Business Support Assistant

Service Care; Ashford; On-site; GBP 16,498,000 - 16,669,000; Part time

Job summary

Service Care is recruiting a Business Support Assistant to work in Ashford, Kent, evenings (14 hours per week, Tue–Fri, 5:30pm–9:00pm). The role supports a busy Port Health team with account set-up, documents, payments and inquiries, ensuring accurate and efficient processing.

The position seeks strong customer-service and administration experience, with confident IT skills and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Strong customer-service and administration experience.
• Confident IT skills and ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in local government, import/export, debt recovery or financial administration would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Respond to telephone and email enquiries relating to customer accounts and documentary-check payments.
• Support customers through account set-up processes and signpost them to online information.
• Take ownership of customer queries and follow through to resolution.
• Create jobs, process documentation and charge for low-risk imports per procedures.
• Contact import agents to chase commercial documents and upload them to system records.
• Provide guidance on payment methods, charges and processes.
• Use internal systems and Excel to manage enquiries, monitor accounts and maintain records.
• Provide general administrative support to the Port Health team.

Skills

Customer service

Administration

IT skills

Independent worker

Tools

Excel

Internal systems

Job description

Business Support Assistant Location: Ashford, Kent Hours: 14 hours per week, Tuesday to Friday, 5:30pm-9:00pm Contract: Initial 6 months, with the potential to extend Rate: £16.45 per hour umbrella

We are recruiting a Business Support Assistant to join a busy public-sector Port Health team, providing essential evening administrative and customer-service support. The role will focus on supporting customers and import agents with account set-up, import documentation, payments and general enquiries, ensuring all work is completed accurately and efficiently.

Key responsibilities include:

• Responding to telephone and email enquiries relating to customer accounts and documentary-check payments.
• Supporting customers through account set-up processes and signposting them to relevant online information.
• Taking ownership of customer queries and following them through to resolution.
• Creating jobs, processing documentation and charging for low-risk imports in line with procedures.
• Contacting import agents to chase commercial documents and uploading them to the correct system records.
• Providing guidance to importers and agents on payment methods, charges and processes.
• Using internal systems and Excel to manage enquiries, monitor accounts and maintain accurate records.
• Providing general administrative support to the wider Port Health team.

We are looking for someone with strong customer-service and administration experience, confident IT skills and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. Experience within local government, import/export, debt recovery or financial administration would be advantageous.