • Identify opportunities to make improvements to business processes within individual functions and across the Directorate.
  • Deputise (if applicable) to cover absence and holidays
  • Support the Directorate to deliver on the business plan and key priorities in a timely and responsive fashion

Project Support

  • Support corporate projects and service reviews, identifying requirements and providing options to improve ways of working across the Directorate
  • Undertake project support when there isn’t a dedicated project officer, responding to information requests and other tasks which will involve meeting tight deadlines
  • Assist and work closely with members of the relevant project teams, providing information (including statistical information) to the project lead, planning, and managing elements of projects as directed by the relevant lead for business services or project manager
  • In the absence of a project officer maintain project plans, supporting the provision of management information and participating in working groups

Financial and Resource Management

  • Support the effective management of finance for the team, Directorate, including:
  • Follow UKHSA financial governance processes and support colleagues and budget holders to engage with national and local finance processes as needed
  • Ensure effective monitoring of project budget expenditure
  • Provide reports for the management team as required
  • Undertake procurement of services, supplies and equipment as directed and in line with corporate policy
  • Respond to the requirements of internal and external audit as directed

Leadership and Management

  • Be a visible, positive and a competent role model and motivator; and contribute to the induction of staff
  • Problem solve, make decisions and accept responsibility for own actions
  • Support managers to set and monitor team professional standards, including: supporting the coordination of training, development and recruitment activity across the team, and Directorate development and planning around the staff survey for the Directorate; delivery of the annual appraisal system and compliance with statutory and mandatory regulations
  • Effective line management (if applicable) of administrative staff and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the Directorate’s needs. Line management will include: undertaking appraisals; ensuring direct reports can achieve their objectives and have access to appropriate training; recruitment; induction; and progressing any disciplinary or capability issues

Quality and Governance

  • Provide support to ensure adherence to governance and quality policies and procedures within the team/Directorate which may include:
  • Contributing to the development and monitoring of the Directorate business plan, with responsibility for delivering activities within area of responsibility
  • Contributing to the development, testing and exercising of a Directorate business continuity plan
  • Producing written guidance and standard operating procedures for administrative procedures and protocols
  • Contributing to the Directorate governance agenda and working groups
  • Adopt and role model a culture of continuous improvement

Communication and Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, including clinical and non-clinical, scientists, academics from Directorates and corporate staff e.g., HR and Payroll. This may include communicating verbally face to face, by email, phone or in writing and may also involve external stakeholders and members of the public as well as other public health organisations e.g., NHS and other Civil Service departments e.g., the Cabinet Office.

Operational Support

  • Provide operational support to a range of corporate functions which may include finance, accommodation, HR, governance, business continuity, risk management, staff engagement and internal communications.
  • Identify opportunities to make improvements to business processes within individual functions and across the Directorate.
  • Deputise (if applicable) to cover absence and holidays
  • Support the Directorate to deliver on the business plan and key priorities in a timely and responsive fashion

Project Support

  • Support corporate projects and service reviews, identifying requirements and providing options to improve ways of working across the Directorate
  • Undertake project support when there isn’t a dedicated project officer, responding to information requests and other tasks which will involve meeting tight deadlines
  • Assist and work closely with members of the relevant project teams, providing information (including statistical information) to the project lead, planning, and managing elements of projects as directed by the relevant lead for business services or project manager
  • In the absence of a project officer maintain project plans, supporting the provision of management information and participating in working groups

Financial and Resource Management

  • Support the effective management of finance for the team, Directorate, including:
  • Follow UKHSA financial governance processes and support colleagues and budget holders to engage with national and local finance processes as needed
  • Ensure effective monitoring of project budget expenditure
  • Provide reports for the management team as required
  • Undertake procurement of services, supplies and equipment as directed and in line with corporate policy
  • Respond to the requirements of internal and external audit as directed

Leadership and Management

  • Be a visible, positive and a competent role model and motivator; and contribute to the induction of staff
  • Problem solve, make decisions and accept responsibility for own actions
  • Support managers to set and monitor team professional standards, including: supporting the coordination of training, development and recruitment activity across the team, and Directorate development and planning around the staff survey for the Directorate; delivery of the annual appraisal system and compliance with statutory and mandatory regulations
  • Effective line management (if applicable) of administrative staff and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the Directorate’s needs. Line management will include: undertaking appraisals; ensuring direct reports can achieve their objectives and have access to appropriate training; recruitment; induction; and progressing any disciplinary or capability issues

Quality and Governance

  • Provide support to ensure adherence to governance and quality policies and procedures within the team/Directorate which may include:
  • Contributing to the development and monitoring of the Directorate business plan, with responsibility for delivering activities within area of responsibility
  • Contributing to the development, testing and exercising of a Directorate business continuity plan
  • Producing written guidance and standard operating procedures for administrative procedures and protocols
  • Contributing to the Directorate governance agenda and working groups
  • Adopt and role model a culture of continuous improvement

Communication and Key Working Relationships

The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, including clinical and non-clinical, scientists, academics from Directorates and corporate staff e.g., HR and Payroll. This may include communicating verbally face to face, by email, phone or in writing and may also involve external stakeholders and members of the public as well as other public health organisations e.g., NHS and other Civil Service departments e.g., the Cabinet Office.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

  • Educated to degree level/NVQ 6 in Business and/or Administration or equivalent experience working in a business management or administrative management sector.
  • Experience of writing and preparing reports for senior colleagues and / or meetings
  • Experience or understanding of budget management, business planning and business continuity processes
  • Experienced of use of systems to order goods and services and an understanding of relevant policies and procedures
  • Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
  • Ability to organise one’s own work and that of the team
  • Ability to lead a team and effectively manage team dynamics to drive forward a shared goal
  • Experienced in IT skills, advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams
  • You take a positive approach to tackling problems and find ways to identify suitable solutions
  • Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources. Use technology where possible to increase efficiency
  • Reflect on own work, continuously seek, and act on feedback to improve own and team’s performance
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience of project management
  • Understanding of project principles, techniques, and tools

Alongside your salary of £31,997, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,269 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

  • 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Required

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed against the 12 essential criteria listed in the job advert, this will be in the form of an:

  • Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
  • Supporting Statement up to 1000 words

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

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible)

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 .

Longlisting

In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets some essential criteria
  • Meets no essential criteria

Those that ‘meet all essential criteria’ will be progressed to shortlisting.

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Shortlisting

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:

  • Experience or understanding of budget management, business planning and business continuity processes

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

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

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles

You will be invited to a face-to-face interview in our Bristol office. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours Being Assessed During The Interview Stage Are

  • Making effective decisions (Lead behaviour)
  • Working together
  • Changing and improving

Interviews will be held week commencing 22nd September, please note these dates are subject to change.

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).  

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Bristol office, 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EH. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using 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).

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Link Below

Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

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.

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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

  • Name : Carmelita Goodwin
  • Email : carmelita.goodwin@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

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: Complaints@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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Salary : $31,997

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