Apprentice Administrator

Fosterplus - Apprentice Administrator
Salary: £14,600.04 per annum
Contract Term: Apprenticeship
Location: Long Eaton, Nottingham
Hours: 35 hours per week

Course Information
Business Administration Level 3. You will be allocated the time required during the working week to attend learning that supports your apprenticeship course, which is likely to be one day per week, either in college or online with a training provider.

Benefits

• 30 days' annual leave, increasing to 35 days with length of service
• Bank holidays
• Company Pension
• Life Assurance
• Employee Discount Scheme
• Bike to Work Scheme

About Us

We are delighted to be seeking a Business Administration Apprentice to join our team at Fosterplus.

Fosterplus was founded in 1996, giving us almost 30 years' continuous experience as an independent fostering agency. Continuity is important to us, and we look to create it in everything we do - most critically, for the children and young people we look after.

Many who enter our care have experienced a disrupted childhood and our aim is to break this cycle and provide more stability. We do this by carefully matching the right foster parents to the right children, and making sure we're always on hand with support, guidance and help.

Our expertise helps ensure more successful placements - and that's exactly the sort of continuity we want. This commitment is spelled out in our mission, which is to "provide positive and stable family environments for the children and young people placed with our foster parents and ensure that, with the support of our foster parents, they can thrive emotionally and academically."

To provide this continuity, we focus on connections.

We are looking for an Apprentice who will work within the Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards, maintaining databases and electronic filing systems, managing fostering paperwork and forms, as well as general ad-hoc administration.

It is essential that applicants have excellent written and verbal communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and a warm, confident personality.

Role Responsibilities

Role responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide a comprehensive day-to-day administrative service for the office team, including:
  • Maintaining databases
  • Producing professionally written emails and letters
  • Processing incoming and outgoing post
  • Photocopying
  • Message taking and signposting
  • Processing invoices
• Support the social work team with data collection, recording, filing and auditing
• Maintain accurate databases/registers of all families and children placed
• Provide information from these databases to the Registered Manager as required
• Be responsible for the smooth running of the office premises under the direction of the Manager
• Build up and maintain a supportive relationship with foster parents, as the post holder will be one of the first points of contact within the office
• Liaise with Local Authority Social Workers and other professionals
• Distribute and collate paperwork and feedback forms
• Review payment runs to ensure foster families are receiving the correct payments
• Carry out statutory checks for approved foster families and their support network
• Maintain office Health and Safety records
• Monitor foster parent and staff training records, ensuring compliance
• Receive visitors
• Order stationery, receive orders and be responsible for the maintenance of office equipment
• Take minutes of monthly team meetings and distribute to relevant personnel
• Attend regular team meetings
• Create content for the online information platform and the Registration's Newsletter
• Make constructive use of supervision and work closely with team members to enhance personal and team development
• Represent and promote Fosterplus at every opportunity

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate must have the following skills and experience:

• Basic administration skills
• GCSE/equivalent in maths and English. A Level 2 Functional Skills qualification can be completed alongside your qualification if not already obtained and if desired
• Ability to manage own workload and work independently
• Excellent customer service skills
• An understanding of the use of IT and electronic communications, including Microsoft Office, e.g. Word, Excel and Outlook
• Good organisational skills
• Open to direction, using initiative to seek advice where necessary

The successful candidate will be required to complete a DBS check, the cost of which will be met by Fosterplus.

Fosterplus is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Fosterplus is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.