Business Support Officer – Fixed Term 6 Months

Benefits:

Salary:  £33,699 – £38,220 per annum, Grade 4

Hours:  Full Time – 37 hours per week

Location – Service Headquarters, Calcot, Reading

Excellent annual leave allowance of 28 days pro rata, flexible working, onsite gym, parking facilities and a Local Government Pension Scheme are available

Other information about our benefits can be found here

About the role:

Working in Business Support within the fire service means stepping into a role where your skills make a difference every single day. Working as part of a team, you will be providing strategic support to the Senior Leadership Team and Directors, working across a variety of service areas to help deliver excellent service to the community of Berkshire. It’s a chance to combine purpose with professional growth—bringing your organisational talent, problem-solving mindset, and people-focused approach to an environment that values integrity, teamwork, and innovation. If you’re looking for a role where your contribution truly matters and your work supports a safer future for everyone, this is the place to make your impact.

About you:

You are an organised and proactive professional with significant experience providing high‑quality business support within a fast‑paced, professional environment. Confident in supporting senior leaders, you bring excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and sensitive information with discretion and integrity.

You thrive on managing priorities, handling sensitive information with discretion, and delivering high‑quality, detail‑focused support across governance, projects and events, always with a strong customer focus and a collaborative approach.

The key focus of this role (Key Responsibilities and Deliverables) is:

• Provide effective support to assigned members of the Senior Leadership Team, manage diaries and respond to correspondence.
• To minute meetings or take action and decision log notes.
•  Ensure confidentiality, professional integrity and discretion is maintained at all times.
• Carry out systems-based work (data entry, interrogation, and assurance)
• Operate in a highly political and sensitive environment and champion political awareness.

Key role requirements (knowledge, skills and experience):

• Significant experience of working in an office environment, providing a business support function.
• Ability to communicate to a high standard in writing and producing documents in a range of formats.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally with a high level of interpersonal skills.
• Experience of providing senior management support.
• High level of IT skills, using full Microsoft packages.

Application and selection process

The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework as attached.

The Behavioural Competency Framework allows us to easily identify the behaviours that drive successful performance and enables us to deliver an effective service. The behaviours detailed within the job profile will be assessed throughout the selection process.

If you are interested in applying for this position, click Apply Now.

Please see the link to the Job Profile/Person Specification.

Appointment is conditional upon undertaking a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Rechecks will be required in line with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy.

For further details about the role please contact Fayth Rowe, Executive Services Manager at rowef@rbfrs.co.uk to arrange an informal discussion.

If you have any queries about the application process or to discuss any adaptations or adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application or with our promotion process please contact Amanda Gavin at gavina@rbfrs.co.uk or by phone 01189 4550 for an informal discussion.

Please note we do not accept applications via Agencies or CV’s without an accompanying application form.

Closing date for applications 09:00hrs on 12 June 2026

It is anticipated that the assessment/interview process will be held on Friday 19 June 2026.

The interview will consist of a competency and behavioural based interview and a role-based task.

Anticipated start date: July/August 2026

Please note that is your personal responsibility to check whether by applying / accepting this position it would result in any Annual Allowance implications. A breach in the Annual Allowance threshold could result in a Tax charge.

Please view our privacy notice via this link Applicant Privacy Statement

Our Commitments:

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service values your individuality, your diversity and your dignity.  All are welcome here. Inclusion, diversity and equality are principles which guide our decisions and will be visible throughout the Service, and we will continually work to improve in these areas.

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture of dignity and trust where everyone feels safe and comfortable to bring their whole self to work.

Simply: The communities we serve are varied and diverse, we should be too.

Applications are welcome for job-share or part time arrangements please enquire on application.

All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader – if you meet the essential criteria of the role, you will be guaranteed an interview if you choose to opt into the Offer of an Interview Scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

To find out more: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment.

Please view our Safer Recruitment Statement on application