Defence Support Officer in Huntingdon

Hours: 37 Hours Weekly (fixed-term contract until 31 March 2028)

Location: Huntingdon

Contract Type: Fixed term full time

Closing Date: 2 July 2026, 09:00

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is passionate about providing high-quality services to our communities, residents and businesses. This means we must employ and retain the most talented and dedicated people. Situated within the heart of the Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area, Huntingdonshire is a beautiful district that boasts thriving market towns and many attractive villages, each with its own identity. We are an innovative and forward-thinking local authority whose residents are at the heart of our decision-making.

At HDC we want to employ staff who embody our icare values (Inspiring, Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful, Enterprising), all of which support our ultimate purpose of putting our customers first.

Job details:

• Join us as a Defence Support Officer and play a key role providing high-level support to senior leaders, alongside delivering activity linked to defence, economic growth and corporate priorities.
• This is a varied and rewarding role where your work will help shape projects that impact our places, businesses and communities.

About the role:

This is a fast-paced and varied role where no two days are the same. You’ll provide high-level corporate, administrative and project support across defence, economic development and corporate activity. You’ll work closely with senior officers, while also managing your own priorities. You’ll take ownership of coordination, stakeholder engagement and event delivery, ensuring activity is well organised and delivered successfully.

• Supporting the defence growth officer with briefings, reports, presentations and project coordination
• Acting as a key contact for internal teams and external partners, ensuring effective communication
• Working with partners including businesses, public sector organisations and defence stakeholders
• Organising and coordinating meetings, workshops and multi-agency activity
• Maintaining project plans, action logs and programme documentation
• Supporting funding bids, reporting and the use of data to inform projects and decision-making
• Planning and delivering events, including logistics, suppliers and on-the-day management
• Managing budgets, purchase orders, invoices and administration linked to projects and events
• Ensuring sensitive and confidential information is handled appropriately

About you:

You’ll be trusted to manage your own workload, take ownership of complex coordination and work with a wide range of partners. If you’re looking for a role where you can build experience, influence outcomes and make a visible difference, we’d love to hear from you. You’ll be someone who:

• takes pride in delivering high-quality work
• builds positive relationships and works collaboratively
• is comfortable taking responsibility and making decisions
• thrives in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
• looks for ways to improve how things are done.

An offer of employment is conditional upon having the right to work in the UK. HDC does not hold a Sponsorship Licence and is unable to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or take over sponsorship for any role.

To apply for this position, please complete the application form. The closing date is 9am on 2 July 2026 and interviews will be held on 9 July. However, this is a rolling campaign and we'll be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis and will close the advert early should we receive suitable applications, so please don't delay in applying!

For many of our roles, our hybrid work model enables employees to work remotely while allowing for in-office collaboration opportunities across the district, with an expectation of being in the office at least two days a week. However, please note that some positions may require a more consistent presence in the office due to the nature of the work.

Please note that the official closing date is as above, and will be the correct date. Some third-party websites may have different dates. Please refer to the HDC website for the official closing date to ensure you do not miss out on applying.

Working for the council:

As an employer who values diversity of thought, we seek to employ candidates from a range of backgrounds in order to make our organisation more innovative. We are seeking candidates who are looking for their next career opportunity and are supportive employers, enabling our staff to work in an environment that produces high standards of work in an employee-led environment. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our recruitment and along with our values we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment, where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We therefore welcome applications from all sections of the community and we offer a range of benefits, including flexitime, to encourage a work-life balance.