Business Support Foundation Apprentice

NPT Pass; Neath; Hybrid; GBP 14,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

15.3% pension employer contribution

25 days holiday

Gym membership discount

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Neath Port Talbot Council is seeking a Foundation Apprentice in Children’s Services to provide administrative support to frontline social work teams. The role involves telephony, data entry, note taking, and records management, with opportunities to study for an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration.

The post is a fixed-term 15-month contract with 37 hours per week. It offers hybrid working arrangements, generous benefits, and a strong development pathway within Social Services.

Qualifications

• MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Excellent written and communication skills
• High attention to detail and strong time management
• Ability to work collaboratively while maintaining confidentiality
• clerical and administrative skills
• Experience dealing with clients or public enquiries
• Experience of working with people of all ages
• GCSEs at grade D or above, English/Welsh and Maths or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Handle telephony and data entry tasks
• Take notes of meetings and manage records
• Handle incoming/outgoing mail and team emails
• Support frontline Social Work Teams with admin tasks
• Assist with general administrative duties and confidentiality requirements

Skills

MS Office

Written communication

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

Administrative skills

Customer service

Work experience

Qualifications

Education

GCSEs/D equivalent

Job description

Details of the job are provided below. Further information is available in the Job Description and Person Specification.

Job details

Job reference REQ05888 Date posted 03/09/2026 Application closing date 14/09/2026 Location Various Salary £15,392 per Annum for first 12months (applicable to all age groups), increasing in Year 2 in line with the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage rates, dependent on age. Package Generous holiday entitlement, Employee Assistance Programme, Local Government Pension Scheme with 15.3% employer contributions, discounted gym membership with Celtic Leisure and excellent development opportunities Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Job category/type Administration and Business Support Attachments Foundation Apprentice Job Description and Person Spec - September 2026.docx Reasons to work for NPTCBC.pdf

Contract : Fixed Term Contract 15mths

Hours: 37hrs

Location of post: NEATH CIVIC CENTRE

Is this post a secondment? NO

Your workstyle will be a mobile hybrid worker in this role which gives you the flexibility to work from home and from a variety of Council workplaces

We are currently seeking efficient, flexible candidates, who are highly organised, and detail-oriented to join our teams as a (Foundation Apprentice) in Children’s Services.

This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to gain practical, hands-on work experience and a recognised qualification while receiving an income.

As a Foundation Apprentice, you will be part of a Business Support Team providing administrative support to frontline Social Work Teams in Social Services.

Administrative staff are the backbone of Social Services, ensuring that Social Workers can focus on direct work with families.

Your daily routine will include telephony, data entry, note taking of meetings, records management, managing incoming and outgoing mail and team email inboxes.

The successful candidate will be required to follow and complete an NVQ Level 2 qualification in Business Administration.

About you:

Do you have the below skills and experience:

• Technical/IT:Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Communication:Excellent written and communication skills.
• Organizational & Time Management: High attention to detail, strong time management, and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Interpersonal:Ability to work collaboratively within a team and maintain confidentiality.
• General Administration:Have effective clerical and administrative skills.
• Customer Service:Ability to deal with clients, or public enquiries professionally.
• Work Experience: Experience of working with people of all ages
• Qualifications:

GCSEs at grade D or above, 2 of which must be in English OR Welsh and Mathematics or equivalent.

About us:

We believe in rewarding and recognising our colleagues’ efforts and achievements. We also believe that there's life at work and life outside of work. We want everyone to be healthy and happy and have the financial resources and support they need.

Choose to work for us and you'll be rewarded with a range of attractive benefits and support to help you live your best life.

• Hybrid working (in some roles) and flexible working schemes to improve your work life balance
• Benefit from a competitive employee package with a remarkable 15.3% employer pension contribution
• Enjoy a holiday entitlement of 25 days, (not forgetting the additional 8 bank holidays too)
• Access discounted gym membership with Celtic Leisure
• Utilise the cycle to work scheme with up to 40% off bikes and cycling equipment
• Purchase a new car through Tusker salary sacrifice scheme
• Enjoy exclusive discounts at local and national retailers with the Smart Spend app through our staff wellbeing group.

Rachael Pickering, Business Support Manager Children's Services:

• This post is subject to a basic DBS disclosure

Neath Port Talbot Council is totally committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our schools/employees are equally committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all children and young people/vulnerable adults and will take action to safeguard their wellbeing.

The recruitment process for this post will be underpinned by rigorous safer recruitment assessment to ensure that children and young people are protected.

Welsh Language Requirements:

Welsh Language skills are not required when appointed to the post.

Additional Information:

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who have a disability and armed forces veterans. In support of employees of Tata Steel who are at risk of redundancy, or have been made redundant in 2024, Neath Port Talbot Council is offering a guaranteed interview for jobs across the Council. Please note that applicants must meet all the essential criteria, as shown in the person specification, to qualify for a guaranteed interview.

At Team NPT, we all work together to serve the people, communities and businesses of Neath Port Talbot.

We are committed to providing training opportunities and the professional development of all our employees.

We look forward to welcoming you to Team NPT.