Childrens Services Specialist

Milton Keynes City Council; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Family friendly policies

Health benefits programme

Bike purchase scheme

Blue Light Card

Job summary

Milton Keynes City Council is seeking a Children's Services Specialist to provide essential business support within the Education Outcomes service. The role coordinates statutory processes, manages several databases, and supports timely financial processing of income from traded services.

You’ll work closely with Children’s Services colleagues to deliver professional first-line contact and contribute to improvements across the service.

Qualifications

• Educated to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent, or significant admin experience in social care or related field.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and IT systems; able to learn new software quickly.
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior staff and guiding colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level administrative support and manage detailed processes across multiple databases to help the service meet performance measures.
• Act as the first point of contact for service users, colleagues, partners and professionals in a polite, professional manner.
• Maintain specialist information, support projects and service improvements, and provide guidance to support staff.
• Process invoices and payments for charged services, assist with budget monitoring and follow financial procedures.
• Prepare clear communications and information, including web content, newsletters, minutes and reports for the team.
• Maintain accurate central records and monitor compliance with policies and safeguarding requirements.

Skills

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Team working

Education

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Tools

Database systems

Finance systems

Job description

Job Introduction

We're recruiting a Children's Services Specialist to provide vital business support within the Business Support Hub across the Education Outcomes service.

The team supports frontline education services and helps ensure schools and other stakeholders receive timely and effective support.

In this varied role, you'll co-ordinate statutory processes and manage detailed work across several systems, alongside supporting the timely financial processing of income from our traded services.

This work plays an important part in helping Milton Keynes City Council meet its statutory responsibilities for maintained schools and generate income through the services we provide.

Working closely with colleagues across Children's Services, you'll provide a professional first point of contact and contribute to improvements in the way we work.

The role requires specialist knowledge in at least one area of Children's Services, with the flexibility to provide cover in another specialist area and share guidance with colleagues when needed.

Site-Based role

This is a Site-Based role, and you'll be expected to work from the designated workplace.

Interviews for this role will be held on 23rd November 2026

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We're dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk

Main Responsibility

• Provide high-level administrative support and manage detailed processes across several databases, helping the service meet its performance measures.
• Act as a polite and professional first point of contact for service users, colleagues, partners and other professionals.
• Maintain specialist information, support projects and service improvements, and provide guidance to Children's Services Support Assistants.
• Process invoices and payments for charged services, assist with budget monitoring and follow the council's financial procedures.
• Prepare clear communications and information, including web content, newsletters, meeting minutes, publications, training course information and adverts, and produce reports for the wider team.
• Maintain accurate central records, monitor compliance with relevant policies, procedures and safeguarding requirements, and provide timely information to external organisations.

The Ideal Candidate

• Educated to National Vocational Qualification Level 3 or equivalent, or able to demonstrate significant administrative experience in social care, child development, administration or another relevant professional field.
• Confident using Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, with the ability to quickly learn and use different IT systems.
• Highly organised, with the ability to plan ahead, manage competing priorities, identify risks and work effectively across different specialist areas.
• Experienced in supervising, mentoring or providing guidance and support to junior colleagues.
• Comfortable handling sensitive and confidential information while building positive working relationships with colleagues, partners and external organisations.
• A dedicated, respectful and collaborative approach, with clear communication skills and a willingness to contribute to team working and service improvements, reflecting Milton Keynes City Council's core values.

As part of the pre-employment checks, should you be offered the role, we'll carry out a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - eligible employees can lease an electric or low-emission vehicle at a reduced cost through salary sacrifice, subject to National Minimum Wage and other eligibility requirements.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes

Roles are either 'site based' or 'home based'.

Site based roles are mainly based at the workplace, with the option to work from home for up to two days a week, depending on service needs.

Home based roles are mainly based at home, with the expectation of attending the workplace up to one day a week.

The working arrangement for each role is set by the manager, based on service requirements.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.

We're very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it's time for a new role.

If you'd like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council, see attached.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have an independent and unrestricted right to work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future.