Business Support and Finance Executive in Ipswich

Location: Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX, hybrid working

Salary: £28,598 per annum (pro‑rata for part time)

Hours: 37 hours per week, with flexible working options available

Contract: Permanent

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship due to not meeting the minimum requirements for a Skilled Worker visa.

Responsibilities

• You will provide proactive business support and financial administration that helps the Suffolk Economy Team deliver its priorities and run smoothly day to day.
• You will keep on top of purchase orders and invoices, help produce clear monthly reporting, maintain key trackers and filing systems, and play a vital role in supporting the Suffolk Business Board – from organising meetings to producing minutes and following up actions.
• You will work with colleagues across the council and with external partners, so being organised, accurate and confident communicating with others will help you thrive.
• Processing purchase orders, invoices and payment transactions accurately and in line with financial controls.
• Supporting monthly finance reporting for Delivery Leads and Budget Managers, including basic budget monitoring and highlighting variances.
• Liaising with internal teams and external suppliers/partners to validate invoices, resolve queries and support timely payments.
• Maintaining secure, accurate financial records and documentation in line with council policies and information governance.
• Keeping strategic action trackers up to date (interventions, milestones and key performance indicators) and producing updates for senior stakeholders.
• Supporting recruitment activity – organising interviews, preparing candidate materials and coordinating logistics.
• Managing digital filing systems, version control and where relevant shared mailbox triage, ensuring correspondence is prioritised and actioned.
• Supporting procurement administration, including quotations, record keeping and compliance checks.
• Coordinating Suffolk Business Board meetings end-to-end (diary management, papers, room/virtual setup and attendee support).
• Drafting and formatting meeting notes and minutes, tracking actions and following up to support strong governance.

Qualifications

• ILM Level 3/5 in Business Management (or equivalent knowledge and experience).
• Experience of financial processes, regulations and systems (or equivalent knowledge and experience).
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, especially Excel, and working with corporate systems such as Oracle and purchase-to-pay (P2P).
• Strong written and verbal communication – you can explain information clearly and build good working relationships.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and respond to non-routine queries, escalating issues appropriately and keeping clear records.
• A practical understanding of confidentiality and data protection in the workplace.
• A collaborative mindset and a commitment to living the council's values (including WEASPIRE).

Benefits

• Up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro‑rata) plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days.
• Membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits.
• Performance‑related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost‑of‑living pay increase.
• Training and encouragement to expand your knowledge.
• A variety of career development opportunities across our organisation.
• Diverse and active staff networks.
• Flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day.

Equality and Inclusion

We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently under‑represented in the organisation. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce and supporting equity and inclusion as outlined in our Workforce Equality Report.