Business Assistant - Wallingford, United Kingdom - British Geological Survey

British Geological Survey

Verified Company

Wallingford, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

BUSINESS ASSISTANT
UKRI - NERC - BGS

This role is based at the BGS offices in Wallingford in Oxfordshire

UKRI - Band B - salary range is £20,129 to £21,879 pro rata (depending on qualifications and experience)

A great benefits package is also offered, including an outstanding pension scheme, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and access to flexi-time

Part-time hours a week (the Wallingford site is open business hours Monday-Friday, so a working pattern covering four or more working days per week, with flexibility over hours worked, would be preferable)

Permanent

About the role

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is looking for a highly motivated and professional Business Assistant to join the Environmental Change, Adaptation and Resilience (ECAR) science Challenge Area at our offices in Wallingford.

The Business Assistant will be working with and supporting a group of around 20 friendly and very welcoming scientists and you will also provide comprehensive administrative support to the BGS Wallingford Head of Station and the BGS Head of Groundwater (whois based in our offices in Edinburgh), enabling them both to carry out their roles as effectively as possible.

This exciting role involves undertaking a wide variety of administrative tasks, including the use of a range of software packages and IT systems, working flexibly to facilitate the projects, events, meetings, and other priorities of the ECAR challenge area.

Working independently on day-to-day tasks, you will also support and be supported by a small team of Business Assistants covering the other BGS business/science areas and this is overseen by a Business Assistant Group Facilitator.

The key duties and responsibilitiesfor this role will include:

Diary Management using Microsoft Outlook effectively, including booking/cancelling/rearranging appointments as necessary.
Arranging travel and accommodation (both in the UK and internationally) and providing itinerary packs and supporting travel and subsistence expenses claims as required.
Coordinating internal and external events/meetings, including booking venues and catering, producing agendas, prompting follow up on actions, providing reception duties and collecting visitors where necessary.
Taking minutes and action points at meetings when required.
Email management and monitoring.
Production and formatting of documents (e.g. letters, project reports, spreadsheets).
Ordering goods e.g. stationery, equipment, PPE stock, and printer supplies.
Arranging for items/goods to be couriered.
Raising of purchase orders and general finance management, in line with procurement rules/limits also, monitoring and payment of invoices using the Oracle eBusiness Suite.
Assist project managers with preparation of materials for contracts and bids.
Provide support to the hydrogeological enquiries team during occasional busy times, when there are significant increases in requests for information from the media and public.
Other general administrative duties e.g. supporting/covering for other Business Assistants, completing a weekly Wallingford office register and various record keeping activities.

About you

You will be educated to at least GCSE (or equivalent) standard and/or have relevant comparable work experience, providing high-quality support in an administrative or secretarial role.

A qualification in customer service and/or business administration (e.g.
NVQ level 2 or 3 in business administration) would be highly desirable.

Please also refer to the specific essential and desirable skills criteria for this post.

About us

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that belongs to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

It is a world leading geological survey whose core missionis to advise government of science related to the subsurface and to undertake applied research to solve earth and environmental issues, both in the UK and globally.

It is funded directly by UKRI, as well as through research grants and private sector contracts.

BGS has an annual budget of approximately £60 million and employs 650 people.

It has two main sites:

a head office in Keyworth near Nottingham, and the Lyell Centre, which is a collaboration with Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh.

BGS also has officeswithin the headquarters of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, where the position advertised here is based.

BGS works with more than 150 private sector organisations, has close links with 40 universities,and sponsors approximately 100 PhD students each year.

We strive to promote equality and diversity across our organisation in order to continuously improve our scientific and organisational efficiency.

As such, we aim to have a workforce with employees from all backgrounds with people who are passionate aboutearth science and who share our dedication to work for the good of the environment and the benefit of society.

How to apply

Applicants are required to include a cover letter outlining their suitability for this role. We would stress the importance of this paperwork in our selection process.