Business Support Officer (Funding)

The closing date for this position is the 5th June 2026.

Location: Linenhall Street, Belfast

Type: Temporary (Approx 12 weeks)

Salary: £20.66 per hour

Hours: 37 hours per week (Office hours Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4:30pm)

Main Purpose:

To be responsible to the Business Coordinator:

• To carry out appropriate monitoring, evaluation and verification duties at the direction of line manager for externally funded activities and projects, undertaken within City and Neighbourhood Services.
• To assist in the development, review and maintenance of all administrative systems, processes and documentation related to grants to ensure full compliance with financial, audit, council and funder requirements.
• To assist in the identification and accessing of a variety of sources of funding to support the objectives and activities outlined in the Departmental Strategies and Plans.
• To assist in the provision of advice and guidance to departmental officers and managers on financial systems, risk management, performance, grants and business administration matters in liaison with Departmental and/or Corporate Finance as appropriate.

Main Roles and Responsibilities:

• Assist in the monitoring of funded activity in conjunction with the Business Coordinator and relevant operational unit lead(s) to ensure all regulations, processes and procedures are adhered to and compliance with grant conditions are met.
• Assist with overseeing the administration/financial management and control of all external funding received, including coordination and review of letters of offer, financial agreements, service level agreements and memoranda of understanding, in conjunction with the Business Coordinator.
• Coordinate the administration and data capture of monitoring and evaluation of externally funded activities in conjunction with the Business Coordinator and relevant operational unit lead(s).
• Support the development and maintenance of systems for monitoring all aspects of project management for funded projects.
• Ensure the financial monitoring and treatment of grants income and expenditure complies with financial procedures and timelines, completing the relevant returns and documentation in conjunction with the relevant operational unit lead(s).
• Assist with the preparation of the revenue and capital estimates and with monthly budget monitoring, variance explanations and end of year forecasts, ensuring that appropriate corrective action is taken as required.
• Assist the Business Coordinator with ensuring service compliance by managing the proper and efficient purchasing and payment of goods and services, including quotations and tenders, and maintaining a suitable inventory of all property in relation to grant expenditure.
• Assist with the verification of third-party grant/funding agreements to ensure that expenditure is eligible and in line with council procedure and letter of offer, which may include visiting venues and reviewing associated documentation to ensure compliance.
• Represent the department as requested by the Business Coordinator at audit and verification visits conducted by external funders and representative bodies.
• Responsible for the management of any assigned business support staff, including the prioritisation and coordination of their workload in liaison with the Business Coordinator to ensure that all sections of the department carry out work to agreed quality, time and budget targets.
• Provide financial assistance with the development of funding bids for departmental initiatives and to provide support to managers and staff as required.
• Maintain appropriate databases of external grant aid using relevant databases and software.
• Support good working relationships with cross departmental staff and other relevant stakeholders.
• Deputise for the Business Coordinator within the postholder's sphere of responsibility.
• Assist with the development, monitoring, review and updating of the departmental risk register and risk action plans in liaison with senior managers.
• Assist the Business Coordinator in the identification of training and development needs for assigned support staff, and to implement agreed training programmes, development activities and personal development plans.
• Provide advice and guidance to departmental officers and managers on all financial, information systems, performance, procurement and administrative matters.
• Assist the Business Coordinator with reviewing, developing and implementing effective processes, operating standards and systems' streamlining processes and systems in order to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Represent the department as requested on departmental, cross council or interagency working groups and carry out tasks associated with such groups.
• Motivate and manage any staff that may be assigned to the postholder to ensure effective service delivery and to be responsible for reviewing and implementing a proper staff training and development programme.
• Participate in all induction and in-service training provided by Belfast City Council and in the induction and support of all newly appointed staff and other human resource management policies and procedures, as appropriate, including absence management, disciplinary and grievance procedure.
• Participate as directed in the council's recruitment and selection procedures.
• Act in accordance with the council and departmental policies and procedures including customer care, equal opportunities, health and safety, safeguarding and any pertinent legislation.
• Undertake the duties in such a way as to enhance and protect the reputation and public profile of the council.
• Undertake such other relevant duties as may from time to time be required.

Essential Criteria:

(Please note that Platinum Recruitment NI Ltd require original certificates as proof of all qualifications listed on CV)

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Applicants must, as at the closing date for receipt of application forms, either have a third level qualification in a relevant subject such as Finance, Business Studies, Accountancy or equivalent qualification and be able to demonstrate, by providing personal and specific examples on the application form, at least one year's relevant experience in each of the following three areas:
• or be able to demonstrate, by providing personal and specific examples on the application form, at least two years' relevant experience in each of the following three areas:
• assisting with the preparation of revenue estimates, the monitoring of budgets and the management of accounts receivable and accounts payable functions;
• administration, monitoring and evaluation of significant grant processes providing management information and verification and compliance with funding agreements;
• managing business support staff on a daily basis including programming workloads and priorities.

Special skills and attributes:

• Applicants must be able to demonstrate evidence of the following special skills and attributes, which will be tested at interview:
• Communication skills: the ability to write reports, memos and letters on complex or sensitive issues. Effective oral communication skills with the ability to address groups and meetings clearly and to listen and understand divergent opinions and convey complex information.
• Knowledge of accounting and resource management: a detailed knowledge of financial control and accounting systems sufficient to provide advice on departmental financial and resource management matters at a senior level.
• Team leadership and team working skills: effective leadership skills capable of making a full contribution to team decision making with a track record of working with a number of teams and leading on change.
• Performance management skills: an understanding of how to deliver a value for money service via performance management systems and procedures including performance indicators, benchmarking and quality assurance methodologies.
• Information technology skills: the ability to understand how information technology can improve business effectiveness, be innovative in its application and be able to specify requirements with precision. The ability to operate specialist software packages and to advise users, identify problems with hardware, software or user operation and offer solutions.
• Systems development skills: the ability to review and implement systems and processes required to maintain the effective and compliant operational procedures for the service and to deliver up-to-date management information.
• Customer care skills: an understanding of customer care and consultation principles and the need to respond to client and customer demands.
• Analytical and decision-making skills: the ability to analyse complex situations and take appropriate decisive action using the data that has been gathered with an understanding of the possible wider corporate implications of such action.
• Political sensitivity skills: an awareness of how Local Government and other public bodies operate and the ability to work with a diverse group of other managers and professionals, both internally and externally, to meet common objectives.