At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to manage smartcard access for NHS staff and ensure secure healthcare systems.
- Company: NHS Shared Business Services, a leader in digital services for the NHS.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, health cash plan, life assurance, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in healthcare while gaining valuable experience in digital identity management.
- Qualifications: Confident with Microsoft Office and strong communication skills; attention to detail is key.
- Other info: Flexible work arrangements available to support your work/life balance.
The predicted salary is between 21000 - 28000 £ per year.
Join our Registration Authority Bureau team in Southampton, where you\’ll play a vital role in enabling secure access to NHS healthcare systems. This is a hands-on opportunity to work at the heart of digital identity management—registering, verifying, and managing smartcard access for NHS employees using Care Identity Management.
You\’ll be the key contact for smartcard creation, deactivation, and issue resolution, helping NHS staff access the tools they need to deliver care. Working alongside expert managers and clients, you\’ll support the smooth flow of activity and contribute to high standards in information governance and security.
From tailored training to end-to-end service delivery, you\’ll gain valuable experience in access control, client support, and operational excellence—all while making a meaningful difference in healthcare.
This role is based in Southampton, with attendance at the office on rotation with the wider team required 2 to 3 times per week to complete the 3pm post run. Additionally, the whole team comes together in the office once per month for collaboration and catch-ups.
What you\’ll be doing:
- Processing new smartcard requests using Care Identity Management (CIM), ensuring compliance with NHS Right to Work and Identity Standards.
- Issuing locked smartcards to correct client locations and maintaining accurate status records.
- Creating urgent and non-urgent replacement smartcards (e.g. lost, broken, name/photo updates).
- Cancelling access for leavers and securely destroying returned smartcards when required.
- Updating access rights on existing smartcards as needed.
- Resolving smartcard-related queries by liaising directly with clients and their employees.
- Maintaining compliance by ensuring only one smartcard is assigned per individual and records meet national standards.
- Supporting audit activities and contributing to RA statistics and issue tracking.Supporting the RA Manager with process improvements, training delivery, and investigations into security breaches.
What you\’ll bring:
- Confident using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access Databases.
- Comfortable communicating professionally with clients and colleagues.
- Ability to stay organised and juggle multiple tasks under pressure.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in daily work.
- A positive, flexible attitude to new challenges.
- Ability to work with others and contribute to team success.
- Keeping records and processes aligned with high standards of quality and integrity.
If you are interested in this role but not sure if your skills and experience are exactly what we\’re looking for, please do apply, we\’d love to hear from you
Employment Type:
Full-time, Permanent
Location:
Southampton
Security Clearance Level:
DBS
Internal Recruiter:
Chloe
Salary:
£24,900 per annum
Benefits:
25 days annual leave with the choice to buy extra days, health cash plan, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund
Although this role is advertised as full-time, we believe that flexibility at work can promote work/life balance, increase your motivation, reduce stress and improves performance and productivity. We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you\’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.
Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) was created by the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver corporate services to the NHS. A unique joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital services and software development, we make life easier for NHS employees, patients, and suppliers, and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. Proud members of the NHS family, we provide finance & accounting, digital, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England, and our solutions are underpinned by cutting-edge technologies and our teams\’ expertise, in-depth understanding of the NHS, and commitment to service excellence.
We share common values and unity of purpose with the rest of the NHS family, are committed to being a force for good, and are dedicated and empowered to act responsibly and sustainably at organisational, team and individual level.
Would you like to join us on our journey?
We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida, the UK\’s largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.
RA Agent employer: Sopra Steria
Contact Detail:
Sopra Steria Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land RA Agent
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees on LinkedIn and ask them about their experiences. This can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by practising common questions related to smartcard management and NHS standards. We recommend role-playing with a friend to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your enthusiasm for the role! During interviews, express how excited you are about contributing to healthcare and supporting NHS staff. It makes a difference!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can keep you fresh in their minds and show that you’re genuinely interested in the position.
We think you need these skills to ace RA Agent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight how your skills match the role. We want to see how you can contribute to our team in Southampton, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant experience!
Show Off Your Attention to Detail: Given the nature of the RA Agent role, it’s crucial to demonstrate your strong attention to detail. Use specific examples in your application that showcase your ability to maintain accuracy and compliance in your previous work.
Be Professional Yet Personable: While we appreciate professionalism, we also love a bit of personality! Don’t be afraid to let your unique voice shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who can communicate effectively with clients and colleagues alike.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re keen and ready to join our journey at NHS Shared Business Services!
How to prepare for a job interview at Sopra Steria
✨Know Your Stuff
Familiarise yourself with Care Identity Management and the specific processes involved in smartcard management. Understanding the NHS Right to Work and Identity Standards will show that you're serious about the role and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since you'll be liaising with clients and colleagues, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and professionally. Think of examples where you've successfully resolved queries or collaborated with a team, as these will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively.
✨Stay Organised
Prepare to discuss how you manage multiple tasks under pressure. Bring up any tools or methods you use to stay organised, as this is crucial for the role. A well-structured approach to your work will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Emphasise Attention to Detail
Highlight your experience with maintaining accurate records and ensuring compliance. Be ready to share specific instances where your attention to detail made a difference, especially in high-stakes environments like healthcare.