Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice)
Join to apply for the Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice) role at Food Standards Agency
Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice)
2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Join to apply for the Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice) role at Food Standards Agency
Travel within the UK will be required on an occasional basis, possibly with overnight stays (as well as during your initial training period).
Job Summary
Are you looking to start or progress your career in a dynamic and supportive environment where you can make a real difference?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is offering an exciting opportunity to join us as a Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice). This 18-month apprenticeship (which will convert to a permanent contract subject to successful completion of the End Point Assessment) combines practical experience with academic learning, leading to a nationally recognised Level 3 Business Administration qualification.
You’ll spend 20% of your working hours on apprenticeship learning, supported by a dedicated Talent Coach and your Line Manager. Through formal progress reviews and regular one-to-ones, you’ll gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to thrive in your role.
The FSA is a non-ministerial government department working to protect public health and consumers’ wider interests in food. Our mission is “food you can trust,” and our vision is a food system that is safe, what it says it is, and healthier and more sustainable. Our Business Services team plays a vital role in enabling the organisation to deliver this mission.
Job Description
What You’ll Do
As our Business Services and Facilities Management Officer (Apprentice), you’ll provide essential support across the organisation, including:
* Facilities management in our London office – setting up meeting rooms, greeting visitors, and maintaining equipment.
* Administrative support to teams across our UK offices and home-based staff (remotely).
* Operational support – issuing staff IDs, processing authorisations and licences, and supporting appeals.
* Customer service – handling public enquiries via phone and email.
* Procurement and finance – raising purchase orders, processing invoices, and ordering supplies.
* Travel and logistics – booking travel, accommodation, and vehicle hire.
* Health and safety – acting as a First Aider and Fire Warden in the London office.
* Supporting continuous improvement initiatives and gaining experience across various workstreams within the Business Services team.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for someone who is:
* Organised and proactive
* A good communicator with strong interpersonal skills
* Willing to learn and take on new challenges
* Able to work flexibly and as part of a team
No previous work experience is required – we’re looking for potential, not perfection.
What You’ll Get
* A nationally recognised Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship
* A supportive and inclusive working environment
* Opportunities to develop a wide range of transferable skills
* Access to Civil Service benefits including pension scheme, generous annual leave, and flexible working
Apply now to start your journey with the FSA and help us deliver food you can trust.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss the role further, please email chris.simpson@food.gov.uk for an informal chat.
Working pattern guidance
Due to the nature of the role this role is offered as full time office-based only – with the following shift pattern.
Shift pattern
You Will Be Required To Work One Of The Following Shift Patterns Either As Your Contractual Working Hours Or On a Rotational Basis:
* Monday to Thursday (08.00 – 16.30) Friday (08.00 – 16.00) including 1 hour lunch break each day.
* Monday to Thursday (10.00 – 18.00) Friday (10.00 – 17.30) including 1 hour lunch break each day.
You will spend 20% of your contracted working hours dedicated to the apprenticeship.
Initial Training: The first four weeks of your employment may be spent as a mixture between the FSA London Office and the FSA York Office to undertake initial training (travel, hotel and expenses will be paid).
Apprenticeship eligibility criteria
Part of this apprenticeship involves completing a level 2 English and Mathematics functional skills qualification (if not already held). If you have already achieved GCSEs in English and Mathematics at Level 4 (grade C) or above you will not need to complete functional skills.
To be eligible to apply for the apprenticeship you need to meet the following criteria:
* You will have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years prior to the start of the apprenticeship or fit the criteria of eligible residency status in the Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Apprenticeship funding rules, 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
* You do not already hold the same or similar qualifications - your qualifications and eligibility will be assessed as part of the application process by the apprenticeship provider if you are successful at shortlisting stage.
For more details regarding the apprenticeship, please use the following link: Business administrator / Skills England
Virtual Candidate Information Session
Tuesday 22 July 2025 at 12.00noon
Please join us for a virtual information session – to give you the chance to find out more about the role and the development on offer.
Meet members of the Business Support team, hear about the work the team does and the benefits of working at the FSA. We’ll also chat through the application process, explain Success Profiles and advise how to maximise your chances of success - at application and at interview.
This will be an informal session, expected to last about 45 minutes, with plenty of opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have – it won't form any part of the selection process.
Places on this session can be booked by accessing this link to Eventbrite or if unable to register, by emailing sue.milligan@food.gov.uk
Please read before applying
This post is a temporary 18-months fixed term apprenticeship contract which will convert to a permanent contract subject to successful completion of the End Point Assessment.
Candidates that are already established Civil Servants will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.
Note for FSA employees
You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy - please refer to the ‘Temporary internal appointments framework’ on the FSA intranet for more details. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).
You Will Be Required To Work One Of The Following Shift Patterns Either As Your Contractual Working Hours Or On a Rotational Basis:
* Monday to Thursday (08.00 – 16.30) Friday (08.00 – 16.00) including 1 hour lunch break each day.
* Monday to Thursday (10.00 – 18.00) Friday (10.00 – 17.30) including 1 hour lunch break each day.
You will spend 20% of your contracted working hours dedicated to the apprenticeship.
Initial Training: The first four weeks of your employment may be spent as a mixture between the FSA London Office and the FSA York Office to undertake initial training (travel, hotel and expenses will be paid).
Apprenticeship eligibility criteria
Part of this apprenticeship involves completing a level 2 English and Mathematics functional skills qualification (if not already held). If you have already achieved GCSEs in English and Mathematics at Level 4 (grade C) or above you will not need to complete functional skills.
To be eligible to apply for the apprenticeship you need to meet the following criteria:
* You will have been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years prior to the start of the apprenticeship or fit the criteria of eligible residency status in the Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Apprenticeship funding rules, 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
* You do not already hold the same or similar qualifications - your qualifications and eligibility will be assessed as part of the application process by the apprenticeship provider if you are successful at shortlisting stage.
For more details regarding the apprenticeship, please use the following link: Business administrator / Skills England
Virtual Candidate Information Session
Tuesday 22 July 2025 at 12.00noon
Please join us for a virtual information session – to give you the chance to find out more about the role and the development on offer.
Meet members of the Business Support team, hear about the work the team does and the benefits of working at the FSA. We’ll also chat through the application process, explain Success Profiles and advise how to maximise your chances of success - at application and at interview.
This will be an informal session, expected to last about 45 minutes, with plenty of opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have – it won't form any part of the selection process.
Places on this session can be booked by accessing this link to Eventbrite or if unable to register, by emailing sue.milligan@food.gov.uk
Please read before applying
This post is a temporary 18-months fixed term apprenticeship contract which will convert to a permanent contract subject to successful completion of the End Point Assessment.
Candidates that are already established Civil Servants will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.
Note for FSA employees
You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy - please refer to the ‘Temporary internal appointments framework’ on the FSA intranet for more details. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).
Person specification
Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.
We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.
Qualifications
* Mathematics and English Language at GCSE / Level 2 to a minimum of grade 4 or C
OR
* Willingness to complete equivalent qualifications during the Apprenticeship
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £30,704, Food Standards Agency contributes £8,894 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience.
Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.
Application and shortlisting
You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.
Ability: You will be asked to complete two online tests (verbal and numerical reasoning) and, if successful, will proceed to the rest of the application.
Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.
* Mathematics and English Language at GCSE / Level 2 to a minimum of grade 4 or C
OR
* Willingness to complete equivalent qualifications during the Apprenticeship
If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.
Experience
Essential criteria
* Strong planning and prioritisation skills
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills
* Independent working to deliver on time and to high quality
(Note: If you do not have a work-based examples then an example from school/college/clubs will suffice)
In Your Personal Statement You Should Also Include:
* Evidence of motivation to undertake and complete a (Level 3) Business Administration Apprenticeship: Business administrator / Skills England
Interview
If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Civil Service Behaviours.
Behaviours
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Delivering at Pace
* Managing a Quality Service
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Expected Timeline
Virtual Candidate Information Session: 22 July 2025 (12:00)
Advert closes: 30 July 2025 (23:55)
Sift: Expected to take place during week commencing 4 August 2025
Final panel interview: Expected to take place 13 – 19 August 2025
Interviews will be held in person in London (venue to be confirmed)
Please note – regrettably we are unable to refund travel costs if candidates attend an interview for the vacancy.
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.
Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
Making a complaint
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated fairly in accordance with the principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email the FSA’s Director of People at jo.bushnell@food.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
* UK nationals
* nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
* Name : Chris Simpson
* Email : chris.simpson@food.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk
Online test instructions
PLEASE NOTE - THESE ONLINE TESTS ARE NOT TIMED.
Further information
If you wish to raise a complaint then please email hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk in the first instance.
Seniority level
* Seniority level
Internship
Employment type
* Employment type
Full-time
Job function
* Job function
Finance and Sales
* Industries
Government Administration
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Food Standards Agency by 2x
Get notified about new Business Services Officer jobs in Well, England, United Kingdom.
Maidenhead, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago
South East, England, United Kingdom 5 days ago
Probation Service Officer - Integrated Offender Management (IOM) (Fixed Term/Loan) (Ref: 7663)
Reading, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago
Reading, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago
MGS - Ministry Of Defence Guard Service - Shift Working Officer - Montgomery House, ALDERSHOT
Aldershot, England, United Kingdom 23 hours ago
MGS - Ministry Of Defence Guard Service - Rostered Day Working Officer - Keogh Barracks, Surrey
Ash Vale, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
#J-18808-Ljbffr