Civil Service administrator job

Administrators in the Civil Service play an important position in government departments and agencies, often in the capacity of providing administrative assistance or carrying out operational delivery.

As an administrative officer in the Civil Service, it will be your job to implement policies established by the government, provide essential services to the general public, and make sure that the day-to-day operations of the nation go off without a hitch.

Either you will do research and publish reports, which will contribute to policymaking, or you will interact directly with the general population and have the opportunity to make a genuine impact in the lives of other people.

The exact department you work for and the function you perform both have an impact on the job title you are given. While it is possible that you may be responsible for administrative responsibilities as part of your employment, it is also possible that you will be engaged in other types of work.

Responsibilities

The term "administrative officer" refers to a grade within the Civil Service rather than an actual profession, and the duties associated with that grade might vary greatly depending on the department in which an individual works.

On the other hand, as an administrative officer in the Civil Service, you could be required to conduct any or all of the following:

proactively respond, in a timely and effective manner, to questions posed by members of the general public, other government employees, and representatives of other organizations, either in person, through telephone, or in writing.

handling complaints and following up with inquiries from customers of the service

Make sure that information is shared with the appropriate stakeholders and other agencies.

conduct research and assemble materials and reports of the highest possible quality.

handle a number of operationally important cases.

handle payments

records need to be arranged, produced, and kept in a precise manner.

Keep manual filing systems, information logs, and database information up to date while also maintaining and inputting data into databases.

provide documents for a manager to verify, and in certain instances, carry out initial checks yourself as well.

accomplish goals and meet timelines for delivering outcomes.

Complex questions should be directed to higher grades.

execute a variety of general administrative responsibilities

adopt a nonpartisan stance toward the concerns of the economy and the government.

Salary

Each individual department and agency in the Civil Service is responsible for the compensation, grading, and monitoring of their employees' performance. They negotiate compensation for their own workers, which means that salaries within the Civil Service might range widely from one department to another.

Depending on the function, administrative assistant and administrative officer grades might have starting wages that vary anywhere from around £15,500 to £21,500.

The range of pay for higher-level positions, such as executive officer, may be anywhere from £24,820 to $29,640. There are well-defined pathways for professional advancement that may lead to greater incomes of more than 40,000 pounds, and these pathways are in existence.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for determining the salaries of top public workers, which may be far more than £70,000.

The compensation at the median level throughout the whole Civil Service is around £28,180. The annual salary ranges from around £20,500 for administrative officers to approximately £81,440 for senior public workers in the government.

Location is another important consideration, and salaries will be greater for postings of all categories that are located in London. A person's degree of expertise and responsibility both have a role in determining their remuneration.

Flex time, daycare vouchers, assistance in obtaining professional certifications, gym membership, and a compensation structure that is tied to employee success are all examples of possible employee benefits.

Statistics on income compiled by the Institute for Government. The numbers are simply meant to serve as a guide.

Time spent working

The typical workplace setting adheres to certain working hours. However, each individual department operates in a different manner, and some may demand employees to put in longer hours, work shifts, or work weekends.

Options such as job sharing, working less hours, or part-time are accessible to employees.

What may be anticipated

There is one public servant located in London for every five around the country. On the other hand, there are employment available throughout the UK. Both the North West and Scotland are home to a sizable proportion of people employed by the government. Statistics about the Civil Service may be seen here for further information.

The Civil Service has made a public commitment to appreciating diversity in the workplace, as well as promoting and guaranteeing equality in the workplace. Check out the page on Equality and diversity in the civil service for additional information.

The department you work for and whether or not your position interacts directly with customers both play a factor in determining the appropriate dress code. In most cases, you will be expected to dress professionally; nevertheless, there are certain jobs for which business casual attire is allowed.

There are instances when the job might be difficult. Certain careers need meeting stringent time constraints, responding to complaints or complex questions, or being flexible enough to adapt to ongoing changes in procedures and policies.

In some jobs, such as attending meetings or going on site visits, you may be required to travel within the confines of a single workday. Work or travel in other countries may be required in some positions, such as those with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCO) (FCDO).

Qualifications

Although a degree is not required to serve as an administrative officer for the Civil Service, the abilities you acquire while earning your degree might be valuable in the future. You will need to have a high level of education, often at least five General Certificate of Secondary Education (or equivalent) qualifications, including skills in numeracy and reading.

The new recruiting framework for the Civil Service, known as Success Profiles, is being used for the selection process. As part of the procedure, your abilities, as well as your professional skills, knowledge, and credentials, will be evaluated, together with the behaviors, strengths, and experiences you have had in the past.

If you do have a degree, you may be able to submit an application to participate in the leadership development program known as the Civil Service Fast Stream. In addition, some government ministries have graduate recruiting programs in place.

You may also enter the Civil Service by starting out as an apprentice in the Civil Service.

In the event that you are selected for further consideration in the hiring process, you will be subjected to pre-employment screenings and, depending on the department, may be required to get a security clearance. You are also need to fulfill the nationality criteria for the Civil Service.

Investigate the possibility of working for the government in some capacity.

Skills

You'll need to make sure you have:

good organization and administrative skills

superior abilities in both verbal and writing communication

Competence in serving one's customers

a responsible demeanor and the capacity to work independently are two essential qualities.

the capacity to comprehend complicated facts about regulations and processes

the capacity to contribute effectively to group efforts

attention to detail

a versatile attitude to one's profession combined with the capability to adjust to different circumstances

the capacity to carry out one's duties swiftly and efficiently under duress, often according to intricate guidelines and protocols

resource management skills

numeracy skills

abilities in broad information technology as well as the ability to operate the main software packages

dedication to one's own personal growth.

Practice in the workplace

Experience gained prior to entrance is beneficial. Experience in office administration, providing excellent customer service, and doing research are all relevant.

Opportunities for work experience and internships are available across the government in many different departments. These opportunities may be helpful in gaining applicable skills and providing a taste of what it's like to work in the Civil Service.

Find out more information on the many types of work experience and internships that are currently offered.

Employers

The Civil Service, which includes government departments, agencies, and other public entities not under departmental control, is a large employer (NDPBs). It has over 430,000 employees, and approximately one third of them are in administratively responsible positions (Institute for Government).

Administrative officers in the Civil Service may find work in a variety of government ministries, including the following:

Office of the Cabinet

Office of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

The Education Ministry or Department

DWP stands for the Department of Work and Pensions.

Office of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Office of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth, and Development (FCDO)

HM Revenue & Customs, sometimes known simply as HMRC (HMRC)

Office in the Home

Department of Defense Ministry (MoD)

View the complete list of public entities, including agencies and departments of the government.

Try looking for employment opportunities at:

The Civil Service Job Search is a database that may be searched.

The Fast Track for the Civil Service

You might also seek through national publications for employment opportunities.

The following are examples of graduate recruiting programmes offered by several government departments:

Graduate Training Program of the Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG).

Highways England Job Opportunities

Graduate Training Program of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

The Graduate Programme of the HM Treasury

Equal opportunities are prioritized by the Civil Service, and all departments have shown their support for the initiative by becoming Disability Confident.

Applications that are purely speculative will not be considered.

Improvement of one's profession

The majority of departments will provide on-the-job training as well as a mentor, who is often a senior member of staff within the department, to provide advise and direction. Participating in in-house training classes and gaining knowledge from more experienced coworkers are both components of on-the-job training.

The mission of the Civil Service is to guarantee that all personnel are equipped with the knowledge and capabilities necessary to offer public services in the most efficient manner possible. You will have access to Civil Service Learning after you have moved into your new location. This is an online gateway that gives users access to e-learning, online resources, and classroom courses. The development of abilities that are standard among all government officials is the goal of this site.

A brand-new Government Curriculum has been introduced in order to assist public workers in better planning their training and improving the way they do their jobs. There are five main strands, and the courses within them cover a wide range of topics, including basic introduction, working in government, training for line managers, and specialised courses.

There is a possibility that you will be given the chance to submit an application for the Civil Service Fast Stream. You will be able to advance in your career by participating in this accelerated development program, which will provide you the opportunity to gather a variety of experiences in a short period of time.

To be qualified, you must be working at a grade that is equal to or lower than that of a senior executive officer, and you may apply at the same time as candidates from the outside. The selection procedure for internal applicants is the same as the one used for external candidates; however, in order to be qualified to apply for certain programs, you may not need to have a degree. Check with the various programs to see if there are any degree exemptions for government employees.

Find out more information about the Fast Track to the Civil Service program.

Prospects for one's career

Despite the fact that possibilities to do so vary across departments and agencies, one of the core values of the Civil Service is to reward and recognize the good contributions made by workers. Recognition may come in the form of promotions or salary raises, both of which may be tied to one's level of performance.

There is typically a lot of leeway for civil servants to move around within departments, and there are well-defined progression structures in place for those who wish to advance their careers. However, moving between different roles and advancing to higher-level positions is contingent on opportunities being presented. Depending on the grade level in the Civil Service, salaries may be subject to restrictions imposed by set-pay scales.

You may further your career by moving into any number of departments or agencies, and as you gain experience, you can become an expert in a certain field. This might be in a sector such as human resources, finances, research, or the creation of policies.

If you have the correct set of experience and talents, you could be able to advance into a post that provides support for business and policy at the executive officer level. It is possible to further develop one's career to the level of higher executive officer or senior executive officer, both of which contain policy officer duties that come with particular policy responsibilities. In order to advance to Grade 6 or 7, you will need to demonstrate that you are an experienced official who is responsible for key policy matters.

The Senior Public Service (SCS) is the highest and most prestigious grade in the Civil Service; nonetheless, it only accounts for 1.5 percent of all civil workers. It is made up of the senior management team, who are accountable for the job that their team does regarding the policies.

In addition, there are chances to leave the civil service and work for private firms or charitable organizations.