Apprentice Business Support Officer

Old Moat; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in Manchester is seeking two Apprentice Business Support Officers. You'll provide administrative support to legal teams, contributing to high-quality services. Candidates should possess good communication and ICT skills, be willing to undertake a Level 3 CILEx Business Administration qualification, and exhibit a commitment to learn and develop in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Bulging pension scheme

Enhanced parental and carers leave

Access to various discounts and benefits

Professional development opportunities

Volunteering leave

Qualifications

• Good literacy and numeracy skills to produce letters and documents.
• Ability to meet deadlines through effective workload prioritisation.
• Capability to interpret rules and resolve queries.

Responsibilities

• Preparation of draft letters to external agencies.
• Inputting and extracting data on our case management system.
• Managing general enquiries by phone and/or email.

Skills

Communication Skills

Planning and Organising

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Administrative

Analytical

Accurate keyboard skills

ICT Skills (Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel)

Education

GCSE Grade C/4 in Maths or English

Level 3 CILEx Business Administration certification

Job description

About The Role

Working hours: 35 hours per week (office based for 4 days a week, 1 day a week college / study day)

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: 11.59pm, 9 December 2025

Interview method: In person

This role is subject to:

• Proof of Manchester Residency – Roles at Grade 1 to 3, traineeships, or apprenticeships will initially only be advertised to Manchester residents and internal candidates. An applicant is classed as a resident of Manchester if they live within the boundaries of the City of Manchester; i.e. Any Council Tax liability for their home would be with Manchester City Council. To check if you fall under the Manchester City Council boundary please visit https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

• Advanced Apprenticeship – As an advanced apprenticeship, the successful applicant will be required to undertake a course of study leading to a Level 3 CILEx Business Administration certification. If you do not hold GCSE Grade C/4 in Maths or English you will be required to pass a functional skills equivalent as part of the apprenticeship. This qualification will take 18 months and on successful completion, annual salary will increase to £25,185.

  Applicants who have attended further education are welcome to apply to gain new skills or specialise in a different area. This is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons! However, please note due to Department of Education funding rules for apprenticeships you are not eligible for this role if you have a qualification at Level 3 or above in Business Administration through CILEx or a similar field. Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if it is found that your prior qualifications conflict with the apprenticeship framework.

We are currently recruiting for two Apprentice Business Support Officers to work in our busy Legal Services Business Support Team supporting our team of Lawyers and Legal Officers who work for Manchester City Council’s Legal Services and also provide a Legal Service to Salford, Rochdale and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

This is an exciting and interesting role where the successful candidate will contribute to providing high‑quality legal services to all Council departments, delivering innovative legal support to meet the Council’s objectives, strategic planning and policy development.

You will be trained in a wide range of administrative skills, including use of our case management system, with a desire to learn and develop further. The role requires good ICT skills, including use of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. You will be developed to become a key member of a team in the provision of high‑quality business support, contributing effectively to the development of business support initiatives and effectively produce and collate accurate information to support the performance of a high‑quality service.

As part of the Apprenticeship, you must undertake and successfully complete the Level 3 CILEx Business Administration certification over a period of 18 months.

Job Responsibilities

• Preparation of draft letters to external agencies
• Preparation of court bundles using our online system
• Inputting and extracting data on our case management system
• Photocopying, scanning and printing
• Managing general enquiries by phone and/or email
• File opening – ensuring new files are LEXCEL compliant
• Filing of documents and correspondence
• Sealing of documents
• Binding
• Receipting cheques

About the Candidate

• Communication Skills: Demonstrates an understanding of the views of others and communicates in a realistic and practical manner using appropriate language and medium, listens attentively to views and issues of others. Good literacy and numeracy skills to undertake calculations and produce letters and other documentation.
• Planning and Organising: Provides work on time and to required standard and is capable of prioritising own workload in order to meet deadlines.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making: Ability to interpret rules and guidelines in order to resolve queries. ICT Skills: Ability to use multiple applications, systems and associated software packages.
• Administrative: Ability to use and maintain effective administration systems in a rapidly changing environment.
• Analytical: Ability to gather and analyse information, opportunities and problems.
• Accurate keyboard skills
• Competent use of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel

About Us

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance: Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• Bulging pension: You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three‑times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave: Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your newborn or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks: Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow: We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member: We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognise three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave: Give back to the community with three days pro‑rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text‑to‑speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panel’s minimum shortlisting requirement for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long‑term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability‑friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [e-mail].

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre‑employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK.
• References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Proof of Qualifications: Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.
• Proof of Manchester Residency: For some roles, you may need to demonstrate that you reside within the boundaries of Manchester City Council.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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