Senior Business Operations Assistant

The Methodist Church in Britain; Shepton Mallet; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible and hybrid working

Health and wellbeing support

Paid volunteering opportunities

Job summary

Somerset Council in Shepton Mallet is seeking an administrative post within the Mendip Children Looked After and Leaving Care teams. The role supports social workers through coordinating services, arranging meetings and maintaining confidential records in a hybrid working arrangement.

You will engage with families and partner organisations, ensuring enquiries are handled professionally and sensitively while upholding safeguarding standards. Right to work in the UK is required.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational skills to manage a busy, varied workload
• Excellent written and verbal communication with diverse stakeholders
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, Teams and SharePoint
• Excellent attention to detail with confidential information
• Positive, flexible approach and team collaboration

Responsibilities

• Coordinate services, appointments and practical arrangements for children and young people
• Provide administrative support allowing social workers to focus on direct work with families
• Organise and record meetings, capturing decisions and actions accurately
• Maintain confidential records ensuring safety, effectiveness and compliance
• Build relationships with families, colleagues and partner organisations, handling enquiries professionally

Skills

Organisational skills

Communication

Microsoft 365

Record keeping

Team work

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Teams

SharePoint

Job description

This fixed-term post sits in the Mendip Children Looked After and Leaving Care teams within Somerset Council's Children's Commissioning service, providing business support to social workers. The core of the work is coordinating services, appointments and meetings, keeping accurate confidential records, and handling enquiries from families and partner organisations. The information is highly sensitive, and the role is hybrid, with home and office working on a rota and more office time during induction. Visa sponsorship is not available, so candidates must already have the right to work in the UK.

What the job involves

• Coordinate services, appointments and practical arrangements so children and young people get the support they need
• Provide administrative support that frees social workers to spend more time with children and families
• Organise and record meetings, capturing key decisions and actions accurately and on time
• Maintain accurate, confidential records that keep services safe, effective and compliant
• Build relationships with families, colleagues and partner organisations, handling enquiries professionally and sensitively

Skills & & knowledge

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a busy, varied workload with competing priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with confidence working with a wide range of people
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, Teams and SharePoint
• Excellent attention to detail, maintaining accurate records and handling sensitive information appropriately
• Positive, flexible approach and ability to work collaboratively in a supportive team

Checks & & eligibility

• Right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship

What’s offered

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy additional leave
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working where service needs allow
• Health and wellbeing support, including confidential employee assistance services
• Paid volunteering opportunities