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Public services associate professionals supervise, manage and undertake general administrative work in national and local government departments, organise the activities of local offices of national government departments, and promote the image and understanding of an organisation and its products and services to consumers and other specified audiences.

Main tasks

  • Writes, edits and arranges for the distribution of press releases and other public relations material, addresses target groups through meetings, presentations, the media and other events to enhance the public image of the organisation, and monitors and evaluates its effectiveness.
  • Discusses business strategy, products, services and target client base with management to identify public relations requirements.
  • Advises the public or companies on general tax problems and arranges for the issue, receipt and examination of tax forms, assessment of PAYE codes and the computation of tax arrears and rebates.
  • Undertakes supervisory duties specific to the operation of Revenue and Customs offices, Job Centres, Benefits Agency offices and other local offices of national government.
  • Authorises the payment of social security benefits, assesses the financial circumstances of claimants and investigates any state insurance contribution problems.
  • Organises resources for the acceptance and recording of vacancy details, the selection of suitable applicants and other Job Centre activities.
  • Supervises a variety of administrative functions in government departments such as recruitment and training, the negotiation and arrangement of contracts, building and capital management, monitoring and authorising department expenditure etc..
  • Assists senior government officers with policy work, external liaison or general administrative work.
  • Manages the activities of government office staff, assigns tasks and responsibilities and makes changes in procedures to deal with variations in workload.

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Salary and earnings

Potential earnings

£68,777.25

Average earnings

£34,306.99

Source: Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

Skills & knowledge

The top 5 most important skills and knowledge requirements relevant to this career.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modelling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Clerical

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Personnel and Human Resources

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labour relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

What course level do I need to study?

The level of study required will vary with each job, sector and company. The table below shows the level of study achieved by those currently working in this career choice.

Educational requirements: Level 3 NVQ; A Levels

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Level of study Percentage achieved
Level 0 1%
Level 1 3%
Level 2 18%
Level 3 21%
Level 4-5 (Higher Education) 12%
Level 6 (Bachelors) 31%
Level 7 (Masters or equivalent) 13%
Level 8 (Doctorate) 0%

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) data.

Economic data for careers is provided by Lightcast and also available through our Career Coach app. Job postings, employment and earnings information is represented at the regional level for the East Midlands.