Administrative officer: Civil Service

Civil Service administrative officers work in government departments and agencies. They are responsible for administrative duties such as dealing with enquiries from the public, handling claims for benefits, giving advice, dealing with incoming correspondence and writing letters. They often supervise teams of staff.

Work activities

The Civil Service is made up of government departments and agencies. Administrative officers could work in any department or agency. Their duties vary widely depending on the function of the department or agency, but often include:

Supervising a team of staff.
Dealing with customers.
Making decisions.
Co-ordinating meetings.
Monitoring budgets.
Producing management information and reports.
Planning.
Dealing with suppliers.
Organising training.
Using computers.

They might examine paperwork, such as claims forms or accounts to check their validity and use computers to analyse data and compile statistics. Some administrative officers calculate the welfare benefits that people are entitled to. Some might supervise a small team of assistants. Some administrative officers plan work, delegate tasks and assess training needs.

In some departments, administrative officers give advice to the public, either face to face or over the telephone. Some might interview people, for example, to assess their needs and decide what help they can be given.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal qualities and skills

As an administrative officer in the Civil Service, you’ll need:

Good organisational skills.
To be able to plan and prioritise, and manage workloads and resources.
A critical eye, with the ability to analyse information.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Good interpersonal skills to deal with members of the public and staff.
To be adaptable and responsive to changes.
A respect for, and awareness of, the need for confidentiality.
Good IT skills, for example, to manage, update and extract information on a spreadsheet or database.

Depending on the role, this work might require you to have good negotiating skills. Administrative officers who manage other staff will need leadership skills.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. Most people in this career earn between £22,000 and £29,000.

Administrative officers usually work 37-40 hours, Monday to Friday. Flexible working arrangements include part-time work and job-sharing.

Where could I work?

More than 40 government departments and agencies employ administrative officers, for example, the Jobcentre Plus network and HM Revenue & Customs. Around 70% of Civil Servants are employed outside London and the South East.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website, in local/national newspapers, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Entry routes and training

Entry can be directly into an administrative officer post, or through opportunities for promotion from administrative assistant level. Some administrative officers have a higher education qualification, such as a degree, HND, HNC or foundation degree. Subjects such as administration or public administration could give you an advantage.

Depending on the post, new starters might attend a full-time training course, for anything up to around 12 weeks. There is on-the-job training for administrative officers, as well as the opportunity to study by e-learning and to attend courses through Civil Service Learning. Foundation degrees are available in a number of business, administration and public administration subjects.

Administrative officers can progress to middle management posts after further training and experience.

Qualifications

Civil Service departments and agencies usually look for relevant competencies in areas such as:

Written and verbal communication.
Building constructive relationships.
Customer service.
Managing workloads.
Improving performance.
Leading through change.
Financial management.
Using IT.
Self-development.

Some departments prefer applicants to have at least five GCSEs at grades 9-4 including English. Some departments also ask for maths. Evidence of IT skills is often required. Testing can form part of the entry process, and relevant experience can be taken into account.

The usual entry requirement for any degree course is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in two to three other subjects.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have a background in office administration or clerical work. Relevant work-related qualifications in business and administration can be useful.

Departments usually ask for five GCSEs at grades 9-4 including English and sometimes maths, or equivalent. Some offer a written test as an alternative for those without the required qualifications. Evidence of IT skills is often required.

Related careers

Administrative assistant – Civil Service
Health service manager
Housing officer
Local government administration assistant
Local government administrator
Manager
Registrar – births, marriages and deaths