Senior Business Support Officer

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Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity in our administrative team, as a Senior Business Support Officer (14 hours per week) who will be supporting Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Team within Children's Service.

The Senior Business Support Officer plays a vital role in providing first class, confidential and proactive support to Senior Managers and the wider teams, and in ensuring that the service operates efficiently and effectively, improving the experience and outcomes for our service users and residents.

We are looking for a proactive, enthusiastic, experienced minute taker and highly organised individual, who is able to establish and maintain strong professional relationships with internal colleagues at all levels as well as external partners.

The ideal candidate will be a quick thinker, willing team member, and able to adapt to changing priorities on a daily basis. They will be expected to work with the utmost discretion and be a confident communicator. This is a fast-paced, demanding and varied role but also extremely rewarding.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young person's / vulnerable adults in the care of the service, including undertaking regular Child Protection training at a level commensurate with role.
• Acknowledge and respond to queries received by a range of contact points, logging information accurately and alerting staff and managers accordingly.
• Manage meetings (coordinating, liaising with external providers as necessary, circulating papers).
• Accurate minute-taking for complex and high level meetings which includes Child Protection Safeguarding Conferences, Fostering Panels as well as multi-agency meetings.
• Support the team and wider Business Support Service to ensure continuity of service delivery, working flexibly to meet competing needs and demands.
• Maintain financial records, checking and processing invoices, payments, travel and ad hoc expenses.
• Collaborate with other team members on the development and improvement of administrative processes and procedures to improve service delivery.
• Maintain database systems, website pages/online forms relative to the service area.
• Assist in the induction process and training of new staff in relation to procedure and operated databases are required by the Business Support Management Team.

The Team

This role sits within a newly centralised Business Support Service providing business services to every part of the council and designed to ensure accountability and responsiveness, as well as the broad-based participation of staff giving equity, inclusiveness and develop a culture that centres on the councils' 'Be Islington values'. Providing opportunity for business support staff to learn and develop new skills is a key service objective and we aim to achieve this through bespoke training, accessing best practice guidance, learning from peers and access to corporate support.

For further information please contact Jacqueline Russell | Deputy Business Support Manager | Email: [email protected]

Phone Number - 0207 5273907

About You

Working for the team, service and our organisation

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn't be clearer: we serve. It's in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out 'CARE', which is what we think public service is all about.

Watch our video to hear more about our mission and how you can help us achieve it from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz.

Recruitment information

It is the policy of Islington Council that no user of service, present or future employee or job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of their sex, perceived or actual sexual orientation, marital status, race, religion or belief, age, creed, colour, nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, or disability, or on the grounds of their association with someone in one of these groups; nor is disadvantaged by any conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justified. We welcome applications from Black and Minority Ethnic candidates and acknowledge our responsibility to mitigate against racial discrimination.

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The post is subject to a qualifications check and 3/5 years referencing.

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.