Project Support Officer

The Department for Business and Trade has overall responsibility for developing, coordinating, and delivering a new trade and investment policy for the UK, including preparing for and then negotiating Free Trade Agreements and market access deals with non-European Union countries, and promoting UK trade and investment across the world.

The Future Enterprise Resource Planning and Shared Services Provider (FESSP) programme looks to unlock the future potential of Finance and HR service provisions. The programme sets out to upgrade and replace DBT's current HR, finance, and payroll domestic system in two stages. In the medium-term it will upgrade to a newer on-premises system; and over the long-term it will replace the on-premises system with cloud technology. In addition, FESSP will transform and/or replace our supplier of transactional, back-office activities (shared services currently provided by UKSBS). This will simplify, streamline, and improve the services HR and Finance provide that enable staff to do their jobs.

The FESSP team is also an integral part of the Matrix Programme which is a transformation initiative involving the Cabinet Office, Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero, Department for Culture Media and Sport, Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Care, Department for International Trade, Attorney's General Office and HM Treasury.

The Matrix Programme aims to deliver the Government's three overarching objectives for shared services:

• Better experience for all users - intuitive systems that are easy to use and mobile-enabled.


• Efficiency and value for money - better systems and services which support productivity and seek to reduce costs.


• Standardised processes and data - support interoperability, making it easier to understand and compare corporate data.


We are seeking a highly motivated Project Support Officer to join a fast-paced and complex Programme and help us achieve this exciting and ambitious agenda.

The post holder will get the chance to be involved in various aspects of HR and Finance transformation through the programme, giving them exposure to work in the HR, Finance, Project Delivery and Digital space and providing a great opportunity for those considering the path of their future career.

The post holder will contribute to the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of the work of the Future Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Shared Services Programme. The role will involve supporting a range of activity to support the projects within the programme, and support structures, including directories and data collection systems.

As a Project Support Officer, you will be required to offer support to projects that are highly complex or politically sensitive, large scale and with a significant number of partners or project resources.

This is a fantastic opportunity to hone and develop your project delivery skills in a large Programme which spans across DBT's Corporate Services function. There will certainly be scope for those who excel and demonstrate ability to progress within the Project Delivery Profession.

Specific duties of the role may vary depending on the project and project team structure but the post holder should expect these to include:

Planning and scheduling - Implement and maintain appropriate systems to enable effective planning and scheduling.

Monitoring and reporting - Establish and maintain project controls, keeping the project manager aware of the project status. Prepare project performance reports, presenting statistics and researching new information.

Administration - Ensure organisational tasks are carried out efficiently. Manage and monitor compliance of the project with Departmental Security, Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Business Continuity and Business Planning.

Stakeholder - Manage professional relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and act as lead point of contact for some external parties. Draft and sign-off correspondence.

Financial control - Monitor project spend and contribute to the compilation of budgets and the development of the business case. Ensures an accurate asset register is maintained.

Risks and Issues - Manage potential risk areas, working with risk managers and escalating as appropriate.