Team: Contract Management

Job Family: Providing - CBG3
Salary: £25,185 per annum pro rata
Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: You will be expected to attend a CBC office location as often as needed to carry out your role, which will be no less than once per month.

Contract Type: Hybrid - Fixed Term for 20 months

Closing Date: 28th August 2026

Interview Date: 4th September 2026

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to start your career?

Central Bedfordshire Council is recruiting an Apprentice Business Support Officer to join the Bedfordshire Employment & Skills Academy (BESA). As part of the role, you will study towards a Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship while earning a salary.

On completion of your apprenticeship, you will gain a nationally recognised qualification, valuable workplace experience, and ongoing support to apply for suitable vacancies across the Council. Our apprenticeship programme is designed to help you build the skills, knowledge and confidence needed for a successful career.

About the role

The Bedfordshire Employment & Skills Academy (BESA) develops and delivers services that help adults, young people and businesses improve skills, access employment or further training, and support local economic growth. We deliver a wide range of qualifications, apprenticeships, Functional Skills and employment programmes, including Skills Bootcamps.

As a Level 3 Business Administrator Apprentice, your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Enrolling learners

• Using management information systems (MIS)

• Organising meetings and events

• Processing financial transactions

• Using spreadsheets and databases

• Supporting subcontracted training providers

• Checking compliance with government funding rules

• Handling personal and confidential information

• Working to deadlines

• Engaging with learners, employers and stakeholders

• Supporting contract management and service improvement projects

What we will offer you

• Full support to achieve the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for your apprenticeship

• An experienced assessor and workplace mentor

• An individual learning programme tailored to your development

• E-learning, training and monthly apprenticeship tutorials

• A minimum of 20% paid off-the-job learning time

• A comprehensive employee benefits package, including 25 days' annual leave, retailer discounts, an Employee Assistance Programme, excellent in-house training, and the opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Essential Requirements

• GCSE English and Maths at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent qualification).
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organisational and time-management abilities.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and build positive working relationships.
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills.
• Good attention to detail and accuracy when completing administrative tasks.
• Basic IT skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook.

Desirable Skills and Qualities

• Positive attitude and strong work ethic.
• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Any previous experiences, whether gained through work, volunteering or education.
• Confidence communicating with a range of people.

Our Offer

We have a number of rewards and benefits available to our staff, to view these please visit our Rewards and Benefits page

Our aspiration is to be a truly flexible employer. We welcome discussion on location, hours and working pattern as part of the application process.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You will be expected to demonstrate how you meet the key accountabilities and competencies in this Recruitment Pack.

Our Competency Framework and Qualification Guidance are to be read in conjunction with our Recruitment Pack.

For an informal discussion about this position, please contact: Craig McKenna at Craig.McKenna@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 5683

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Safeguarding:

Central Bedfordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers and contractors to share this commitment. This post is subject to the disclosure of criminal records.

To maintain a fair and consistent approach for applicants, it is Central Bedfordshire Council's policy to only consider applications made via our online application system and we therefore thank you for not submitting your application offline.

Our National Careers Service team offer a free monthly workshop covering CV writing and how to complete the statement sections of the Central Bedfordshire Council online application form. This MS Teams workshop is open to anyone from the UK and lasts around 1.5 hours Please book your place here.

More information about this service can be found here: Support getting into work or learning | Central Bedfordshire Council

Your application to us is a reflection of who you are professionally and should give us an accurate and authentic picture of your skills, experiences and if applicable qualifications. Before you submit your application, we will ask you to confirm if you have used AI.

All new starters will join us on a four‑ month probationary period. During this time, if you are offered a Hybrid role you will be required to attend a Central Bedfordshire Council office location more frequently to support thorough and well‑ supported onboarding into your role. Please keep this in mind if you anticipate extensive travel to Central Bedfordshire.

Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for our roles. Successful applicants that may require a visa will need to consider the options for obtaining and/or maintaining the legal right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the contract offered