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Government Recruitment Service; Thirsk; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) seeks an Administrative Officer to provide general administrative support to the Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department, safeguarding animal health and welfare. You will take ownership of defined admin procedures, ensure timely actions, and support colleagues with procedures, including despatch and courier activities.

Role involves reception/telephone duties, use of office software, filing, purchasing and reporting tasks within a

Qualifications

• Experience providing administrative support in a busy environment.
• Ability to follow defined procedures and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with standard office software and basic IT systems.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership for a set of defined admin procedures as determined by line management.
• Ensure actions are carried out in accordance with procedures and within necessary timescales.
• Provide support and guidance to others on procedures (internal and external).
• Arrange despatch of packages sent via courier.

Skills

Administrative duties

Office software

Tools

LIMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

In this role you will provide general administrative support to the Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department, which works to safeguard animal health and welfare.

• Take ownership for a set of defined admin procedures as determined by line management
• Ensure actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales
• Providing support and guidance to others (internally & externally) on procedures
• Arrange despatch of packages sent via courier

Reception/Telephone Duties

• Signing in visitors, signing in parcels, dealing with queries from the general public
• Operation of small desktop telephone switchboards
• Taking incoming calls, answering simple queries or taking messages and passing them onto appropriate persons

Office Equipment

• The use of a range of computer software, for example, agency databases, Microsoft packages and internet
• Maintain awareness of training manuals and local guidance notes on each
• Be able to use and report problems for all the software in the role. The use of office equipment to include computers & peripherals, photocopiers etc

Filing

• Deputy Records Management Officer
• Maintaining registry system
• Retrieve archived reports and requested by lab staff

Purchasing

• Responsible for ordering lab supplies including the use of I-procurement as requested
• Responsible for collating all purchase order paperwork, processing orders, matching, checking invoices, raising credit notes and passing to managers for approval

Reports

• Booking in and updating daily submissions on Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
• Extraction of test results from RL reporting system and incorporation into a Word report
• Responsibility for the correct storage of electronic reports

Work to Agency safety and quality standards

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Administrative Officer (ID4866)

Company: Government Recruitment Service Salary: £27,001 to £27,001 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Thirsk Job type: Permanent Posting date: 15 Sept 2026 Closing date: 28 Sept 2026

Summary

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

In this role you will provide general administrative support to the Surveillance and Laboratory Services Department, which works to safeguard animal health and welfare.

Administrative procedures/ office duties

• Take ownership for a set of defined admin procedures as determined by line management
• Ensure actions are carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the necessary timescales
• Providing support and guidance to others (internally & externally) on procedures
• Arrange despatch of packages sent via courier

Reception/Telephone Duties

• Signing in visitors, signing in parcels, dealing with queries from the general public
• Operation of small desktop telephone switchboards
• Taking incoming calls, answering simple queries or taking messages and passing them onto appropriate persons

Office Equipment

• The use of a range of computer software, for example, agency databases, Microsoft packages and internet
• Maintain awareness of training manuals and local guidance notes on each
• Be able to use and report problems for all the software in the role. The use of office equipment to include computers & peripherals, photocopiers etc

Filing

• Deputy Records Management Officer
• Maintaining registry system
• Retrieve archived reports and requested by lab staff

Purchasing

• Responsible for ordering lab supplies including the use of I-procurement as requested
• Responsible for collating all purchase order paperwork, processing orders, matching, checking invoices, raising credit notes and passing to managers for approval

Reports

• Booking in and updating daily submissions on Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
• Extraction of test results from RL reporting system and incorporation into a Word report
• Responsibility for the correct storage of electronic reports

Work to Agency safety and quality standards

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

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