Business Support Officer

PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT

The post is permanent.

SALARY

Salary will be in the range £27,897 - £28,483 per annum. Starting salary will be the minimum of the scale and pay progression will be as per current NICS pay policy.

ANNUAL LEAVE AND PRIVILEGE HOLIDAYS

In addition to public and privilege holidays, currently 12 days, the annual leave allowance will be 25 days, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.

VETTING

The successful candidate will be required to satisfy pre-employment checks undertaken by AccessNI in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007 (as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012).

WORKING PATTERN

The role is full-time, 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

LOCATION

The office of the post holder will be located at 1st Floor Seatem House, 28-32 Alfred Street, Belfast, BT2 8EN. The organisation operates a hybrid working policy, which stipulates a minimum of 2 days per week based in the office.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE Key elements of the role of the Business Support Officer include:

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) SUPPORT • Provide an administrative support function for the CEO. • Produce letters, reports and papers to a high standard for consideration by the CEO using notes, independent research and own initiative. • Diary management - planning and organising meetings on behalf of the CEO. • Act as liaison between internal and external contacts of the organisation. • Ensure systems and procedures are in place to ensure the smooth running of the CEO office function.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND BOARD SUPPORT • Provide administrative and business support for the VSS Senior Management Team. • Provide administrative support to the VSS Board when required. • Draft, edit and format a range of corporate documents using various software and systems.

FACILITATING MEETINGS • Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to arrange and facilitate meetings. • Coordinate the collation, quality review and issue of papers for participants in advance of meetings, including Management, Board, Committee, and Accountability meetings. • Record and circulate minutes of meetings as required. • Coordinate staff events, including quarterly staff planning days, ensuring seamless execution.

• Financial management of corporate credit card and staff meetings/events, ensuring compliance with public procurements guidelines and delivering value for money.

CORRESPONDENCE • Manage and maintain correspondence for the CEO office. • Respond to external and internal written and oral enquiries in a professional manner, exercising judgement when taking messages, referring calls and answering routine queries as required. • Manage and maintain electronic and manual filing systems conducting regular reviews to ensure information is stored accurately, confidentially and responsibly.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, PERFORMANCE AND PROFESSIONALISM • Endeavour to ensure the ongoing confidence of VSS stakeholders, maintaining high standards of personal accountability. • Develop interpersonal skills required to facilitate liaison with practitioners and management within the VSS funded organisations. • Foster a positive and respectful work environment, promoting collaboration, teamwork and open communication. • Adhere to company policies, procedures and professional standards while representing the organisation both internally and externally. The foregoing is a broad range of duties and is not intended to be a complete description of all tasks. It is important to note that additional duties appropriate to the grade may be allocated and the responsibilities may change to meet the evolving needs of the Victims and Survivors Service.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA Applicants should be aware that after an eligibility sift, should it be necessary to shortlist candidates to go forward to interview, this will be done by carrying out an objective evaluation of the information provided by candidates against the eligibility criteria, so that only those candidates who best demonstrate they meet the criteria, will be invited to interview. If an applicant does not provide sufficient detail against each individual criterion, including the details of experience and appropriate dates required to meet the eligibility criteria, the selection panel will reject the application. By the closing date for applications, candidates must demonstrate that they fulfil each of the following essential criteria: • A minimum of 5 GCSEs grade A-C (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics. • At least two year’s experience of working in an administrative role, providing support directly to senior management. • Experience of facilitating meetings to include preparation and circulation of papers. • Experience of minute taking and following up on action points. • Experience in the use of MS Office package including Word, Excel and Outlook.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA: • Experience of drafting and reviewing communications & reports to a high standard on behalf of others. ROLE COMPETENCIES 1. Making Effective Decisions Effectiveness in this area is about being objective, using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice. For all staff, it means showing clarity of thought, setting priorities, analysing and using evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned, justifiable decisions. 2. Seeing the Big Picture

Seeing the big picture is about having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with, and supports, organisational objectives and the wider public needs. For all staff, it is about focusing your contribution on the activities which will meet Departmental and Programme for Government goals and deliver the greatest value. 3. Delivering at Pace Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. For all staff, it is about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. 4. Delivering Value for Money Delivering value for money involves the efficient, effective and economic use of taxpayers’ money in the delivery of public services. In this role, it means seeking out and implementing solutions which achieve a good mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay, thus reducing the risk of fraud and error. You will base your decisions on evidenced information and follow agreed processes and policies, challenging these appropriately where they appear to prevent good value for money. 5. Managing a Quality Service Effectiveness in this area is about being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements. People who are effective plan, organise and manage their time and activities to deliver a high quality and efficient service, applying programme and project management approaches appropriately and effectively to support service delivery. 6. Leading and Communicating Effectiveness in this area is about leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm. It is about supporting principles of fairness of opportunity for all and a dedication to a diverse range of individuals. In this role, it is about establishing a strong direction and a persuasive future vision, managing and engaging with people with honesty and integrity, and upholding the reputation of the VSS. VALUES The Victims and Survivors Service aims to recruit staff not only with the right skills, experience and competencies but also with the right values to ensure the delivery of excellent support and services for victims and survivors.

Staff will be expected to promote and adhere to the values of VSS at work by being:- • Trauma-Informed • Compassionate • Connected • Trusted