How to become a public services associate professional
Official title: Public services associate professionals
Also called: Foreign service officer, Electoral services manager, Democratic services officer, Democratic services assistant, Patient advice and liaison service officer, Band 3, Band 4, Band d, Band e, Band 3a, Band 3b, Band 3c
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
- Manages the activities of government office staff, assigns tasks and responsibilities and makes changes in procedures to deal with variations in workload
- Assists senior government officers with policy work, external liaison or general administrative work
- 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.
- Organises resources for the acceptance and recording of vacancy details, the selection of suitable applicants and other Job Centre activities
- Authorises the payment of social security benefits, assesses the financial circumstances of claimants and investigates any state insurance contribution problems
- Undertakes supervisory duties specific to the operation of Revenue and Customs offices, Job Centres, Benefits Agency offices and other local offices of national government
- 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
- Discusses business strategy, products, services and target client base with management to identify public relations requirements
How to become one
Although there are no formal academic entry requirements, entrants typically possess A levels/H grades or an equivalent qualification, and many entrants possess a degree. Entry may be possible by promotion from clerical grades for those with suitable experience. Training is typically provided on-the-job, supplemented by specialised courses. Professional qualifications are available in some areas.
Ways in
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
- University: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £39,537 a year The middle half earn £34,538 to £46,806.
- About 153,500 people work in this job now, and about 160,600 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a public services associate professional?
Although there are no formal academic entry requirements, entrants typically possess A levels/H grades or an equivalent qualification, and many entrants possess a degree. Entry may be possible by promotion from clerical grades for those with suitable experience. Training is typically provided on-the-job, supplemented by specialised courses. Professional qualifications are available in some areas.
How much does a public services associate professional earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £39,537 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £34,538 to £46,806.
Is a public services associate professional a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 153,500 to about 160,600 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a public services associate professional?
Not always. 51% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Arts & Humanities degrees; Business & Commerce degrees.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.