Business Support Officer

Hours per week: 37

At Cheshire East we're making significant, tangible investments in our foundations. This includes strengthening our commissioning function, expanding workforce development and creating clearer, more ambitious pathways. To realise these ambitions, we're seeking ambitious and flexible individuals who want to help us shape the future.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Business Support Officer -within our Attendance and Children Out of School Team based at Delamere House, Crewe on a permanent full-time basis.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Attendance and Children Out of School Team, playing a vital role in supporting services that help children and young people access education and achieve positive outcomes

About the Role

As a Business Support Officer, you will provide essential administrative support, work closely with colleagues and partner agencies, and contribute to the smooth and effective delivery of services that make a real difference to families across the community.

The successful candidate will

• Provide high-quality administrative support to the Attendance and Children Out of School Team.
• Act as a first point of contact for schools, families, education providers, and partner agencies, responding to enquiries in a professional and timely manner.
• Manage team inboxes, records, databases, and case management systems, ensuring information is accurate and up to date.
• Support the coordination of attendance, children missing education, elective home education, exclusions, licensing, and other statutory processes.
• Organise meetings, prepare agendas and papers, take minutes, and monitor follow-up actions.
• Produce reports, performance data, and statistical information to support service delivery and decision-making.
• Coordinate complaints, correspondence, and communications with schools, families, and stakeholders.
• Prepare documentation and witness statements to support legal and prosecution processes where required.
• Support quality assurance activities and contribute to service improvements and the development of effective systems and processes.
• Maintain financial records and process payments in accordance with council procedures.
• Assist with staff training, development activities, and the induction of new team members.
• Ensure all work is carried out in line with data protection requirements, council policies, and statutory guidance.

The successful candidate will bring

• At least 5 X GCSE's or equivalent qualification including Maths & English Grade C or above. ECDL or equivalent
• Experience of undertaking a range of administrative tasks
• Experience of working in a customer service environment
• Experience of using various IT packages i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Databases
• Experience of use of maintaining databases
• Experience of maintaining financial records and contracts
• An understanding of the operational areas of the Attendance and Children Out of School Team service
• Knowledge and understanding of confidentiality and data protection
• Delivery of excellent customer service the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post
• Flexible approach to work

To find out more about the essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the attached job description specification document.

In return we are able to offer

• Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave - Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There's no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
• Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
• Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life's challenges, both at work and in your personal life
• Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
• Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
• Off-Peak Racket Sports
• Athletics Tracks
• Sauna/Steam/Spa

How to apply

We're delighted that you're considering applying for this role!

As an equal opportunities' employer, we warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better reflect and serve our local communities, and together, we can build something truly special.

To join our team, simply click 'Apply for this job' at the bottom of the page. If you'd prefer an informal chat first or have any questions about the role, feel free to reach out to Paula Latham at: paula.latham@cheshireeast.gov.uk, they will be happy to hear from you! Please remember to include the job reference so we know which role you are interested in.

Once you've applied for the position, please keep an eye on your email inbox (including your junk and spam folders), as we'll send any correspondence there to stay in touch with updates about your application.

If you haven't heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, it likely means we weren't able to move forward with your application at this time but please don't let this discourage you as your interest means a lot to us, and we'd truly love to hear from you again in the future!

We wish you all the best in your application and if you run into any technical issues, our friendly team are here to help at: childrenssocialcarerecruitment@cheshireeast.gov.uk.