Job Description

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Adoption West is a regional adoption agency and registered voluntary adoption agency that provides adoption services for Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Councils. Adoption West operates out of 3 hubs across the region, with offices based in Bristol, Gloucester and Trowbridge.
This is an exciting time for you to join Adoption West as you will help us build on our achievements and will play a central role in the administration of grant funding for families to access therapy. You may also assist the adopter assessment process, monitoring and recording progress.
Main duties of the job
We are looking to recruit a business support assistant to support with funding applications, liaise with social workers and providers, process invoices and maintain financial / service information. The role may also receive initial adopter enquiries, communicate with prospective adopters, process checks, references and monitor progress of assessments. Key responsibilities are to:

• Assist the service area in providing an effective and efficient administrative support function
• Input data as required, entering and maintaining timely data to ensure the efficient processing of service / finance transactions
• Support business functions including enquiry handling, checks/reference processing, grant funding applications, provider set up and communication, payment processing.
• Answer routine enquiries from service users, and internal and external customers, and ensure that enquiries are responded to professionally and relayed accurately
• Assist with the response to all customer enquiries and requests for data in accordance with corporate standards and agreed guidelines
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times within the service area
• Maintaining systems / spreadsheets as appropriate to aid monitoring processes and enable the production of accurate records.

About us
Adoption West:

• is an organisation with a wealth of experience and has a learning culture, committed to enabling the post holder to grow and develop in their role.
• provides support through supervision and training.
• offers flexible working arrangements, including job shares
• provides a Local Government Pension Scheme

If you have the experience, skills, knowledge and enthusiasm we are seeking and are looking for a new challenge then we look forward to hearing from you.
Details
Date posted
14 October 2025
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
25,185 to 25,989 a year Grade D 25,185 to 25,989 per annum (pro rata)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
F0041-5837
Job locations
County Hall
Bythesea Rd
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN
Second Floor
The Link
Gloucester
GL1 2TP
B Bond
PO Box 3399
Bristol
BS1 9NE
Job description
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include

• To provide a full range of administrative support and a text-processing service to staff to include, for example, word processing, audio typing, photocopying, faxing, allocating stationery etc. To ensure administrative procedures are followed and standards maintained.
• To undertake filing duties and associated routine matters to ensure all security and confidentiality systems are maintained. To participate in the archiving and destruction of records and to maintain associated date processes systems. To assist with the maintenance of the departmental client database (e.g. Care First/ICS) and other software systems, ensuring accurate recording of data/information, to identify and action errors and referring to Managers where appropriate. To provide reports from the database as requested.
• To operate all communication equipment, e.g. switchboard, fax, telephones, mobiles, e mail, answer phones, Dictaphones and any other associated equipment to enable effective service provision. To provide assistance to staff with regard to the maintenance of IT equipment/records and inventories, and solve IT problems as appropriate.
• To participate in the daily processing of all communications/postal systems operating across offices, to ensure that efficient systems are maintained.
• Note-Taking at Meetings: To attend meetings and take notes as requested. To produce, edit and distribute notes, undertaking all associated duties.

Undertake financial tasks, to include

• Receiving, dispatching and processing of invoices
• Handling petty cash, postage stamps/associated systems, travel claims, travel warrants, other routine financial systems
• Maintaining/allocating stationery supplies, forms and office equipment and undertaking routine procurement processes as designated by the Manager
• Maintaining basic spreadsheets as appropriate to aid budget monitoring processes and the production of accurate financial records

To participate, as required, in the provision of a high-quality front-of-house Reception Service, acting as Receptionist/Telephonist. To include:

• Receiving enquiries and actioning as appropriate, operating switchboard systems
• Maintaining a major public access point, ensuring facilities/accommodation are presented to a high standard
• Providing advice/guidance to members of the public
• Ensuring urgent matters are referred to appropriate staff/officers
• Assisting the Office Duty System, to maintain effective links with the Reception Service
• Maintaining a resource/information base and appropriate reception records
• Maintaining meeting room diary booking systems

• To provide information to all enquirers contacting the service, liaising as necessary with the public and with practitioner staff alike (this includes direct face-to-face contact with Service Users). Working alongside the duty systems to refer appropriately to, and to liaise with, practitioner staff, prioritising accordingly. To ensure all contacts/referrals are recorded accurately, using IT and manual systems. To progress, chase and track information to ensure all systems are maintained and updated.
• To support the Business Services Team with any building/equipment-related matters. These include:
• Matters relating to telecommunications equipment (switchboard handsets and on-site telephone systems), programming items as necessary
• Greeting contractors and guiding as appropriate
• Providing assistance for routine Health and Safety procedures, e.g. fire drills, maintaining the safety of the reception area and callers to the office, Health and Safety office practices, maintenance of office noticeboards
• Maintaining accurate records and registers and providing assistance/information as required
• To respond flexibly to the administrative needs of the whole service, providing cover across offices as and when required and assisting in the development of all systems/procedures operating within the Business Support Team

Job description
Job responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include

• To provide a full range of administrative support and a text-processing service to staff to include, for example, word processing, audio typing, photocopying, faxing, allocating stationery etc. To ensure administrative procedures are followed and standards maintained.
• To undertake filing duties and associated routine matters to ensure all security and confidentiality systems are maintained. To participate in the archiving and destruction of records and to maintain associated date processes systems. To assist with the maintenance of the departmental client database (e.g. Care First/ICS) and other software systems, ensuring accurate recording of data/information, to identify and action errors and referring to Managers where appropriate. To provide reports from the database as requested.
• To operate all communication equipment, e.g. switchboard, fax, telephones, mobiles, e mail, answer phones, Dictaphones and any other associated equipment to enable effective service provision. To provide assistance to staff with regard to the maintenance of IT equipment/records and inventories, and solve IT problems as appropriate.
• To participate in the daily processing of all communications/postal systems operating across offices, to ensure that efficient systems are maintained.
• Note-Taking at Meetings: To attend meetings and take notes as requested. To produce, edit and distribute notes, undertaking all associated duties.

Undertake financial tasks, to include

• Receiving, dispatching and processing of invoices
• Handling petty cash, postage stamps/associated systems, travel claims, travel warrants, other routine financial systems
• Maintaining/allocating stationery supplies, forms and office equipment and undertaking routine procurement processes as designated by the Manager
• Maintaining basic spreadsheets as appropriate to aid budget monitoring processes and the production of accurate financial records

To participate, as required, in the provision of a high-quality front-of-house Reception Service, acting as Receptionist/Telephonist. To include:

• Receiving enquiries and actioning as appropriate, operating switchboard systems
• Maintaining a major public access point, ensuring facilities/accommodation are presented to a high standard
• Providing advice/guidance to members of the public
• Ensuring urgent matters are referred to appropriate staff/officers
• Assisting the Office Duty System, to maintain effective links with the Reception Service
• Maintaining a resource/information base and appropriate reception records
• Maintaining meeting room diary booking systems

• To provide information to all enquirers contacting the service, liaising as necessary with the public and with practitioner staff alike (this includes direct face-to-face contact with Service Users). Working alongside the duty systems to refer appropriately to, and to liaise with, practitioner staff, prioritising accordingly. To ensure all contacts/referrals are recorded accurately, using IT and manual systems. To progress, chase and track information to ensure all systems are maintained and updated.
• To support the Business Services Team with any building/equipment-related matters. These include:
• Matters relating to telecommunications equipment (switchboard handsets and on-site telephone systems), programming items as necessary
• Greeting contractors and guiding as appropriate
• Providing assistance for routine Health and Safety procedures, e.g. fire drills, maintaining the safety of the reception area and callers to the office, Health and Safety office practices, maintenance of office noticeboards
• Maintaining accurate records and registers and providing assistance/information as required
• To respond flexibly to the administrative needs of the whole service, providing cover across offices as and when required and assisting in the development of all systems/procedures operating within the Business Support Team

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

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Desirable

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Qualifications
Essential

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Desirable

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Person Specification
Experience
Essential

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Desirable

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Qualifications
Essential

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Desirable

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Skills Required