Business Support Officer

Reporting to: Deputy Director Operations
Location: Edinburgh
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract - 14 months (maternity cover)
Hours: 25 - 28 hours per week worked across 4 or 5 days
Salary: £33,307 per annum (full-time equivalent)

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is the trade association for the Scotch Whisky industry. We support and represent our members across a wide range of priorities, including industry promotion, regulatory and legal matters, sustainability, international market access and protecting the Scotch Whisky category worldwide.

We are recruiting for a Business Support Officer to work alongside the Corporate Services team, providing a professional front of house service and wide-ranging administrative support. The postholder will act as a key first point of contact for visitors, employees, customers and stakeholders, while also supporting teams across the SWA with day-to-day administration, finance-related tasks, meetings, hospitality, travel arrangements and ad hoc project work.

This is a hands‑on, varied role in a small, collaborative organisation, suited to someone who is organised, approachable and confident providing excellent customer service, practical administrative support and discreet handling of information.

What you’ll be doing

• Providing a full reception service and acting as the first point of contact for visitors, employees, customers and stakeholders.
• Answering telephone enquiries, greeting visitors, arranging travel and couriers, and supporting front of house activity.
• Receiving, sorting, distributing and sending mail within the SWA.
• Maintenance and monitoring of the enquiries and accounts inboxes, directing emails appropriately.
• Supporting the Finance team with expenses claims, invoice approvals, supplier records and associated administration.
• Supporting the Office Manager with office and event supplies, meetings, hospitality, events and wider office coordination.
• Providing administrative support to the Corporate Services team, including appropriate research and regular update reports where required.
• Supporting HR administration as needed and providing annual leave cover for the Executive Assistant to the CEO.
• Undertaking planned or ad hoc project work to support teams across the SWA during busy periods.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone with experience in a similar front of house or administrative support role, who can provide a warm, professional first point of contact while managing a varied workload accurately and confidentially.

You will bring:

• experience working in a similar front of house environment as the first point of contact for communications
• excellent customer service skills, with an approachable, warm and professional manner
• strong organisational skills and the ability to manage varied administrative tasks accurately
• excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence communicating in different ways
• competence using Microsoft Word, Excel, email systems and other standard software packages
• the ability to handle confidential matters with discretion, including financial information and people-related information
• experience supporting a finance team, purchase ledger processing or wider project administration would be advantageous

Working arrangements

The role is based in Edinburgh. We are open to flexible working arrangements, with a minimum of 25 hours per week worked across 4 or 5 days, up to 28 hours.

Closing date:

Sunday 4 October 2026 at 23:59

Interviews:

Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October 2026 in person in Edinburgh

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We will make reasonable adjustments to support candidates throughout the recruitment process.

JOB DESCRIPTION — Business Support Officer

Reporting to: Deputy Director Operations
Location: Edinburgh
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract -14 months (maternity cover)
Hours: 25 - 28 hours per week worked across 4 or 5 days
Salary: £33,307 per annum (full-time equivalent)

Role purpose

The Business Support Officer contributes to the SWA’s success through working alongside the Corporate Services team to provide both administrative support and an excellent front of house service.The postholder will also work alongside the wider team in a project support capacity. You will be accountable to the Deputy Director Operations and will be responsible for providing an excellent service in all aspects of front of house services and administrative tasks. This includes providing a wide range of professional reception services such as answering the telephone, greeting visitors and travel arrangements.

Key responsibilities

Front of House

• Providing a full reception service andacting as the first point of contact for all customers, employees and stakeholders entering the business.
• Arranging couriers for teams
• Responsible for receiving, sorting, distribution and sending of mail within the SWA.

Administrative

• Responsible for maintenance and monitoring of the enquiries email inbox and directing emails as appropriate.
• Responsible for maintenance and monitoring of accounts email inbox and directing emails as appropriate
• Supporting the Finance team with expenses claims, invoice approvals and associated tasks.
• Responsible for maintaining and confirming supplier records including bank and contact details.
• Supporting the Office Manager with maintenance and ordering of supplies required for the office and events.
• Supporting the HR Manager with administrative tasks as required.

Solutions and Support

• Providing an administrative support function to the Corporate Services Team.
• Undertake planned or ad hoc project work, supporting teams within the SWA during busy periods to boost capacity.
• Supporting all teams with the organisation and implementation of company meetings, hospitality and events.
• Undertaking appropriate research, providing regular update reports as required.
• Providing annual leave cover for the Executive Assistant to CEO

Person specification

Essential

• Experience working in a similar front of house environment as the first point of contact for all communications.
• Competent in the use of a range of software packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and email systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills holding the ability to communicate in a variety of different ways.
• Handles matters in confidence whether of a financial nature or relating to individuals.
• Expert organisational skills.
• Must hold excellent customer service skills, be approachable, warm and friendly ready to greet any visitors in a polite and professional manner.

Desirable

• Experience working either within or supporting a finance department.
• Experience of providing ad hoc project support to wider business departments.
• Experience of purchase ledger processing.

Behaviours and ways of working

Accountability: Takes ownership of front of house, inbox management, finance administration and office support tasks, following through accurately, promptly and professionally.

Respect: Provides a warm, helpful and professional service to visitors, colleagues, customers and stakeholders, communicating clearly and handling confidential matters with discretion and care.

Curiosity: Seeks to understand business needs, asks thoughtful questions and looks for practical ways to improve administrative processes, project support and the team experience.

General

Carry out any other reasonable duties consistent with the scope and purpose of the role.

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