About The Role

Suffolk County Council
Address: Endeavour House Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX - Hybrid working
Salary: £25,185 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37 hours, flexible working options available
Contract: Permanent

This advert is open to current redeployment Suffolk County Council staff only

We’re passionate about improving the future for children and young people of Suffolk. If you are too, join us as a Business Support Officer in the School Attendance Team and make a meaningful impact. Your drive will help us to continue improving and evolving. Our opportunities and support will enable you to make a difference.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You'll be joining a busy and dedicated School Attendance Team within Suffolk County Council, working to support schools, families and partner agencies in improving outcomes for children and young people.

As a Business Support Officer, your role will be to provide comprehensive administrative support to the Children in Employment and Entertainment (CIEE) and Children Missing Education (CME) services, ensuring applications, referrals, cases and enquiries are managed efficiently and accurately. You will support the timely processing of chaperone licences and work permits, while also assisting in identifying and tracking children missing education to help ensure they are located promptly and receiving a suitable education.

You will

manage and respond to enquiries received through shared group inboxes
deliver an efficient, professional, and customer-focused first point of contact
contribute to the maintaining of specific administrative systems and associated databases or spreadsheets.

You will need

to work flexibly as part of a team
a good working knowledge of Microsoft packages and the ability to learn a bespoke data management system
attention to detail and understand the need for accuracy
to demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality and data protection
good communication skills.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, even if you don't meet all requirements, please still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The School Attendance Team is committed to safeguarding children and young people across Suffolk, ensuring they are safe, supported and able to access their education and development opportunities. Together, we work with schools, families, employers, entertainment providers and partner agencies to promote children's welfare, ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and support children who may be vulnerable or at risk of missing out on education.

Team members work closely together, sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure that enquiries, applications and cases are managed effectively and within statutory timescales. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone's contribution is valued and where colleagues are encouraged to develop their skills and grow within their roles.

The team operates a hybrid working model, balancing office-based collaboration with flexible home working. Our office days are typically arranged to support team working, training and relationship-building, while ensuring we continue to deliver an efficient and responsive service to children, families and partner organisations.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

For more information

Please contact Angela Coote or Sharon Everitt for a casual conversation. You can reach them by emailing either [email hidden] or [email hidden]

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word) .

Please describe a time when you successfully managed a busy workload involving multiple tasks, deadlines, or competing priorities. What approach did you take to stay organised and ensure all work was completed accurately and on time?
Please provide an example of when you acted as a first point of contact for a customer, client, colleague, or member of the public. How did you ensure their enquiry was handled professionally and effectively?
Give an example of a time when you handled sensitive or confidential information. How did you ensure that information was managed appropriately and in line with data protection requirements?

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page .

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at [email hidden] or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages .

Closing date: 11.30pm, 7 September 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.