diff --git a/backend/src/services/emails.ts b/backend/src/services/emails.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bef1fff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/services/emails.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import "dotenv/config";
+import nodemailer from "nodemailer";
+import env from "../util/validateEnv";
+
+/**
+ * Sends a notification email to PAP staff when a VSR is submitted.
+ * Throws an error if the email could not be sent.
+ *
+ * @param name Name of veteran who submitted the VSR
+ * @param email Email address of veteran who submitted the VSR
+ */
+const sendVSRNotificationEmailToStaff = async (name: string, email: string) => {
+  const EMAIL_SUBJECT = "New VSR Submitted";
+  const EMAIL_BODY = `A new VSR was submitted by ${name} from ${email}`;
+
+  const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
+    service: "gmail",
+    auth: {
+      user: env.EMAIL_USER,
+      pass: env.EMAIL_APP_PASSWORD,
+    },
+  });
+
+  const mailOptions = {
+    from: env.EMAIL_USER,
+    to: env.EMAIL_NOTIFICATIONS_RECIPIENT,
+    subject: EMAIL_SUBJECT,
+    text: EMAIL_BODY,
+  };
+
+  await transporter.sendMail(mailOptions);
+};
+
+export { sendVSRNotificationEmailToStaff };
diff --git a/backend/src/util/validateEnv.ts b/backend/src/util/validateEnv.ts
index 6d04f81..410a855 100644
--- a/backend/src/util/validateEnv.ts
+++ b/backend/src/util/validateEnv.ts
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ export default cleanEnv(process.env, {
   FRONTEND_ORIGIN: str(), // URL of frontend, to allow CORS from frontend
   EMAIL_USER: email(), // Email address to use for sending emails
   EMAIL_APP_PASSWORD: str(), // App password to use for sending emails
+  EMAIL_NOTIFICATIONS_RECIPIENT: email(), // Recipient of VSR notification emails
   BACKEND_FIREBASE_SETTINGS: json(), // Firebase settings for backend, stored as a JSON string
 });