Business Services Officer

Business Services Officer – Food Standards Agency

Salary: £31,332 per year
Location: York, England
Employer: Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Job Grade: Executive Officer (EO)
Contract: Fixed-term / Loan / Temporary
Duration: 1 year, with possible extension or permanency (not guaranteed)
Working Pattern: Full-time, office-based
Vacancies: 1
Reference Number: 487824
Closing Date: 9 November 2026, at 11:55 pm
Visa Sponsorship: Not available

About the Role

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is recruiting a Business Services Officer to join its Business Services team in York.

This role is suited to an organised, customer-focused individual who can manage competing priorities, communicate effectively and provide reliable administrative support. You will help deliver business services across the organisation, supporting colleagues, visitors and members of the public.

The FSA works to protect public health and consumers’ interests in food across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This is a full-time, office-based position at the FSA’s York office. Occasional travel within the UK may be required, including overnight stays.

Key Responsibilities

As a Business Services Officer, your duties will include:

• Planning and supporting internal and external meetings and events.
• Arranging business travel, accommodation and car hire.
• Raising purchase orders, processing invoices and compiling management information.
• Preparing meeting rooms and welcoming visitors to the York office.
• Helping ensure workplace equipment remains operational.
• Responding to public enquiries by telephone and email, including questions about food hygiene and starting a food business.
• Managing and allocating incoming work.
• Identifying opportunities to improve administrative processes and service delivery.
• Developing knowledge of other Business Services activities to provide flexible support when priorities change.

You will receive training across different workstreams to help you build your knowledge and contribute to the wider team.

Essential Requirements

Applicants will be assessed against the following experience and skills:

• Strong work-planning and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, alongside strong customer service abilities.
• Confidence in delivering excellent customer service with minimal day-to-day supervision.
• Experience using standard workplace IT applications, including Outlook or an equivalent tool, for email communication and routine administrative tasks.

Shortlisting: The initial sift will assess work-planning and prioritisation skills. Candidates who pass this stage will then be assessed on communication and customer service skills before progressing to the full sift.

Applicants should consult the official Candidate Pack for the complete role requirements and assessment criteria.

Working Hours

The contractual working pattern is:

• Monday to Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm
• Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
• Lunch break: One hour each day

The role is office-based in York only. Remote or hybrid working is not offered for this vacancy.

Interview and Selection Process

The recruitment process follows the Civil Service Success Profiles framework and assesses behaviours and experience.

The four behaviours assessed at interview are:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Expected recruitment dates:

• Advert closes: 9 November 2026
• Shortlisting: Expected to begin from 10 November 2026
• Final interview: Expected on 24 or 25 November 2026

Interviews will take place face-to-face at the FSA office at Foss House, Peasholme Green, York. Interview travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

Dates may change. A reserve list may be maintained for up to 12 months for potential future appointments.

Salary and Benefits

The successful candidate will receive:

• Annual salary of £31,332.
• Membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, with an advertised employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Training across different Business Services workstreams.
• The opportunity to develop administrative, organisational and customer service skills within a government department.

The appointment is initially for one year because of limited funding for project work. An extension or permanent appointment may be possible, but neither is guaranteed.

Existing Civil Servants and employees of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) may be appointed on loan and must obtain permission from their home department before applying.

Visa Sponsorship and Eligibility

Important: The Food Standards Agency does not offer visa sponsorship and cannot provide advice on visa applications.

Applicants who require employer-sponsored permission to work in the UK should take this restriction into account before applying.

The vacancy is broadly open to eligible UK nationals, Irish nationals, qualifying Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK, and other groups who meet the Civil Service nationality requirements.

Candidates should review the official eligibility rules before submitting an application.

Security Checks

The successful candidate must undergo a basic criminal record check or equivalent. Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks will also apply to those working with government assets.

How to Apply

To apply, review the official job advert and the attached Candidate Pack for full details of the role, essential criteria and selection process.

Prepare your application around the stated essential requirements, particularly work planning, prioritisation, communication, customer service and workplace IT experience. Use genuine examples from your own experience when completing the application.

Closing date: 9 November 2026 at 11:55 pm.

Source: Civil Service Jobs – Food Standards Agency
Reference: 487824