Job Title: Business Support Specialist

Grade: £28,598 - £31,022 (grade C1)

Hours: 37 hours

Contact Type: Temporary 12 months (Maternity Cover)

Location: Based at Newmarket House, Leeds LS9 0RJ

As a business support specialist, you’ll help Waste Management deliver an excellent service for the residents of Leeds by investigating and resolving written complaints and enquiries from the public, partners and ward members.

You’ll be working closely with team managers in a fast-paced environment, accessing specialist service information and contributing to service improvements in how the city collects waste and recycling.

Key requirements:

As a business support specialist, you will bring:

Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills to internal and external stakeholders
Ability to handle complex queries in line with Council complaint policies
Organise workloads to competing deadlines, independently and within a team environment
Maintain and accurately update various specialist information systems and databases
Ability to use initiative and be flexible to managing work priorities

More about the role

The attention, interest and future developments on how we collect, recycle and dispose of the city’s waste has never been greater. Waste management is a busy service, typically emptying half a million bins a week from the 360,000 households we serve. This is your opportunity to bring your transferable skills and experience to the service as our next business support specialist, where you’ll be part of a supportive team that works flexibly to respond to complaints and enquiries.

Dealing with a range of written enquiries and complaints from members, MPs and the public, you’ll work with management teams to coordinate investigations and responses. Attention to detail is important to maintain accurate audit trials while presenting clear written responses within the Council’s complaint policy timescales.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
Training and development opportunities are provided to help build your career within a large and supportive service.
A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form

Read our guidancefor further advice on completing your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Pia Hutchinson on 0113 378 6161 or email Pia.Hutchinson@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Leeds City Council Job Profile

Job purpose

To provide an effective and efficient administration and support service as part of a business support pool serving Environmental Services.

Primary areas of work to include, the provision of specialist service support, the provision of specialist service information to partners and the public, the delivery of complex administration functions, to liaise with other services such as BSC and HR as required, and to support the role of the supervisor.

Responsibilities

To provide a detailed, technical or specialist support to a wide variety of front-line teams and to the public.
Organise and operate administrative systems within the service.
Contribute to the planning, development and monitoring of support services.
Monitoring and evaluation of the systems and processes.
Develop good working relationships with outside agencies and stakeholders.
Liaise between supervisors and other administration staff.
Take lead role in the development and maintenance of record/information systems including a specialist and lead role as required.
Present a positive personal image, contributing to a welcoming environment for customers and visitors.
Provide an excellent customer service to colleagues, customers and visitors to the service.
Provide detailed analysis and evaluation of data and produce detailed reports/information as required.
Produce and respond to complex correspondence.
Manage complex administrative procedures.
Be responsible for completion and submission of complex forms, returns etc., including those to outside agencies.
Be responsible for the selection and management of resources, including budgetary monitoring and regular audit of resources.
Provide advice and guidance to staff and the public on complex or technical issues.
Undertake research and obtain information to inform decisions.
Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, inclusion, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
Understand and abide by the Council’s equal opportunities policy in the duties of the post and as an employee of the Council.
Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required and for personal development.
To undertake any other duties as required that are commensurate with the nature and level for this post.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

None

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

Skills:

Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people including sensitive and complex information.
Able to prioritise own work to meet conflicting deadlines.
Able to produce and present routine reports and data.
Able to accurately enter/retrieve data information from information systems.
Able to display a responsible and co-operative attitude to working towards the achievement of the service’s aims and objectives.
Able to undertake activities to develop staff utilising the Divisional appraisal scheme.

Knowledge:

Of general office procedures and practice.
Of relevant financial regulations to carry out financial transactions.

Experience:

Of dealing with more complex queries from a wide range of people.
Of operation of complex and specialist administrative systems including associated IT.
Of working in partnership with others to deliver work to set deadlines.
Of providing customer focussed services.
Of participating in teams and using own initiative.
In the use of the Microsoft package.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent or equivalent academic qualification.

Experience of extracting and analysing data from information databases.