Business Support Administrator - FTC 12 Months

Birmingham Children’s Trust Limited; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free on-site parking

Annual leave 30 days + holidays

Hybrid working

Local government pension

Job summary

Birmingham Children’s Trust is seeking a proactive Business Support Administrator to join the Fostering Assessment Service. You’ll provide end-to-end administrative support to Social Work teams, coordinate foster carer applications and maintain records within timescales.

The role requires strong organisation, excellent communication, and the ability to manage confidentiality. Hybrid working arrangements are in place, with attendance at multiple Trust locations as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience of providing high-quality administrative support within a busy environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• The ability to maintain accurate records and manage confidential information appropriately.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to produce accurate work to tight deadlines.
• The ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues, applicants and stakeholders at all levels.
• The ability to interpret information, identify issues and contribute to solutions.
• A customer-focused approach with a commitment to delivering excellent service.

Responsibilities

• Providing administrative support throughout the fostering assessment process.
• Coordinating and monitoring prospective foster carer applications from initial enquiry through to completion of assessment.
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records on the Trust's case management systems.
• Preparing, collating and distributing documents, midpoint reviews, reports and correspondence.
• Scheduling meetings, interviews and appointments for applicants and practitioners.
• Liaising professionally with prospective foster carers, Social Workers and partner agencies.
• Monitoring workflow processes and ensuring actions are completed within statutory and service timescales.
• Supporting the team with data management, reporting requirements and performance information.
• Providing excellent customer service and responding to enquiries in a timely and professional manner.

Skills

Administrative support

Organisation

Communication

MS Office

Records management

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Problem solving

Customer service

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About The Role

Birmingham Children's Trust is going from strength to strength. We are the largest provider of family support and social care services for children, young people and families in the country. Our goal is to become a centre of excellence in both social care and family support. By choosing to work for us, you will be part of a supportive, dynamic service contributing to our improvement journey towards Outstanding.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees; a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

We actively deliver services that are culturally responsive to the needs of the children, parents and carers we work with, ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do.

About the Role

We have an exciting full-time opportunity within the Fostering Assessment Service, part of our Business Support Service, for a self-motivated and organised Business Support Administrator to provide essential administrative support to our Social Work teams.

The Fostering Assessment Team plays a vital role in recruiting and assessing prospective foster carers, ensuring that children and young people have access to safe, stable, and nurturing family-based placements. The Business Support Team is integral to this process, providing high-quality administrative support throughout the foster carer assessment journey.

As a Business Support Administrator, you will provide efficient end-to-end support to the fostering Business Support team; with focus on Fostering Assessment, ensuring that all administrative processes are completed accurately and within required timescales. This includes supporting foster carer applications, coordinating key stages of the assessment process, arranging meetings, maintaining records and ensuring documentation is prepared and processed in a timely manner.

You will work closely with Social Workers, Team Managers, applicants, and partner agencies to support the delivery of an effective fostering assessment service.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing administrative support throughout the fostering assessment process.
• Coordinating and monitoring prospective foster carer applications from initial enquiry through to completion of assessment.
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records on the Trust's case management systems.
• Preparing, collating and distributing documents, midpoint reviews, reports and correspondence.
• Scheduling meetings, interviews and appointments for applicants and practitioners.
• Liaising professionally with prospective foster carers, Social Workers and partner agencies.
• Monitoring workflow processes and ensuring actions are completed within statutory and service timescales.
• Supporting the team with data management, reporting requirements and performance information.
• Providing excellent customer service and responding to enquiries in a timely and professional manner.

As part of a centralised and flexible support service, maintaining critical services for children and families, you may occasionally be required to provide support across other areas of the Fostering Service as business needs require.

About You

We are looking for a motivated and proactive individual who is passionate about delivering high-quality business support and customer service. You will be highly organised, able to manage competing priorities, and demonstrate excellent attention to detail.

You will be able to work effectively as part of a team whilst also using your initiative to manage your own workload and meet deadlines.

Key Skills and Experience

In your personal statement, please demonstrate how you meet the following criteria:

• Experience of providing high-quality administrative support within a busy environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• The ability to maintain accurate records and manage confidential information appropriately.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to produce accurate work to tight deadlines.
• The ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues, applicants and stakeholders at all levels.
• The ability to interpret information, identify issues and contribute to solutions.
• A customer-focused approach with a commitment to delivering excellent service.

We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. This is a fantastic achievement for Birmingham Children's Trust, with many positive highlights focusing on areas including the quality of staff leadership, partnership working, safeguarding and corporate parenting.

The role will be based at Lifford House and One Avenue Road, with hybrid working arrangements in place. Attendance at other Trust locations may be required to support service delivery and business needs. You must have the correct right-to-work documents to work in the UK. Sadly, we do not support those who require sponsorship or on a VISA.

Onboarding Process

Onboarding Process: Please note as part of our onboarding process, the successful candidate will be required undergo a series of background checks with Experian including Experian Right to Work, and Digital ID verification. These are essential pre-employment requirements.

Our Benefits

• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Free on-site parking at our offices on One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley). We also provide onsite electric car charging ports which are free to use!
• Full access to our amazing internal employee benefits scheme including, Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefits discounts (including the Blue Light Card), Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and much more!
• Flexible andhybrid working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home and we offer a variety of working patterns.
• Pension Scheme - You will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme in line with the local government pension scheme.

About Us

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work- be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment- enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development- benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits- take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.