Job summary
- Main area
- Laboratory Administrator
- Grade
- Civil Service: Executive Officer (EO)
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 919-CG-301158-EXT
- Employer
- UK Health Security Agency
- Employer type
- Public (Non NHS)
- Site
- Scientific Campus
- Town
- Colindale
- Salary
- £32,624 - £37,737 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Laboratory Administrator
Civil Service: Executive Officer (EO)
Job overview
The Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology Services (FWEMS) Laboratories are specialist microbiology laboratories within the UKHSA. Based in 3 sites across the country, the laboratories are geographically well placed to work with local authorities to protect the public from health threats posed by contaminated food, water and the environment. The London FWEMS Laboratory provides a microbiology testing and advisory service to Local Authorities, Port Health Authorities, hospitals and commercial clients across London, Southeast England, and Midlands Regions. The laboratory is accredited to ISO 17025 and is recognised as an Official Laboratory for the microbiological examination of food and foodstuffs within the EU.
The post holder will:
• Assist in coordinating the provision of professional administrative services within the laboratory
• Provide a Personal Assistant service to the Laboratory Manager and Unit Head
• Be responsible for the supervision and training of administrative staff within the laboratory
• Work effectively with the Business Support Manager, ensuring Business plans and services are implemented
• Act as a point of contact for Local and Port Health Authority, NHS and commercial customers
• Be responsible for ensuring invoices are raised for income generation activities
• Maintain regular communication with the laboratory’s courier contractor to ensure prompt collection of samples from customers as required
Main duties of the job
Service Delivery
- Provide a Personal Assistant service to the Laboratory Manager and Unit Head, including word processing and organisation of diaries.
- Assist the Laboratory Management Team and to organise the meeting schedule, prepare agendas and relevant papers and produce minutes and action points for the meetings.
- Be responsible for maintaining records of sickness absence and annual leave on all laboratory staff and to provide data on request.
- Assist in the production of correspondence, reports and scientific publications when necessary.
Financial Management
- Assist the Laboratory Manager in monitoring the laboratory budget. Analyse and interpret financial data on behalf of the Laboratory Management Team to ensure that the laboratory’s activities remain within budget.
- Take responsibility for authorising and processing invoices and ensuring invoices are raised for income generation activities.
- Be responsible for ensuring all travel and expense claims are submitted along with overtime payments monthly to the UKHSA payroll team.
Working for our organisation
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all. Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Customer Relationships
- Act as a point of contact for Local and Port Health Authority, NHS and commercial customers and maintain and develop good customer relationships to ensure effective running of the laboratory.
- In conjunction with the Laboratory Manager, prepare quotes for work required by commercial customers.
- Assist in coordinating courier bookings and maintaining regular communication with the laboratory’s courier contractor to ensure prompt collection of samples from customers as required, respond to queries, investigations, and review of the service.
Quality Systems Management
- Work with the Laboratory Quality Manager to ensure that documentation and procedures within the laboratory satisfy the requirements of UKAS Accreditation and continuity of evidence for legal procedures.
- Support the laboratory’s accreditation to ISO 17025 and ensure compliance with UKAS and other accreditation and certification standards.
- Participate, where appropriate, in regular audits of departmental procedures in support of the Quality Manager
Management
- Be responsible for organising and setting up all the interviews for laboratory management staff and participate where necessary.
- Assist in the management of other administrative staff within the laboratory, including recruitment and selection, induction, performance appraisal and personal development plans.
- Be responsible for the general supervision and the training and development of other administrative staff within the laboratory in accordance with UKHSA policies and procedures.
- Co-ordinate routine tasks with other administrative staff as required e.g. processing incoming post appropriately, photocopying, collating information etc.
- Be responsible for maintaining all laboratory staff files and ensuring training records are kept fully up to date for audit purposes.
- Be responsible for the HR function within the laboratory, to include recording sickness absence, coordinating the annual leave of all laboratory staff, return to work interviews and preparing monthly returns.
- Act as the first point of contact and ensure good links with internal support departments i.e. HR, payroll, finance and the Regional.
- Ensure cascade of information to all laboratory staff including new and updated UKHSA policies and procedures.
Strategy, Policy and Service Development
- Maintain a high standard of work and contribute to developing the service so that it remains effective and follows best practice.
- Encourage innovations that enhance the effectiveness of the laboratory’s work and assist in the improvement and development of the service, in the interests of efficiency and in order to meet changing demands.
- Assist in writing administrative Standard Operating Procedures to ensure the efficient operation of the administrative functions of the laboratory.
- Assist the Laboratory Management team in preparing and updating the Laboratory Business Plan to ensure consistency with National FWEMS objectives.
IT Infrastructure
- Be competent in the use of all aspects of the laboratory’s IT systems and provide data to more senior staff as appropriate.
Security / Health and Safety
- Ensure confidentiality and conformity to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles and the Laboratory Information Systems and Technology Security policy.
- Ensure that health and safety are afforded priority and to demonstrate commitment to health, safety and welfare of self, staff and visitors.
- Ensure attendance of self and managed staff on safety training courses as required in the UKHSA Health and Safety Training Policy and other safety policies as appropriate.
- Agree to implement safety objectives. Ensure that a Laboratory/Office Safety Code is implemented.
- Ensure that risk assessments are implemented and maintained. Report risks that cannot be controlled to the Laboratory Manager.
- Notify accidents, near misses, dangerous situations and shortcomings in health and safety via the appropriate management structure
These lists are not exhaustive.
Essential Criteria
- Educated to A Level/NVQ standard or equivalent including English
- Experience of managing priorities within a large complex organisation
- Experience of records maintenance and filing systems (paper and electronic)
- Experience of using a variety of software packages, data entry and good keyboard skills
- Experience of ordering and invoicing
- Experience of liaising with customers and maintaining customer relationships
- Experience of managing and communicating sensitive/confidential information
- Ability to follow and communicate instructions, ideas and opinions clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage own workload
- Able to liaise with colleagues across departments within the UKHSA and work across organisational boundaries
- Ability to work as an effective team member and be able to work collaboratively and cooperatively with other team members
- Demonstrate a high level of motivation and commitment to high standards
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships
Desirable criteria:
• Experience of working in a public health related field
• Knowledge and understanding of laboratory safety requirements and procedures
• Experience of independently managing projects within an administrative capacity
• Previous experience of supervising/managing staff
• Knowledge and experience of financial management including previous experience of monitoring budgets
• Proven ability in identifying and developing efficient and effective systems within the workplace
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Success profiles
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 13 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
-
Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
-
1000 word supporting statement.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Longlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
-
Meets some essential criteria
-
Meets no essential criteria
The pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:
- Experience of managing priorities within a large complex organisation
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
Success profiles
You will be invited to a single face to face interview based in Colindale.
If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills will be tested at interview.
There will be a Technical Test
You will be asked to take a 20 minute online Test Assessment which will be sent via email after your interview.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
- Working Together (Lead behaviour)
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
Interviews dates to be confirmed.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check. If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Eligibility Criteria
External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Person specification
Application form and statement of suitability
Essential criteria
- Application form and statement of suitability
Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Working together
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical Test
Essential criteria
- Technical Test
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Charlene Gwekwerere
- Job title
- Resourcing Support Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
For further information relating to the role please contact: Paula Smith [email protected]
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