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Administrator (Job Share)

Biodynamic Association
Remote working and office in Stroud, Gloucestershire

Posted: 8 Oct 2025

Deadline: 21 Nov 2025

Compensation: £25,169 FTE

Paid Part-time Remote working

Job description

The biodynamic certification office is looking for an administrator to job share with the administrator for 15 hours per week on Thursdays and Fridays. The administrator will be responsible to the office coordinator for assisting with the day to day running of the certification office.

Excellent IT, communication and organisational skills are essential as is the ability to work methodically and meet deadlines. Knowledge of product certification systems, biodynamic and organic agriculture will be a significant advantage to the successful applicant but is not essential as full training will be given. An overview of the main tasks are listed below:

• Receive and deal with telephone and email enquiries regarding the Demeter and BDA Organic Certification Schemes, and refer to the administrator, admin assistant, processing technical officer or  the production technical officer as appropriate;
• Send information about the certification schemes to interested parties;
• Send application forms and invoices for application fees to all interested applicants;
• Liaise with inspectors regarding the timing of inspection visits;
• Receive and bank fee payments (cheques and BACS) from licensees, and keep records of fees paid;
• Credit control and sending reminders to outstanding debtors
• Send out certificates and schedules, as appropriate, to licensees;
• Send and receive contracts for use of Demeter or Organic logos and Trademark, as appropriate;
• Receive and refer to the office coordinator any appeals or complaints from licensees.

Additional tasks:

• Maintain the database register of licensees and certified products;
• Support the administrator with the statutory reports to DEFRA, as required, on statistics, new applications, withdrawals, annual statistical reports, etc;
• Maintain a physical and electronic filing system and records of all inspection report forms, certification decisions, certificates issued, letters, emails, derogations, information, etc. via the database (FilemakerPro); invoices via Xero
• Distribute revisions of standards, operating procedures, and other certification scheme documentation to licensees and relevant personnel;
• Provide a point of contact for licensees, DEFRA, other Organic Certification Bodies, etc.
• Arrange and write minutes for the certification board meetings, in consultation with the Chair of the certification board if those fall on the relevant working days
• Help maintain the certification website: bdcertification.org.uk

Any other administrative and statistical tasks that arise.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

The administrative assistant must have the ability to organise and support the administrator in a busy certification office. This requires at least one year of administrative experience and/or training in secretarial and/or administrative skills.

• Professional telephone manner required, and able to follow up  calls with written confirmation and database logging
• Good level of written and spoken English
• Excellent IT skills, including email, Word and Excel are essential. Experience of databases (Filemaker Pro and Xero) will be an advantage but is not essential

• Reasonable typing skills are necessary
• Good communication skills are required as is the ability to apply compassion and understanding.
• Some basic knowledge of Bookkeeping would be helpful.The ability to work semi-independently and be self-motivated is essential
• Knowing when to hold back and ask questions is a key attribute
• Diplomacy and able to observe strict confidentiality is also essential

ANNUAL HOLIDAYS AND HOLIDAY PAY:

The normal annual holiday with pay is 21 days per year FTE.  Additionally you are entitled to bank and other Public Holidays. A further day’s   paid holiday is given for each full year’s completed service up to a maximum of 9 extra days. For employees working on a part-time basis, entitlement to holiday will be calculated using the ratio of hours/days worked to full time hours (37.5/week).

The administrator will be employed for 15 hours per week over 2 days (all day Thurs, Friday). The starting salary is £25,169 FTE.

If you would like to talk through the job then please contact Margaret McGair (Mondays to Wednesdays) on 01453 766296 or email at certification@biodynamic.org.uk 

Application information

Send in a letter and cv to certification@biodynamic.org.uk

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