Business Support Officer | Education and Children Services | Preston

Salary £26,016 - £26,847 per annum | Full time, 37 hours | Permanent | Education and Children's Services | Preston

Please note, that sponsorship is not available for this role.

Here at Lancashire County Council, we're looking for a friendly, enthusiastic, and highly motivated Business Support Officer to join our welcoming team and play an important role in supporting the vital work of the Education and Children's Directorate.

This is a permanent, full-time position working 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday. You'll be part of Central Team 5, providing essential administrative support to our Fostering Service, helping us make a positive difference to the lives of children and families across Lancashire.

Whether you're an experienced administrator looking for your next challenge or someone eager to develop and build on your existing skills, we'll provide a supportive environment where you can learn, grow, and thrive.

The role is based at County Hall, Preston (PR1 8XB) and benefits from our hybrid working approach, giving you the flexibility to balance working from home and the office.

If you're organised, customer-focused, and enjoy working as part of a team, we'd love to hear from you!

What we are looking for:

- Passion – You will be passionate about delivering a great service and experience. You will be motivated to get things right first time, seek support where needed, and build on the skills you have developed.
- Knowledge and Experience – Ideally, you will have experience of working in an administrative setting, along with knowledge of Microsoft Office packages and databases.
- Great Communication – You will communicate regularly with managers, social workers, families, members of the public, and colleagues. The ability to convey information clearly and listen to individual needs is essential.

Why join us:

From day one, you'll be welcomed into a supportive team where help is always at hand. With guidance from experienced colleagues, access to staff networks and wellbeing support, and a genuine commitment to work-life balance, you'll have everything you need to thrive and develop your career.

In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy:

- 26 days annual leave (rising with 5 years service) plus bank holidays
- Flexible and hybrid working opportunities
- Health and wellbeing support
- Family-friendly policies
- Financial and travel benefits
- Learning and development opportunities
- A supportive and inclusive working environment where you'll be valued and encouraged to grow

Important information for applicants:

Please refer carefully to the job description and person specification before completing your application.

Job Description and Person Specification

In your supporting statement, you must clearly demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria assessed at application stage, providing specific examples of your experience, skills and achievements.

Please note that applications which do not fully evidence the essential criteria will not be shortlisted.

Some criteria will be assessed at application stage, with others explored further during the interview process.

Please take care to upload your supporting documentation before submitting your application. No additional documentation will be accepted after the closing date.

Interviews will be held either w/c 02/11/2026 . Please note it will not be possible to rearrange an interview date or time.

For further information about the role please contact:

Kerry Carland, Team Leader
Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01772 535027

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013) . If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.