Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Business Support Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Financial Services |
Service |
Finance |
Business unit |
Commercial Services |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Strategic Contract Lead – Place & Subsidiaries |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Strategic Contract Lead – Place & Subsidiaries |
Salary grade |
D |
JE ref |
FIN44 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To provide efficient and effective administrative support across the procurement, contract management and development functions of the Commercial Services team.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- The provision of effective and timely support across the Commercial Services Team to enable the service to:
- deliver a proactive, creative, adaptable, effective and compliant approach to commercial activity and the methodologies adopted, that reduces risk, maximises budgets and supports Council priorities and objectives;
- develop relationships, learning, evidence and expertise supporting innovation, creativity and improvement in commercial practice across the Council, its wholly owned companies and in joint working arrangements;
- ensure the Council and its wholly owned companies are compliant with the regulatory framework for public sector contracting, including the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), Public Contracts Regulations, Transparency Code, Freedom of Information Act, Social Value Act, TUPE, Best Value Duty and Local Authority Equality Duty;
- develop, update and embed processes and systems across the Council and its wholly owned companies to ensure a consistent and compliant approach to commercial activity;
- deliver best value and budget maximisation through the provision of informed, effective and consistent commercial advice and support;
- deliver an efficient, effective and consistent approach across the Council and its wholly owned companies to supplier engagement and relationship management drives efficiencies and supports continuous improvement in delivery and the supply chain;
- provide local suppliers and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations with the skills to effectively compete for Council business.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults at all times.
- Responsible for organising a wide range of supplier engagement activities and supplier events.
- To arrange and orgnaise tender evaluation and moderation panels, including engagement with external partners and people who use Council services.
- Responsible for collating meeting and presentation materials using MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- To provide administrative support for meetings and groups, including tender evaluation and moderation panels, accurately recording and disseminating relevant information.
- Responsible for the accurate and timely entry of data onto Council commercial systems, such as Contracts Register, Waiver Log, Procurement Pipeline, Social Value Portal and Contract Risk Register and social value calculators.
- Responsible for processing waiver requests and monitoring approvals to ensure the process is completed in a timely manner.
- To manage and monitor the Commercial Services team email in box, ensuring enquiries are directed appropriately and in a timely manner.
- To process orders for the Commercial Services team on the finance system.
- Responsible for processing new supplier requests, including identifying the correct route to market has been used and notifying the Data and Compliance Officer of any non-compliances.
- To provice necessary data and information from Council systems as required by the team.
- Responsible for updating intranet and web pages, Teams and SharePoint, as directed by the team.
- Responsible for updating the Council’s commercial e-learning modules, as directed by the team.
- To administer P-Card transactions as directed by the service’s managers.
- Responsible for providing administrative support across programme and project activities.
- To undertake general office duties and assisting with any other tasks and duties commensurate with the post as may be required from time to time.
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- P-Card authorisation.
- Use of the Council Financial Information System (FIMS) to enable the raising of orders and invoices as directed.
- To obtain general financial information for team members as requested.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal working conditions and environment.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External
- Other local authorities and public bodies, including but not limited to members such as South West Procurement Board and Devon & Cornwall Procurement Partnership, Devon Integrated Care Board, Children’s Services Peninsula Commissioning Group, Torbay schools and academies.
- Council’s key strategic partners and wholly owned companies, including but not limited to Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, SWISCo, TDA group, Torbay Education Ltd.
- Prospective and current contracted suppliers.
- Public Buying Organisations and Framework Management Organisations.
- Local business forums, including Federation of Small Business, Chamber of Commerce and Torbay Business Forum.
- Voluntary and community sector organisations and Torbay Community Development Trust.
- Internal
- Senior Leadership Team, staff at all levels across the Council, the Leader, Finance Portfolio Holder, Cabinet and all other Members, through formal and informal governance routes.
- Individual programme and project boards.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- This post is based at Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
- The post is eligible for permanent home working or hybrid working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
- You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
- If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Business Support Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Financial Services |
Service |
Finance |
Business unit |
Commercial Services |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- The ICT literacy and skills necessary to produce a range of reports, spreadsheets, performance monitoring and presentations, to standard capable of being presented to others. Including reporting on non-compliance with contracts procedures, reporting on waiver and contracts register entry activity, analysis of supplier and directorate spend, compilation of tender evaluation / moderation data, presentations for training activities and bidder events, contract compliance, supplier KPIs, decarbonisation and social value outcomes.
- Ability to use Microsoft Office Outlook to manage calendars and emails.
- The ICT skills necessary to facilitate the competent use of of electronic tendering systems, client lifecycle management systems and financial systems.
- High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to organise and accurately record meetings.
- Ability to use internet browsers and undertake internet research.
- Ability to set up and manage computer files and folders.
- Ability to carry out general administrative tasks, including data entry.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills across all tiers of the Council, its wholly owned companies and external organisations.
- Ability to meet deadlines, work with competing demands and determine priorities, including multiple projects and programmes at any one time.
- Ability to deal with confidential information, including commercially sensitive data, in an appropriate manner.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team member.
- Ability to work to the Council’s core values of being forward thinking, people oriented and adaptable, always with integrity.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Knowledge and understanding required to effectively use Microsoft Office applications, including Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- Knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures.
- Basic understanding of the principles of procurement and/or contract management.
- Knowledge and understanding of data protection and Freedom of Information.
- Understanding of financial systems.
Desirable knowledge
- Knowledge of Council based systems / organisation.
- Knowledge of Council Financial Regulations and Contract Procedures.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Experience of producing reports, letters, spreadsheets, presentations and other electronic documents.
- Experience of organising meetings and events.
- Working on own initiative and within a team.
- Experience of providing support across a multi-functional team.
- Experience of working effectively with internal departments and external organisations.
- Experience dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
- Experience of working in an office environment using a range of administration procedures.
- Experience of responding effectively to changing needs and priorities.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Experience of an administrative role in a procurement, contract management or public sector environment.
- Experience of using POP/PL modules / finance systems.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- GCSE / NVQ Level 2 or equivalent or experience commensurate with the requirements of the post.
- IT qualification at Level 3 or Microsoft Office Specialist or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
N/A
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling).
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.