Business Support Officer

BSNI is working with Belfast City Council to recruit for a Business Support Officer within the Finance Team.

Location:  Belfast City Centre

Duration:  Temporary

Salary:  £17.53 phr

Main purpose of job

To be responsible to the Business Coordinator for assisting with the provision of all
management information systems, financial, performance, and business administration matters
across the service and to ensure that the business needs of the service are met in an efficient
and cost effective manner.
To assist the Business Coordinator in the provision of advice and guidance to the, senior
managers and other staff on a service wide basis on financial, information systems,
performance, and business administration matters in liaison with Corporate Finance as
appropriate.
To represent the Business Coordinator within the post holder’s area of responsibility as required.

Summary of responsibilities and personal duties

1. To be 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.

2. To assist in the use, maintenance, control and development of the various information and
financial systems used within the department and to ensure the timeliness and accuracy of
input data and reporting information.

3. To supervise and be responsible for programming the workload and priorities of any
assigned support staff in liaison with the Business Coordinator to ensure the business needs
of the service are met in an efficient and cost effective manner.

4. To assist the Business Coordinator 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.

5. To assist the Business Coordinator 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.

6. To assist the Business Coordinator with the review and updating of the departmental risk
register and risk action plans.

7. To ensure the centralised control of income, including cash, and to be responsible for the
department’s sales ledger procedures.

8. To assist the Business Coordinator with the production of service performance and
compliance information statistics and financial reports for committee, corporate and
management team reports, in accordance with council policies, procedures and timetables.

9. To 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.

10. To assist the Business Coordinator with providing advice and guidance to senior
management on all financial, information systems, performance and administrative matters.

11. To 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.

12. To keep under active review relevant working practices and procedures and make periodic
recommendations to the Business Coordinator where improvement or efficiencies are
possible.

13. To 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.

14. To represent the Business Coordinator as required within the post holder’s sphere of
responsibility.

Essential criteria

Qualifications and experience

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

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

or

• be able to demonstrate, by providing personal and specific examples on the application form,
at least two years’ relevant experience in each of the following four areas:
a) assisting with the preparation of revenue estimates, the monitoring of budgets and the
management of accounts receivable and accounts payable functions;
b) using systems to produce management information and experience in the design, review
and implementation of manual and computerised systems;
c) assisting in the provision of advice and guidance to operational managers in the full
range of finance, systems and performance related matters; and
d) managing business support staff on a daily basis including programming workloads and
priorities.

Special skills and attributes

Applicants must be able to demonstrate, by providing personal and specific examples, 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.
Knowledge of accounting and resource management: A detailed knowledge of financial
control and accounting systems sufficient to provide advice on departmental financial and
resource management matters at a senior level.

BSNI is acting as a recruitment business

For further information please contact Debbie on 02895219313