Business Support Assistant

Fixed Term, Full Time

£25,959 Per Annum

Location: Harlow

Closing Date: 02/05/2026

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term 37 Hours per week contract up until 30/09/2026.

Looking for a role where your contribution counts and your development is encouraged from day one? Joining Essex County Council as a Business Support Assistant gives you the chance to build valuable skills, work with friendly colleagues, and be part of a team that helps keep vital services running across the county. Whether you’re starting your career, returning to work, or looking for a role where you can make a real impact, this is a great opportunity to develop, learn and be part of something meaningful.

The Opportunity

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK and is undergoing significant transformational change to further enhance customer focus, service and delivery. As part of this, the Business Support team will work in specialised Business Centre Support Teams and Service Support Teams to promote specialised knowledge and improved service and efficiencies.

This is an Anywhere Worker position, offering a blend of remote and office-based working. You’ll be expected to attend the office at Goodman House, Harlow up to five days per week, depending on business need. On days where full-time office attendance isn’t required, remote working will apply. There may also be occasional travel to other ECC offices during the contract.

The Role

As a Business Support Assistant, you’ll join a friendly and collaborative team that plays a vital role in keeping services running smoothly. This is a varied and rewarding position where you’ll use your strengths, grow your confidence, and develop new skills within a supportive environment.

Your day-to-day work will include tasks such as word processing, minute taking, data entry, updating databases, call handling, managing shared inboxes and ensuring information is accurate and well organised. You'll become a trusted point of contact for colleagues and stakeholders, using strong communication skills to respond professionally to queries and build positive working relationships across the organisation.

You’ll support a range of on-site and reception activities, acting as a welcoming and reliable presence for staff, visitors and customers. This will include handling enquiries, supporting reception duties, managing petty cash and helping ensure the site runs efficiently.

Due to the changing demands of the service, you will be required to undertake a range of additional or alternative duties. These include supporting other teams, carrying out varied administrative tasks, or assisting with on‑site responsibilities as needed. A flexible approach will ensure that operational requirements are met efficiently.

You’ll be encouraged to take ownership of your workload, develop strong organisational skills and gain valuable experience with key systems, processes and business procedures. You’ll be part of a team that values teamwork, supports development and recognises achievement.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

Organised, with strong attention to detail
Friendly and approachable, with clear and confident communication skills
Motivated to provide high-quality support
Adaptable, able to handle a range of tasks and changing priorities
Keen to learn, develop new skills and grow within the role

This is an excellent opportunity if you enjoy working with people, appreciate variety, and want to be part of a role that offers a genuinely rewarding experience.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Corporate Services and Transformation

Accountabilities

Providing high quality, efficient and effective Business Support services to internal customers within agreed timescales and SLAs.
Responding to customer requests and queries in a timely and efficient way.
Acting as a professional representative of the Business Support service at a local level, dealing with customers via telephone calls personally or redirecting in line with Essex customer standards.
Providing high quality self-directed clerical support, checking own work and proactively looking to raise standards.
Maintaining confidential records according to Essex County Council policy and guidance.
Providing support to the team or service with the organisation of events, conferences and workshops to ensure high quality events.
Providing support across the team or service in dealing with correspondence, providing meeting support in terms of documentation and finance support in all aspects of documentation processing, in a timely, consistent and professional manner.
Sharing knowledge and good practice with colleagues and highlighting more efficient ways of delivering customer service.
Work effectively across onsite and remote settings, providing on-site support when required.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
Actively participates in training and supports cross-skilling to ensure flexibility and continuity of service.

The Experience You Will Bring

Educated to RQF Level 2 (GCSE) including maths and English or an equivalent vocational qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience.
Evidence of the ability to develop skills and knowledge in role.
Demonstrable experience and competence of MS Office applications and their practical application.
Ability to use computerised systems with a high level of speed and accuracy.
Previous experience of managing electronic or hard copy filing systems.
Ability to communicate in a manner which is easily understood and tailored to meet the needs of the audience.
Experience of dealing with sensitive and/or personal information in accordance with GDPR requirements.
Ability to think of improved ways of working and open to new practices and responsive to change.
Ability to take ownership of work and fulfil agreed commitments, checking work for accuracy.
Demonstrable ability to deliver effective customer service.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email wade.harding@essex.gov.uk

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