Business Support Officer

Job description

The Principal's Office (PO) and Strategy, Planning & Analytics (SPA) Directorate are looking for an experienced Business Support Officer. The Principal is the chief academic and administrative officer of the university. SPA supports transformation activity across the institution and is responsible for supporting the development and execution of strategy at King's, including Vision 2029; for orchestrating business planning processes; and for delivering business intelligence/analytics.

The Business Support Officer will provide high quality administrative support and delivery on a range of business functions ensuring consistency of process, quality and efficacy of service and excellent customer support. They will be responsible for supporting the operational aspects, including HR/recruitment, finance, health & safety and space management across the Principal's Office and SPA. They will provide high quality business support services, and management information systems, ensuring the availability of high quality and timely information on all the activities of the two offices. They will also support the servicing of senior management committees and provide administrative support to the wider teams within both offices.

We're looking for someone who has substantial experience as a business support officer at a senior level providing operational support in a busy office with competing demands. You will be motivated by the challenges and opportunities facing higher education, highly organised, and flexible in your approach. We are looking for someone who has proven skills in managing numerous tasks and prioritising workload with specific experience in budget, people and space management. Excellent communication and numeracy skills are essential as is an attention to detail. You will be a self-starter with a can-do attitude. Knowledge of Health and Safety issues and processes is desirable but not critical as training can be provided.

This full time post (35 hours per week) will be offered on an indefinite contract.

Key responsibilities
- To provide high-level administrative support to the Chief of Staff and Director of SPA and the wider Principal’s Office and SPA teams.
- To be an escalation point of contact for service users providing a fast and efficient service.
- To respond to both internal and external enquires received by the PO and SPA.
- To build relationships across King's to secure information and commission services as required.
- To continuously consider processes and procedures and identify service improvements and efficiencies.
- To be responsible for event, meeting and training organisation for both teams.
- To service senior management committees, other university wide boards as required, and SPA directorate meetings.
- To be responsible for the management of file storage and archiving in compliance with GDPR.
- To extract, analyse, transform, interpret, visualise and communicate data from university systems for people, space and finance in order to assist with decision-making.
- To work flexibly as part of a team, supporting colleagues and other functions in times of high-volume activity.
- To support comms and engagement including promotion within King's via newsletters, the website and intranet.
- As a member of the support team for the Principal’s Office, provide occasional support for annual leave and busy periods.

Finance
- To ensure compliance with King's Financial Procedures.
- To oversee a range of procurement activity in accordance with King's Financial Procedures.
- To act as a local expert to service users on financial processes.
- To coordinate budgets and expenditure, identify efficiencies and follow-up action.
- To oversee local financial audits and the correct allocation and management of budgets including regular reporting.
- To liaise with management accountants relating to auditing processes and budget management.
- To act as first point of contact for all human resources queries, and to advise colleagues on university policy in consultation with the Human Resources department.
- To support the extensive range of staff-related activity within the PO and SPA, always maintaining confidentiality and ensuring compliance with HR regulations and policies (such as managing recruitment processes, managing fixed-term contracts, contract changes, occupational health matters and absence management).
- To support recruitment, induction and exit processes for staff, including preparing of business cases, obtaining approvals, job packs, advertising, interviews and inductions such as organising access to relevant systems and advising on use of the building and office space.
- To ensure satisfactory conduct of the annual Personal Development Review and recognition pay processes.
- To maintain appropriate records, data and reports relating to HR and Finance including PDRs, recognition, staff training and development.

Resources and space
- To coordinate local space and infras