Business Support Officer

Salary :  £33,699 – £38,220 per annum – Grade 4

Hours : Full time–  37 hours per week – Permanent

Location – Service Headquarters, Calcot, Reading

Hours: 37 per week

Excellent annual leave allowance of 28 days plus public holidays, and Flexible Working.

Onsite gym, parking facilities and a Local Government Pension Scheme are available.

This vacancy falls under eligibility criteria for the ‘Employee Referral Scheme.’

Other information about our benefits can be found here.

Working in Business Support within the fire service means stepping into a role where your skills make a difference every single day. Working as part of a team, you will be providing strategic support to the Senior Leadership Team and Directors, working across a variety of service areas to help deliver excellent service to the community of Berkshire.

It’s a chance to combine purpose with professional growth—bringing your organisational talent, problem-solving mindset, and people-focused approach to an environment that values integrity, teamwork, and innovation. If you’re looking for a role where your contribution truly matters and your work supports a safer future for everyone, this is the place to make your impact.

• Provide dedicated support to assigned members of the Senior Leadership Team
• Monitor budgets and support projects
• Write and prepare management and committee reports
• Manage diaries and respond to correspondence
• Organise and deliver events and visits
• Undertake analysis and research on specific issues
• Prepare and draft responses, including complaints and Freedom of Information requests
• Carry out systems-based work (data entry, interrogation, and assurance)
• Liaise with senior local and central government officers, politicians, community representatives, and private/voluntary sector organisations, demonstrating high political awareness and sensitivity

We are looking for someone who:

• Can operate with professionalism, integrity, and discretion in a sensitive environment
• Is able to prioritise decisions and implement solutions in a timely manner
• Communicates effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a range of audiences
• Has strong IT skills and is proficient in the full Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Has experience working in a multi-disciplinary team with competing priorities
• Is willing to attend meetings at various locations, including evening meetings of the Fire Authority

The successful candidate will demonstrate and promote behaviours in line with the Job Profile/Person Specification and our Behaviour Competency Framework as attached.

The Behavioural Competency Framework allows us to easily identify the behaviours that drive successful performance and enables us to deliver an effective service. The behaviours detailed within the job profile will be assessed throughout the selection process.

If you are interested in applying for this position, click Apply Now.

Please see the link to the Job Profile/Person Specification.

Appointment is conditional upon undertaking a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

For further details about the role or to simply discuss any adaptations or adjustments we can make to assist you in your application or with our recruitment process please contact Fayth Rowe, Executive Services Manager at rowef@rbfrs.co.uk to arrange an informal discussion.

Please note we do not accept applications via Agencies or CV’s without an accompanying application form.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday, 28 January 2026.

It is anticipated that the assessment and interview process will run on Thursday, 5 February and Friday, 6 February, with the anticipated start date to be as soon as possible following appointment.

Please note that is your personal responsibility to check whether by applying / accepting this position it would result in any Annual Allowance implications. A breach in the Annual Allowance threshold could result in a Tax charge.

Please view our privacy notice via this link Applicant Privacy Statement.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service values your individuality, your diversity and your dignity.  All are welcome here. Inclusion, diversity and equality are principles which guide our decisions and will be visible throughout the Service, and we will continually work to improve in these areas. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture of dignity and trust where everyone feels safe and comfortable to bring their whole self to work.

Simply: The communities we serve are varied and diverse, we should be too.

Applications are welcome for job-share or part time arrangements please enquire on application.

All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader – if you meet the essential criteria of the role, you will be guaranteed an interview if you choose to opt into the Offer of an Interview Scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme).

To find out more, visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion page.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and all employees must share this commitment.

Please view our Safer Recruitment Statement via this link.