Find More Than 10K+
United Kingdom Jobs

Job description

Business Support Officer

Full-time, 37 hours per week - Fixed term contract until 31st March 2024

Salary- £25,266.22 per annum (Band 1B on Cognus pay scale)

Location: Cognus office, Wallington (Minimum 3 days a week will be office based)

The Business Support Team are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and innovative Business Support Officer to join our team on a full-time basis. This role will be part of the wider Business Support Team, providing administration support to services across the Company, but primarily supporting our Inclusion Service.

The successful candidate will need to have good keyboard skills and a keen eye for detail, as they will be updating and inputting data onto Servelec Case Management and various trackers/databases. They must have a very good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and have an interest in learning more about the support roles we provide to schools and families.

As part of the wider Business Support Team, you will be asked to assist with various administrative tasks across the company, from dealing with administration of panel meetings, to assisting with complaint handling, meeting and greeting visitors to the team, and by covering reception duties on a rota basis, amongst other duties. The successful candidate would need to be able to communicate effectively with students, staff, and parents in a professional and friendly manner and have experience of taking minutes in high profile meetings across the Company.

Cognus is at a very exciting moment in its evolution and growth. To support this expansion, we are looking for a professional and experienced individual who is willing to learn about the various teams that the wider Business Support Team support. An individual that enjoys a varied workload, is very organised, and who would be committed to delivering with excellence for the wider Business Support Team.

You will give us great commitment and in return we offer an excellent package including:

• Workplace pension scheme 4% to 8% matched contributions
• 28 days annual leave pro rata (plus Bank Holidays)
• Regular manager support and supervision.
• Regular CPD opportunities, including internal coaching
• Flexible working
• Perkbox and Sovereign Healthcare Cashback plans
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Staff Council, Staff EDI group and Mental Health First Aiders to support wellbeing and inclusion
• Cognus Coaching Programmes
• An ambitious culture with friendly and supportive colleagues

If you are interested and would like to be considered for this role, please apply to us directly with a completed application form, outlining your suitability. Please visit our website (www.cognus.org.uk) and head to the current vacancies page where you will find a full job description, application form and more information on how to apply to us directly.

Application form - https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fcognus.org.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FCognus-Application-Form.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

The deadline for receipt is midnight on Tuesday 25th April 2023. Candidates are requested to be available for interview on Thursday 4th May 2023.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

For an informal conversation about the role please contact Julie-Anne Walter at 020 8323 0430

All offers of employment are subject to successful completion of recruitment formalities which includes an enhanced DBS check. These checks must have been completed prior to commencement of employment. We expect our staff to have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the Company and the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Business Support Officer

DIVISION: Business Support Team

REPORTS TO: Business Support Manager

JOB SUMMARY:

• The post holder is responsible for undertaking the varied business support functions of the Company, including support of business processes, customer-facing support, panels, and team trackers across the various teams within the Company.
• The post holder supports the Business Support Manager with the creation and agreement of the Business Support service in line with the Company’s vision, values and strategy.
• The post holder provides support and services by interpreting instructions and making a choice of the methods or tools appropriate to the job. This is to deliver a specific Business Support service to a defined standard. This may include planning and scheduling the work of others.
• The post holder will be a member of the Business Support Team but may be placed into a role supporting other teams within the Company and will have duties to perform as required by that team.
• The post holder is a role model of the professional behaviours outlined in the Company Code of Conduct and Leadership Capability documents.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• To deliver core tasks under the direction of a more senior member of staff to ensure services run efficiently and accurately following defined standard operating procedures.
• To deal with routine issues/problems to ensure customer issues are resolved effectively, escalating to the relevant team manager when necessary.
• To identify faults with tools/equipment (e.g., printers, ICT equipment etc.) and report them to the appropriate department for repair where necessary.
• To co-ordinate room bookings and meetings and be prepared to provide a minute taking service.
• To assist with subject access requests, complaints, file retrieval as directed by the Business Support Manager.
• To update and maintain database systems and create spreadsheets and documents.
• To process referrals and applications for various teams across the Company.
• Action correspondence, emails, phone calls as required and support the management of client relationship and expectations of our stakeholders.
• Process the payment of invoices, raise quotes and purchase orders, and carry out other financial tasks in accordance with defined standard operating procedures.
• To provide customer facing contact with clients when required.
• To provide admin support to the various panels across the Company, from preparing papers and updating trackers, to attending meetings and recording decisions made and then sending out any necessary paperwork following the meetings.
• To provide admin support to a specific area within the Company, ensuring that all processes within that service area are followed in accordance with a set of procedures provided by the team in question.
• Complete mandatory e-learning modules and training as required.
• Understand personal responsibility regarding confidentiality, GDPR and information governance and adhere to and promote the Company policies in all areas, including Safeguarding of Children, Data Protection, ICT, Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity.
• To ensure attendance and constructive participation in supervisions, appraisals and team meetings in line with the Company’s standards.
• To ensure on-going personal professional development and discuss his/her needs with their line manager.

This post will specifically be responsible for the following:

• Administration of Primary and Secondary Vulnerable Pupils Panels, from the collation of papers, dissemination of information, minuting decisions and actions
• Administration of the Attendance Steering Group, from the collation of papers, dissemination of information, minuting decisions and actions
• Sending out Elective Home Education packs
• Recording of information on Case Management, as directed by the Inclusion Service
• Any other Inclusion related tasks, as directed by the Head of Inclusion and the Inclusion Coordinators.

GENERAL: PROCESSING OF DATA:

• You (“the employee”) consent to the holding and processing of personal data provided by you to the Company (“the Company”) for all purposes relating to your employment, but not limited to administering and maintaining personnel records, paying and reviewing salary and other remuneration and benefits, undertaking performance appraisals and reviews, the compulsory Disclosure and Baring Services check (DBS) details in line with its statutory responsibility to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable service users; maintaining sickness and other absence records and taking decisions as to your fitness for work.
• You hereby acknowledge and agree that the Company may, in the course of its general and statutory duties as an employer be required to disclose personal data relating to you for legislative purposes during or after the end of your employment. This does not affect your statutory rights under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT:

• During your employment, you will have access to and knowledge of Company confidential information and trade secrets.
• Disclosure of any of this confidential information and/or trade secrets could have serious financial consequences and/or create serious competitive disadvantages for the Company. There may be material damage, financial or otherwise, deliberate, or otherwise, to the Company’s legitimate business interest.
• Under the terms of this confidentiality agreement, you agree to keep secret and shall not at any time, either during employment or post-employment, use, communicate or reveal to any person any trade secret or confidential information relating to the Company or any Associated Company.
• You are aware of the Company’s policies in relation to compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and undertake to act in accordance with these at all times. Any breach of these policies will be dealt with under the Company’s disciplinary procedure and action taken can include dismissal without notice.

SAFER RECRUITMENT:
An offer of employment is subject to safer recruitment practices which include an enhanced DBS check, two professional references acceptable to Cognus Limited, proof of qualifications, proof of right to work in the UK, proof of personal address and employment history covering 5 years and, fitness to work with children (occupational health assessment). These checks must have been completed prior to commencement of employment.

This job description and person specification outlines the summary of key accountabilities and is not an exhaustive list of duties and, is subject to periodical review and changes in line with the business needs.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Key
E - Essential, D - Desirable, I - evaluated at interview, T - subject to test, S - shortlisting criteria

Criteria

Ability to co-ordinate statutory and complex meetings / conferences / reviews / panels - E, S, I

Minute taking skills: being able to administer full, accurate and detailed minutes of complex panels / team meetings within agreed timescales- E, S, I, T

Proofreading skills: being able to proofread complex reports within agreed timescales - E, S, I, T

Experience of using a wide range of IT packages in a business environment, and to use these to deliver a cost-effective and customer-focused service - E, S, T

Ability to work in a detailed task-oriented environment, delivering high accuracy results to excellent standards - E, S, I

Ability to use a dedicated Finance system (i.e., Xero and ApprovalMax) to produce quotes, purchase orders and invoices if required by the team - D, S, I

Ability to use the most appropriate style and method of communication with people at different levels inside and outside of the organisation - E, S, I

Ability to manage time effectively, to work on own initiative to manage and prioritise own workload, setting appropriate objectives and deadlines and attention to detail - E, S, I

Ability to analyse information, and considering alternative solutions, adapting to new ways of working where necessary - E, I

Ability to provide a customer-focused approach to service delivery and participate in identifying and implementing opportunities for improving the service - E, S, I

Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate complex matters clearly and concisely - E, S, I

Willingness to undertake ongoing learning, training and development - E

Honours and upholds the Company’s Equal Opportunity Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, Safeguarding and Protection of Children, Health and Safety and Data Protection Policy at all times. Understanding of confidentially, GDPR and information governance issues and how these are observed and maintained - E

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Salary: From £25,266.22 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• A-Level or equivalent (preferred)

Work Location: One location

Application deadline: 25/04/2023