Administrative Support Officer Jobs in the UK 2026 – £29,770 Salary at Animal and Plant Health Agency
Administrative Support Officer vacancy at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
If you are looking for a permanent administrative job in the UK with a government agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency is recruiting an Administrative Support Officer at its Weybridge site in New Haw, Surrey.
The position offers a salary of £29,770 per year, a Civil Service pension, annual leave of up to 30 days, professional development opportunities and other employee benefits.
Important: This vacancy is not open to overseas applicants seeking Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Defra states that it does not hold a UKVI Skilled Worker sponsor licence and cannot sponsor individuals for Skilled Worker sponsorship. Applicants must also currently live in the UK and have at least three years of continuous UK residency because of the security requirements for the Weybridge site.
Administrative Support Officer Job Details
| Job detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Job title | Administrative Support Officer |
| Reference | 476583 |
| Vacancy ID | ID4761 |
| Employer | Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) |
| Department | APHA – Science – Pathology & Animal Sciences |
| Job grade | Administrative Officer |
| Salary | £29,770 per year |
| Contract | Permanent |
| Working pattern | Full-time, part-time or job share |
| Location | New Haw, South East England, KT15 3NB |
| Workplace | APHA Weybridge |
| Number of vacancies | 1 |
| Closing date | 11:55 pm, Tuesday 15 September 2026 |
| Visa sponsorship | Not available |
| Security requirement | Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) |
| UK residency requirement | Currently resident in the UK with at least 3 years continuous UK residency |
About the Administrative Support Officer Role
The Animal and Plant Health Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). APHA works with the UK Government, Scottish Government and Welsh Government to help safeguard animal health, public health and plant health.
The organisation has more than 3,000 professionals working across a range of scientific, technical, operational and administrative functions.
The successful Administrative Support Officer will join the Pathology & Animal Sciences department within APHA’s Science Directorate.
This is a varied administration position supporting the Head of Department, Business Manager, Admin Team Lead and other scientific colleagues.
The role is suitable for an organised administrator who can work independently, communicate confidently with colleagues and senior staff, manage competing priorities and provide accurate administrative support.
What Will the Administrative Support Officer Do?
The successful candidate will provide administrative and operational support across several areas of the department.
Responsibilities may include purchasing, finance administration, records management, meeting coordination, data entry, reporting and general office support.
Purchasing and Finance Responsibilities
The role includes supporting departmental purchasing and financial processes.
Duties may include:
- Creating purchase requisitions.
- Receiving and processing orders.
- Processing invoices and credit notes.
- Using the Oracle SOP i-procurement system.
- Troubleshooting purchasing issues.
- Liaising with suppliers.
- Tracking deliveries and resolving delivery problems.
- Conducting regular stock checks.
- Maintaining appropriate stationery and consumable stock levels.
- Processing foreign payments and urgent same-day payments.
- Setting up new suppliers.
- Using Microsoft Excel to track and analyse financial information.
- Maintaining order paperwork and delivery documentation.
- Supporting monthly financial housekeeping.
- Assisting with fixed-asset processes.
- Maintaining equipment registers.
- Raising journal requests.
Experience with purchasing systems, financial administration or business accounting software can therefore be particularly relevant to this position.
Records, Files and Data Administration
The Administrative Support Officer will also contribute to departmental records management.
Responsibilities can include:
- Acting as Local Records Officer.
- Creating and registering files and logbooks.
- Using electronic records management systems.
- Closing and archiving records according to procedures.
- Managing departmental publishing processes.
- Sending review reminders for controlled content.
- Entering information into databases.
- Maintaining scientific equipment and asset records.
- Updating recruitment trackers.
- Maintaining staff lists and departmental information.
Accuracy and attention to detail are important because the position involves maintaining official records and departmental information.
General Departmental Support
The successful applicant will provide day-to-day support to staff throughout the department.
This can include:
- Monitoring a shared mailbox.
- Compiling departmental reports.
- Preparing stock lists and consumable logs.
- Responding to administrative queries.
- Supporting senior management and scientific colleagues.
- Organising meetings.
- Booking meeting rooms.
- Sending calendar invitations.
- Taking meeting minutes.
- Booking business travel.
- Arranging flights, trains, hotels and hire cars.
- Filing and scanning documents.
- Photocopying.
- Distributing incoming post.
- Supporting recruitment-system data entry.
- Updating departmental organisational charts.
- Maintaining contact lists.
- Meeting and greeting visitors.
- Following visitor procedures.
- Handling interviewee identification documents.
- Building effective relationships with colleagues and external contacts.
- Providing administrative support to other Science Directorate departments when required.
Administrative Support Officer Requirements
Applicants should be able to demonstrate relevant administrative, organisational and IT skills.
The advertised essential experience and skills include:
Microsoft Office and IT Skills
Candidates should have good skills in:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- OneDrive
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint Online
Good Excel skills are particularly relevant because the role involves data entry, manipulation, tracking and analysis.
Purchasing Knowledge
Applicants should have an understanding of purchasing processes and preferably experience working with purchasing or accounting systems.
Knowledge of Oracle business accounting software or a similar purchasing system is also relevant.
Organisation and Time Management
The position requires someone who can manage multiple tasks and competing deadlines.
You should be able to:
- Organise your workload effectively.
- Prioritise tasks.
- Maintain accurate records.
- Pay close attention to detail.
- Take ownership of problems.
- Work independently.
- Meet deadlines.
Communication Skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.
The successful applicant should be comfortable communicating with colleagues, senior leaders and other contacts.
The ability to take accurate minutes and prepare action logs is also important.
Quality and Safety
Candidates should understand the importance of working within established quality and safety systems.
Because the position is based at the APHA Weybridge site, applicants should also understand that additional security and health requirements apply.
Civil Service Behaviours
The recruitment process will assess candidates against the following Civil Service behaviours:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
At the application stage, candidates are specifically asked to provide evidence for Working Together.
Applicants should use examples from their own experience and demonstrate what they personally did and achieved.
Salary and Civil Service Benefits
The Administrative Support Officer position offers a salary of £29,770 per year.
APHA also contributes £8,624 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
Other benefits include:
- At least 25 days of paid annual leave.
- Annual leave increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Professional learning and development opportunities.
- Retail, travel and lifestyle discounts.
- Staff bonuses and recognition schemes.
- Salary-sacrifice benefit options.
- Employee discount schemes.
- Three paid volunteering days per year, pro-rata for part-time employees.
- Flexible working options where compatible with the role.
- Social and team-building activities at the Weybridge site.
APHA also provides development opportunities that can include training courses, apprenticeships, paid Master’s and PhD opportunities and on-the-job development.
Working Pattern and Location
The job is based at APHA Weybridge in New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB.
Although Civil Service roles can generally involve a combination of workplace and home working, this particular position has a specific requirement because of the nature of the work.
This post requires the successful candidate to work onsite at APHA Weybridge five days per week, or fewer days if working part-time/job share.
Periodic UK travel may also be required for training courses, conferences and meetings.
Out-of-hours work may occasionally be required. Where approved overtime is necessary, the advert states that appropriate payment may apply.
Restrictions on outside or domestic contact with certain small animals, particularly rodents and rabbits, may also apply.
Important UK Residency and Security Clearance Requirement
This is one of the most important parts of the vacancy.
APHA Weybridge is described as a strategically important national asset because its reference laboratory supports the Government’s response to national emergencies, including disease outbreaks.
As a result, employees based at Weybridge must hold the required Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance.
Applicants must:
Currently be resident in the UK
and
Have at least three years of continuous UK residency.
This is required so that the mandatory security checks can be completed.
Applicants who do not meet these residency requirements will not be able to obtain the required CTC clearance for the role.
Successful candidates must also meet the applicable security and criminal-record requirements and are expected to undergo a medical assessment.
Visa Sponsorship – Important Warning
This vacancy does NOT offer Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.
The advert specifically states that Defra does not hold a UKVI Skilled Worker sponsor licence and is unable to sponsor individuals for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Therefore, this vacancy should not be treated as a UK visa sponsorship opportunity.
Applicants must already have the appropriate right to work in the UK and satisfy the Civil Service nationality and security requirements.
Nationality and Eligibility
The vacancy is broadly open to eligible:
- UK nationals.
- Irish nationals.
- Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK.
- Certain EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
- Eligible individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who met the relevant EUSS eligibility conditions.
- Eligible Turkish nationals and certain family members who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service.
Candidates should carefully check the official nationality requirements before applying.
How the Application Process Works
The vacancy uses the Civil Service Success Profiles recruitment framework.
The process includes several stages.
Stage 1 – Online Application
Applicants will complete a CV-style application through the Civil Service Jobs website.
There is no requirement to upload a personal CV separately.
The CV-style application should include career history, key achievements and main responsibilities and should be no longer than two pages.
Stage 2 – Online Tests
After submitting the initial application, candidates will be invited to complete:
- Civil Service Verbal Test
- Civil Service Numerical Test
Candidates are encouraged to complete the tests as soon as possible, with the advert recommending completion within 24–48 hours of receiving the invitation.
The test deadline is 11:55 pm on 15 September 2026.
Candidates are strongly advised not to leave the tests until the final day.
The tests are not subject to time limits, according to the vacancy information.
A desktop computer is recommended rather than a mobile phone or tablet.
Stage 3 – Personal Statement
Applicants must provide a 500-word Personal Statement explaining how their experience matches the Person Specification.
Candidates are encouraged to use the full word allowance without exceeding it.
The examples must be based on the applicant’s own experience.
Stage 4 – Working Together Behaviour Statement
Applicants must provide a 250-word Behaviour statement for the Working Together behaviour.
The advert recommends using the STAR method:
Situation – Task – Action – Result
The evidence should demonstrate the applicant’s own contribution and the outcome achieved.
Artificial Intelligence and Applications
The employer allows artificial intelligence tools to be used to support applications, but applicants must ensure that all examples and statements are truthful, factually accurate and based on their own experience.
Applicants should not present AI-generated material or another person’s experiences as their own.
Providing false or plagiarised information can result in an application being withdrawn.
Interview Stage
Candidates who successfully progress through the application stage will be invited to an interview.
The interview will assess:
- Previous relevant experience.
- Delivering at Pace.
- Communicating and Influencing.
- Changing and Improving.
- Strengths relevant to the position.
The interview is expected to last approximately 45 minutes and will be conducted face to face.
The interview will use a blended approach designed to make the process more conversational and inclusive.
Candidates should be prepared to discuss examples from previous employment, education, volunteering or other relevant experiences where appropriate.
Excel Test
Candidates selected for interview will also complete a short Excel test a few days before the interview.
The exercise involves working with an existing dataset and completing tasks such as:
- Formatting.
- Using formulas.
- Sorting.
- Applying basic Excel functions.
- Updating information.
The exercise is expected to take approximately 30–45 minutes and will be completed in the candidate’s own time in an unsupervised environment.
This makes practical Microsoft Excel ability particularly important for applicants.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply is:
11:55 pm on Tuesday 15 September 2026
Applicants should submit their application before the deadline and complete any required online tests within the specified timeframe.
Do not wait until the final hours to complete the application or tests because technical problems may prevent completion.
How to Apply
To apply, candidates should use the official Civil Service Jobs vacancy page.
Vacancy: Administrative Support Officer (ID4761)
Reference: 476583
Employer: Animal and Plant Health Agency
Location: APHA Weybridge, New Haw, KT15 3NB
Closing date: 15 September 2026 at 11:55 pm
Applicants should read the complete official advert and any attached information packs before submitting an application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the APHA Administrative Support Officer job?
The advertised salary is £29,770 per year. New Civil Service entrants are normally expected to start at the minimum of the applicable pay band.
Where is the Administrative Support Officer job located?
The position is based at APHA Weybridge, New Haw, South East England, KT15 3NB.
Is this a permanent job?
Yes. The advertised contract type is permanent.
Is the job available part-time?
Yes. The vacancy is available on a full-time basis and APHA may consider two part-time employees on a job-share basis where continuity can be arranged.
Does APHA provide Skilled Worker visa sponsorship for this vacancy?
No. The advert explicitly states that Defra does not hold a UKVI Skilled Worker sponsor licence and cannot sponsor individuals for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Can applicants living outside the UK apply?
The vacancy has a specific security requirement stating that applicants for the Weybridge position must currently reside in the UK and have at least three years of continuous UK residency.
What security clearance is required?
The Weybridge position requires Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance, in addition to the applicable baseline and criminal-record checks.
What qualifications are required?
The advert focuses primarily on relevant administrative experience and skills, including Microsoft Office, Excel, purchasing processes, organisation, communication, problem solving and record keeping. Applicants should carefully review the full Person Specification.
Is Excel important for this job?
Yes. Excel is specifically required for data entry, manipulation and financial tracking, and candidates progressing to interview will be required to complete an Excel exercise.
When does the vacancy close?
Applications must be submitted by 11:55 pm on Tuesday 15 September 2026.
Final Reminder for Applicants
This is an opportunity to work in a UK government agency environment with a permanent contract, a £29,770 salary, Civil Service pension and structured professional development.
However, applicants should carefully check the eligibility requirements before spending time on an application.
The most important conditions are:
UK residency required
At least three years continuous UK residency required for the Weybridge CTC process
On-site working required at APHA Weybridge
No Skilled Worker visa sponsorship
Relevant administrative, communication, organisational and IT skills required
Online verbal and numerical tests required
500-word Personal Statement required
250-word Working Together Behaviour statement required
Excel test required if invited to interview
If you meet the requirements, prepare your application carefully and submit it before the deadline.
Related UK Job Opportunities
If you are searching for more UK employment opportunities, explore vacancies in areas such as:
- Administrative and office jobs
- Civil Service jobs
- Government jobs
- Healthcare and NHS jobs
- Laboratory and science jobs
- Data and Excel-related jobs
- Permanent UK jobs
- Part-time UK jobs
- Apprenticeships
- UK jobs with existing right-to-work opportunities
Always verify the latest eligibility, salary, location, closing date and sponsorship information directly with the employer before applying.
Source and Disclaimer
This article is based on the Administrative Support Officer vacancy published through Civil Service Jobs for the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Vacancy reference: 476583
The information provided is intended to help job seekers understand the opportunity. Vacancy details, application deadlines, eligibility requirements and recruitment procedures can change. Applicants should rely on the official employer vacancy page for the latest information before applying.
TRHNP does not recruit candidates on behalf of APHA and does not guarantee employment, visa sponsorship or interview selection.