Business Support Officer (Finance, Procurement and Information) – Admin & Clerical

BSNI are working with Belfast City Council to recruit a Business Support Officer (Finance, Procurement and Information) – Admin & Clerical. This role is temporary.

Target start date
15 Dec 2025

Duration
12 Weeks

Hours per week
37

Rate
PAYE: £20.66 per hour

Job location
4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BP, United Kingdom

Work Pattern will be 5 Days in a week. Monday to Thursday 8.30 AM to 5 PM. On Friday 8.30 AM to 4 PM

Main purpose of job

Responsible, across the department, to the Business Coordinator for:

• Financial control;
• Procurement;
• General business support; and
• Performance and information.

This includes the day-to-day management and development of assigned staff and resources to ensure that the business needs of the service are met in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Assist the Business Coordinator in the provision of advice and guidance to departmental officers and managers on financial, information systems, performance, risk management and business administration matters in liaison with Corporate Finance as appropriate.

Work collaboratively to ensure effective customer focused operational delivery of all Finance, Procurement and Information functions but with specific responsibility for one of the areas below based on business need.

Summary of responsibilities and personal duties

Financial Control

• Assist with the preparation of the revenue and capital estimates and with the monthly budget monitoring, variance explanations and end of year forecasts, ensuring that appropriate corrective action is taken as required.
• Assist with overseeing the financial management and control of all external funding due, including coordination and review of financial agreements, service level agreements and memoranda of understanding, in liaison with the Finance Manager.
• Assist in developing and implementing proper systems of financial and budgetary control within the service, in accordance with council’s Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Accounting Manual policies and procedures.
• Assist with the development, monitoring, review and updating of the departmental risk register and risk action plans in liaison with senior managers.
• Ensure the centralised control of income, including cash, and to be responsible for the department’s sales ledger procedures.
• Assist internal and external auditors during the conduct of their audits as required.

Procurement

• Assist the Business Coordinator with ensuring service compliance by managing the proper and efficient purchasing and payment of goods and services, including quotations and tenders, and maintaining a suitable inventory of all property.
• Assist with the preparation of specifications and evaluation criteria and subsequently evaluate submissions as required.
• Assist with the coordination of the annual programme of tenders to ensure value for money and business continuity.
• Assist the Business Coordinator in supporting management to ensure the appropriate contract management arrangements are in place including performance monitoring and ensure the integrity of information arising out of contracts and organise payments to contractors.

Information Management

• Responsible to the Business Coordinator for the review, design, implementation, integration and testing of all systems (manual and computerised), procedures and controls in the department and to assist with providing appropriate training.
• Assist in the use, maintenance, control and development of the various information systems used within the department and to ensure the timeliness and accuracy of input data and reporting information.
• Assist in the maintenance of appropriate records management retention and disposal processes and ensuring compliance with FOI and GDPR data protection regulations.
• Assist with the development, coordination and production of service performance and compliance information, statistics and financial reports for committee, and management team reports, in accordance with council policies, procedures and timetables.

General

• Assist the Business Coordinator with the day-to-day management and supervision of assigned staff to ensure that the business needs of the department are met in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Assist the Business Coordinator in the identification of training and development needs for assigned support staff, and to implement agreed training programmes, development activities and personal development plans.
• Provide advice and guidance to departmental officers and managers on all financial, information systems, performance, procurement and administrative matters.
• Assist the Business Coordinator with reviewing, developing and implementing effective processes, operating standards and systems’ streamlining processes and systems in order to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Represent the Business Coordinator as required within their own functional area of responsibility.
• Motivate and manage any staff that may be assigned to the post holder to ensure effective service delivery and to be responsible for reviewing and implementing a proper staff training and development programme.
• Act in accordance with the council and departmental policies and procedures including customer care; equal opportunities; health and safety; safeguarding and any pertinent legislation.
• Participate in all induction and in-service training provided by Belfast City Council and in the induction and support of all newly appointed staff and other human resource management procedures as appropriate.
• Participate as directed in the council’s recruitment and selection procedures.
• Undertake the duties in such a way as to enhance and protect the reputation and public profile of the council.
• Undertake such other relevant duties as may, from time to time, be required.

This job description has been written at a time of significant organisational and structural change and it will be subject to review and amendments as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve. Therefore, the post holder will be required to be flexible, adaptable and aware that they may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the job description but which are commensurate with the role.

Essential criteria

Applicants must, as at the closing date for receipt of application forms and throughout the selection process, be current Belfast City Council employees or current Belfast City Council agency assignees.

Qualifications and experience

Applicants must, as at the closing date for receipt of application forms:

either, have a third level qualification in a relevant subject such as Finance, Business Studies, Accountancy, or equivalent qualification and be able to demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, at least one year’s relevant experience in each of the following three areas:

or
be able to demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, at least two years’ relevant experience in each of the following three areas:
assisting with the monitoring of budgets and the management of accounts receivable and accounts payable functions;using systems to produce management information and experience in the design, review and implementation of manual and computerised systems; and
managing business support staff on a daily basis including programming workloads and priorities.

Desirable criterion

In addition to the above essential criteria, Belfast City Council reserves the right to short-list only those applicants who, as at the closing date for receipt of application forms, either possess a relevant third level qualification and can demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, at least two years’ relevant experience in each of the above noted areas, (a) – (c), or can demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, at least three years’ relevant experience in each of the above noted areas, (a) – (c).

Special skills and attributes

Applicants must be able to demonstrate evidence of the following special skills and attributes, which may be tested at interview:

Communication skills: The ability to write reports, memos and letters on complex or sensitive issues. Effective oral communication skills with the ability to address groups and meetings clearly and to listen and understand divergent opinions and convey complex information.

Technical knowledge: A detailed knowledge of financial control and accounting systems sufficient to provide advice on departmental financial and resource management matters at a senior level.

Team leadership and team working skills:  Effective leadership skills capable of making a full contribution to team decision making with a track record of working with a number of teams and leading on change.

Performance management skills: An understanding of how to deliver a value for money service via performance management systems and procedures including performance indicators, benchmarking and quality assurance methodologies.

Information technology skills: The ability to understand how information technology can improve business effectiveness, be innovative in its application and be able to specify requirements with precision.  The ability to operate specialist software packages and to advise users, identify problems with hardware, software or user operation and offer solutions.

Systems development skills: The ability to review and implement systems and processes required to maintain the effective and compliant operational procedures for the service and to deliver up-to-date management information.

Customer care skills: An understanding of customer care and consultation principles and the need to respond to client and customer demands.

Analytical and decision-making skills: The ability to analyse complex situations and take appropriate decisive action using the data that has been gathered with an understanding of the possible wider corporate implications of such action.

Political sensitivity skills: An awareness of how local government and other public bodies operate and the ability to work with a diverse group of other managers and professionals, both internally and externally, to meet common objectives.

Work planning and organisational skills: The ability to forward plan and to effectively prioritise the work of a large section taking into account short- and medium-term goals, service demands and the availability of resources and using effective administrative systems and controls.

For more information contact Jessica or Debbie on 02895219313

BSNI are an acting recruitment agency.