Business Support Officer - Family Safeguarding Adult Team in Portsmouth

We are looking for a proactive and detail-focused Business Support Officer to join our Family Safeguarding Adult Team. This is an important and varied role in which you will lead the delivery of high-quality administrative, data and operational support, while providing day-to-day management and guidance to Business Support staff. Judged 'Outstanding' by Ofsted across all areas of inspection, we are committed to promoting a 'whole family' approach to Family Help, safeguarding and to support children we care for in Portsmouth.

The Role

You will play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of day-to-day business functions, supporting managers and practitioners, and driving improvements in the way our team uses data and digital tools. Our work spans administrative coordination, data management, performance information, meeting support, and enabling functions needed across the service.

In this role you will:

• Provide high-quality administrative support, including minute-taking, scheduling, correspondence and document preparation.
• Gather, maintain, analyse and quality-assure service data.
• Support the preparation of reports, management information and quality-assurance activity.
• Design and maintain Excel tools, including formulas, data validation and performance dashboards.
• Work confidently across multiple systems while meeting data protection and organisational requirements.
• Manage and support Business Support staff, providing day-to-day oversight, guidance and performance support.
• Monitor workflows and performance targets, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Support managers and practitioners with the smooth running of day-to-day business functions.
• Liaise with external partners to support coordinated and joined-up working.
• Communicate appropriately with parents and carers supported by the team.
• Promote a positive, family-focused culture that reflects family safeguarding and council values.

You will be an organised, proactive and detail-focused professional with strong written and verbal communication skills. Have experience in a business support role with an understanding of Children and Families services, safeguarding, data protection and UK GDPR. You will have strong analytical skills and experience of handling, evaluating and presenting complex datasets. Excellent attention to detail, including the ability to quality-assure your own work and the work of others with the ability to manage workloads flexibly and effectively against deadlines. You will have experience of budget monitoring, including tracking project expenditure and supporting the monitoring of annual finances with experience of managing data and presenting information in an accessible format. You will have the ability to work independently and proactively while contributing to shared team priorities, be comfortable managing competing priorities, complex administrative demands and staff in a fast-paced service. Confident in managing, supporting and motivating staff. You will have advanced Excel skills, including formulas, data validation and spreadsheet development, be proficient in Microsoft 365, including OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint and Teams.

Working Arrangements

This role is office based full time, there is no Hybrid Working.

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. We encourage candidates to add all career and education history to their application, as we do not review CVs as part of the shortlisting process. As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience. We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal. We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria. You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it. We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position. Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.