Business Support

Scottish Government; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Edinburgh is seeking a Business Support Administrator. This role involves supporting around 350 legal professionals, assisting with court preparations, and managing legal documents. As part of a Modern Apprenticeship, the candidate will gain an SVQ qualification in Business Administration. The position is full-time with hybrid work options, offering opportunities for skill development in a dynamic legal environment. Interested applicants should submit a CV and a 750-word statement demonstrating their suitability.

Benefits

In-house training opportunities

Various employee benefits

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Capability to provide administrative support in a legal environment.
• Ability to handle court preparation and manage legal documents.
• Skill in working effectively within a team and independently.

Responsibilities

• Provide general support to around 350 colleagues.
• Assist with court preparation and legal mail management.
• Manage documentation and ensure compliance with processes.
• Support new case management system rollouts.
• Conduct training sessions on internal systems.
• Oversee office tasks including IT equipment monitoring.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Understanding of Microsoft Office

Education

SVQ qualification in Business Administration

Job description

• Job Family Business and Corporate Support
• Locations Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Hybrid)
• Working Pattern Full Time
• Number of Openings 1
• Apply Before 01/16/2026, 11:59 PM

Are you a strong communicator and problem solver looking to support the Scottish Government Legal Directorate?

We are currently seeking applications for a professional business support administrator within the Business Division of the Scottish Government Legal Directorate (SGLD).

The team provide support to approximately 350 legal colleagues across the directorate. This is an interesting, varied and challenging position with the opportunity to develop new skills in a highly active legal area. SGLD offer a range of development opportunities including in‑house training and attendance at other courses with corporate learning.

The Business Division in SGLD is working towards delivering a new and improved directorate wide modern and effective support function that ensures that all of the solicitors we work with receive the high‑quality support they need. We are looking for staff to build a resilient, professional and modern support team that develops and enhances the support we currently offer as well as creating opportunities to develop the team and their skills. You will have a chance to contribute your views and ideas on what a modern support service could offer.

As well as providing support to our advisory divisions the team also provide professional support to our litigation divisions so there will be opportunities to observe the courts in action and to assist the four Paralegals with court preparations, working closely with solicitors and counsel.

As this is a Modern Apprenticeship, throughout the first 12 months the successful candidate will be expected to gain a relevant SVQ qualification in Business Administration. Support will be provided by a qualified assessor who will work with the successful candidate on a monthly basis. Time will be given to work on your qualification.

Responsibilities

• Working within the teams shared mailbox carrying out tasks both independently and as a team. This involves providing support to around 350 colleagues across the directorate by answering general queries and signposting to relevant teams within a hybrid working model.
• Working closely with the Litigation division providing admin support involving print and binding tasks for court preparation often to challenging deadlines, assisting with managing legal mail ensuring this is actioned within court mandated timeframes, dealing with paper documents with an aim of working towards digitisation and providing general ad‑hoc support when required.
• Carrying out directorate IMSO tasks on our records management system (eRDM and eRDM Connect). This involves creating new files, movement of documentation, ensuring document retention and security processes are being followed as well as managing membership of our ad‑hoc groups to allow efficient sharing of documents electronically.
• Working with local teams to support, build and roll out our new case management systems; working within a smaller specially trained group of individuals working to enhance the use of the system across SGLD.
• Assist colleagues within our directorate with training. This can cover both internal system training and external package training such as Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, OneNote). This may include 1 on 1 training sessions through buddying and shadowing or assisting with wider divisional training days/events alongside our divisional learning and development manager.
• Working across a number of teams within our Business Division to assist and support on a range of specialties; resourcing, finance, learning and development, paralegal court work, legal library services.
• Management of office tasks – monitoring IT equipment (desk equipment as well as area printers/shredders) and fixing/replacing/reporting when needed, organising equipment to be purchased and sent to colleagues for home working purposes, carrying out inventory and ordering of stationery on a monthly basis.
• Managing and distributing legal mail received on behalf of the directorate. This involves both physical hard copy mail and mail received electronically which has to be identified and distributed to relevant teams.
• Regularly review processes and ways of working and contribute to ideas of how the services we provides can continue to be the most effective. This involves working on building up‑to‑date and informative desk instructions available to the directorate on how to complete tasks on our core systems as well as attending training sessions on any new processes or systems and passing this information on to our directorate colleagues.

Qualifications

As this is a Modern Apprenticeship, throughout the first 12 months the successful candidate will be expected to gain a relevant SVQ qualification in Business Administration. Support will be provided by a qualified assessor who will work with the successful candidate on a monthly basis. Time will be given to work on your qualification.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Experience

An understanding of IT systems, including Microsoft Office or similar.

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and (presentation). Assessments are scheduled for w/c (2nd February 2026) however this may be subject to change.

About us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi‑leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid‑compatible roles should aim to work in‑person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre‑employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.