Administration Officers Milton Keynes, England
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Location
About the job
Job summary
We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK's security, defend our values, reduce poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.
Job description
Main Purpose of Job
We are looking to recruit talented and enthusiastic individuals to join the FCDO at AO level. Successful candidates will have good organisational skills, take responsibility for their own work and be committed to high standards of customer service. You will have strong literacy and numeracy skills, experience and confidence in the use of Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Teams and Word) and Windows 10.
The positions are Home Civil Service roles based at Hanslope Park, providing administrative support and corporate services to the FCDO in the UK and overseas. The roles cover Finance Operations and Public Facing Services. We are not recruiting for a specific departmental vacancy and you will be placed into a role based on business need.
Roles and Responsibilities
Administrative Officers provide professional office administration and support on transactions processing, projects, budgets, customer service functions and internal and external communications. All roles are customer-oriented. These tasks, essential to the ability of the FCDO to deliver its objectives, form the core of all AO job specifications.
FCDO Departments will configure the roles to meet specific business needs but they will typically include:
- Professional Office Administration/Support: Creating and maintaining electronic filing systems; databases and distribution lists; dealing with telephone and email enquiries; organising meetings/events and taking notes in meetings; maintaining stationery supplies; corporate roles such as fire warden or first aider, for which training will be provided.
Knowledge and information Management: maintaining excel spreadsheets, databases, records and desk notes.
Customer Services: Providing guidance to customers, dealing with them professionally and resolving queries within agreed timeframes.
Project Management Support: Monitoring progress against objectives; ensuring project remains on schedule; anticipating and managing risks; maintaining accurate records.
Budget Management: Budget monitoring, requisitioning and raising purchase orders; manipulation of data using spreadsheets; assisting with budget forecasting; understanding commercial and procurement policies.
Transactions and Receipts Processing: Checking invoices and identifying mismatches to ensure accuracy and efficiency; using different systems e.g. internet banking and Oracle to process payments promptly in compliance with procedures; reconciling and investigating payments; dealing with FCDO credit card issues and issuing invoices for services provided by the organisation.
Public Facing Services: Directly supporting British Nationals and others by quickly and accurately processing legalisation applications and managing customer expectations; process overseas birth and death registrations; processing taking of evidence overseas and service of process cases; or assessing academic technology approval applications for overseas students looking to study in the UK.
Person specification
It is essential in your application that you provide evidence and proven examples in each of the following Minimum Criteria, the Behaviours and the Technical question as far as you are able to do so. These responses will be further developed and discussed with those candidates invited for interview.
Minimum Criteria
- Strong literacy, numeracy and IT skills.
- Competent using IT packages including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel), Windows 10 and experience of mailbox management.
- Strong interpersonal, team-working and communication skills (oral and written).
- Good organisational, analytical and planning skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines.
- Ability to make effective decisions, identify problems and propose solutions to maintain a quality service.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will be asked motivation questions at interview.
Benefits
- A Civil Service Pension.
- 25 days Annual Leave per annum.
- 9 days Public and Privilege holidays per annum.
- Learning and Development tailored to your role.
See the attached candidate pack.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 08/05/2023. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Application Stage
You will be required to complete an online application form and submit a CV so we can assess your skills and experience.
The Behaviours we will assess at the application stage are as follows:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
It is essential that you provide evidence of the Minimum Criteria and the Behaviours detailed above in your application.
Interview Stage
The Behaviours we will assess at the interview stage are:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
At interview, we will ask Motivation, Behaviour and Experience questions.
Please note that the FCDO carries out name-blind (anonymised) recruitment to help build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. The personal information on your Application form and/or CV will be concealed during the sifting phase, and only the names of those who are being invited for Interviews will be made known to the Panel.
For indicative sift and interview dates please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack.
There may be other opportunities in the future. Candidates who meet the required level at interview, will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months. Should this, or another substantially similar role arise within this period, we may fill it with a reserve candidate from this campaign.
Please note that the FCDO will not reimburse any travel costs or expenses incurred as part of the selection process.
Current FCDO staff members are advised that this is an external campaign and, as such, you will be required to go through the same process as all other candidates.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss the role or the process further please email: [email protected]
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Further Information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Any move to FCDO 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
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Recruitment team :
Further information
