Job info	Job info details
Job title	Directorate Support Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Commercial Services
Business unit	Directorate Support
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Directorate Support Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Directorate Support Manager
Salary grade	E
JE ref	FIN097

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide high quality administrative support across all services and business units within the Finance Directorate to ensure work is effectively and efficiently supported. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The effective delivery of services through a ‘one team’ approach across the Directorate that complies with legislative and financial regulations.
• The services and business units within the Directorate are supported in an integrated manner, receiving a highly organised and effective service, maximising resources, providing resilience and effectively utilising skills for the benefit of the whole Directorate.
• Contribute towards the effective organisation of the Directorate and service functions to ensure the Directorate operates in an efficient, open and accountable way. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• 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.
• Monitor, manage and respond to enquiries received within the various Directorate email in-boxes, ensuring timely and appropriate responses, including meeting statutory deadlines for response where applicable. Ensuring an up to date list of statutory deadlines and timescales is maintained to inform responses times.
• Responsible for handling highly sensitive and confidential information including confidential employment matters, complaints, Information requests, ensuring discretion and diplomacy
• Responsible for exercising judgement and discretion in determining priorities daily and ensuring that all callers/visitors receive the highest standards of customer care.
• Daily collection and distribution of post, scanning filing and circulating to colleagues as required.
• Responsible for the effective and efficient management of electronic and paper records, including filing, archiving, cleansing and deletion in accordance with the Council’s record retention schedule.
• Responsible for undertaking a range of diary management activities, including:
  • co-ordinating Finance Directorate Team meetings and events;
  • assisting the Senior Management Team with diary management.
  • creating, managing and monitoring an annual finance calendar detailing tasks and scheduled reporting deadlines, cross referencing with the Council’s annual meeting calendar;
  • co-ordinating visits from other authorities, organisations, auditors etc.
• Assist with finance related administrative tasks associated with:
  • year end, including monitoring the year-end timetable and following up on uncompleted actions;
  • close down of companies and audits;
  • the annual budget setting process;
  • recording and monitoring grant income.
  • supplier financial checks and new supplier set up requests;
  • any other finance related administrative tasks, as required.
• Provide time critical administrative support for Commercial Services activities, including:
  • processing and tracking waiver requests and recording approvals;
  • processing and recording Start a Procurement (SAP) forms, arranging initial client meetings and following up on Contracts Register entries;
  • processing new supplier requests, including identifying the route to market used and escalating any non-compliances with Contract Procedure;
  • arranging meet the buyer and bidder events, tender assessment and moderation meetings, supplier site visits and presentations;
  • tracking and responding to clarification questions on the Council’s e-tendering portal;
  • reviewing supplier information and conditions of participation questionnaires;
  • uploading award outcome letters to the Council’s e-tendering portal;
  • publishing transparency information and notices on the Council’s Contracts Register and Government Central Digital Platform.
• Providing administrative support to the revenues and benefits teams, including:
  • indexing letters and emails;
  • daily printing and sending of letters;
  • scanning and sending reviews;
  • bespoke support for individual projects;
  • checking reports and information held;
  • administration of cycle work.
• Assisting the Directorate Support Manager with recruitment and HR activities as required.
• Responsible for collating meeting and presentation materials using MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, formatting reports and presentations, updating and circulating meeting agendas, recording actions at team meetings, taking minutes at meetings as required.
• Assisting with the updating of intranet and internet pages. including uploading annual budget information and statement of accounts.
• Administering P-Card transactions as directed, raising ad hoc purchase orders and invoices across the Directorate as required and placing stationery and office equipment orders.
• Providing any other administrative support required by the Directorate Support Manager or Finance Senior Management Team. 

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 gather, interpret and understand financial information as requested.
• Comply with the Council’s Constitution and Public Contracts Regulations in relation to all financial aspects of the role. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions. and conditions which includes ‘hybrid-working’ – working in both an office and home environment. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands.
• Manual handling of equipment (e.g., laptop and projector) and carrying boxes of paper. 
• Display screen equipment work. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources.

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External: 
  • Other local authorities and public bodies, external boards, Torbay maintained schools and academies.
  • Council’s key strategic partners and wholly owned companies, including but not limited to Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Devon Integrated Care Board, Devon Combined Authority, 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 Communities.
• Internal: 
  • Senior Leadership Team, Financial Directorate staff, officers at all levels across the Council and wholly owned companies of the council, the Leader and Deputy Leader, Finance Portfolio Holder, Cabinet and all other Members, through formal and informal governance routes.
  • Individual programme and project boards where applicable.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• 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.
• The post holder is 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. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• 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.

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	Directorate Support Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Commercial Services
Business unit	Directorate Support

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• A methodical and flexible approach to work, with the ability to:
  • responding appropriately to conflicting demands, changing priorities and challenging deadlines;
  • work effectively across the diverse services and business units within the Directorate;
  • assimilate new ideas and procedures quickly and effectively;
  • work effectively both independently and as a team member;
  • plan ahead and manage own workload.
• The ICT literacy and skills necessary to:
  • produce a range of reports, spreadsheets, performance monitoring and presentations, to a standard capable of being presented to others;
  • facilitate the competent use of financial, client relationship management, electronic tendering and contract lifecycle management systems;
  • use Microsoft Office Outlook to effectively manage multiple calendars and email in boxes.
• Excellent organisational skills, a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to carry out general administrative tasks, including:
  • organising and accurately recording meetings;
  • using internet browsers and undertaking internet research;
  • setting up and managing computer files and folders;
  • data entry.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills across all tiers of the Council, its wholly owned companies and external organisations and the ability to act with tact, diplomacy and sensitivity in all situations.
• Ability to deal with confidential information, including commercially sensitive data, in an appropriate manner.
• Ability to work to the Council’s core values of being forward thinking, people oriented and adaptable, always with integrity.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Presentation skills. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Advanced knowledge and understanding required to effectively use Microsoft Office applications, including Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Advanced knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures, including . production of minutes, notes and actions, reports, letters, presentations, travel arrangements and organisation of meetings and events.
• Basic knowledge of data protection and Freedom of Information.
• Basic understanding of financial systems, including debtors, creditors, end of year processes, invoicing, and accruals.
• Basic understanding of the principles of procurement and contract management.
• Basic knowledge of Council Financial Regulations and Contract Procedures. 

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of Council based systems / organisation.
• An understanding of local government structures. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of providing a wide range of administrative support, to a high standard, across a multi-functional team.
• Experience of efficiently managing a diverse workload and responding effectively to conflicting deadlines, changing needs and priorities.
• Experience of working effectively:
  • both on own initiative with minimum supervision and within a team environment;
  • with internal departments and external organisations. 
• Experience of producing accurate reports, letters, spreadsheets, presentations and other electronic documents.
• Experience of organising and supporting meetings and events, including compiling agendas and taking accurate minutes or actions.
• Extensive experience of using a range of PC based information technology and computerised systems to a high level, including data entry and reporting.
• Experience of undertaking research and analysing information.
• Experience dealing with sensitive and confidential information. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of generating purchase orders, raising invoices and processing invoices for payment on financial management systems.
• Experience of supporting senior managers.
• Experience of working in local government or the wider public sector. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• GCSE / 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

• A Level 3 (e.g., NVQ, T-Level, Diploma) business and administration, business administrator or secretarial qualification or equivalent.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.