Business Support Officer

Schools’ Choice; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job description

• Suffolk County Council - Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX - Hybrid
• £24,404 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
• Post 1: Permanent
• Post 2: Fixed Term or Secondment for 12 months

We are focused on making a meaningful difference in SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) across Suffolk. How? By listening to our people learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things.

As an Business Support Officer in the SEND Team, you'll be keen to collaborate and build a bright future as we are. To make a positive impact, connect with us and connect with a fantastic career.

Your role and responsibilities

You will be expected to provide high-quality support services to ensure processes and procedures are followed to deliver the statutory services across SEND.

Day-to-day tasks may include:

• Providing a high level of support to the SEND Business Support Manager (BSM) and wider SEND colleagues ensuring the smooth running of all required duties.
• Managing multiple requirements by prioritising and maintaining communication with BSM and other colleagues.
• Being given tasks at short notice and needing to be willing to rework current priorities.
• Maintaining office records and electronic systems.
• Learning aspects of other colleagues' roles in order to cover in periods of absence, which will strengthen team resilience.

You will need:

• A very flexible approach to changing responsibilities and an evolving role/service.
• Resilience in recognising there may be challenges ahead and excitement to face them.

You may not meet all of the requirements, but a willingness to learn and grow is valued, even if you don't have all the technical expertise yet. If you have a positive attitude towards change and learning, you might just be the perfect person for our team.

The team

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team works closely with children, young people and their families, schools, and other professionals to assess children's needs and develop Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The countywide Business Support team is pivotal in supporting the compliance of all statutory processes, maintaining efficient and timely correspondence and communication with young people, families, and carers, and ensuring accurate records.

Empowering Everyone

We are big believers in potential, possibility, and the power of different ideas. We are always searching for ways to encourage, respect, and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Danielle Stanton for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473260156 or emailing: [e-mail].

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (docx).

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (docx).

1. Describe a time when you used your communication and customer service skills to resolve an issue raised by an angry or upset customer. How did you turn the experience into a positive one?
2. How do you ensure accuracy and attention to detail in your work, especially when managing multiple tasks or projects simultaneously?
3. Give an example of a time when you followed organisational policies or procedures even when you had a different idea or could have taken a shortcut. Why was it important to follow protocol?
4. Describe a time when you had to use your problem-solving skills to address an issue that arose in your administrative workload. What steps did you take to understand and resolve the problem?

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 1 April 2025.

Interview date: 8 April 2025.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.