Business and Project Support Officer - Local Authority Fostering South East

12-month fixed-term contract or 12-month secondment opportunity for internal candidates

We have an exciting opportunity for a Business and Project Support Officer to support our Regional Strategic Project across 17 local authorities in the South East of England. 

At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices.  Whilst largely homebased, there is an expectation that you will work from the Bracknell Forest Council Time Square offices 2-5 days a month and visit the 17 local authorities partner offices in the South East on occasions throughout the pilot year.

About you...

You will be highly organised and will provide vital support to our Project Delivery Manager, Service Leads and Team Managers from across the South East region. This role is part of a Department for Education funded project within the Children's Social Care team in the People Directorate. Whilst you will be based mainly at home, you will be part of the wider Local Authority Fostering South East team (LAFSE).

Strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects are essential for this role. You will need to quickly build effective relationships with colleagues across various local authorities. A professional, flexible attitude and a proactive, "can-do" approach are key, along with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment. Confidence in building relationships remotely is also crucial to your success as you will be liaising with colleagues virtually with teams across the South East region.

About the team...

We are a collaborative and supportive team, committed to driving innovation in fostering recruitment. Our approach is centered on working together to create solutions that make a difference.

We spearhead strategic, high-profile marketing campaigns that not only raise awareness but also drive meaningful and lasting change across the Southeast. Through our efforts, we aim to reshape recruitment practices, ensuring that they are effective, inclusive and impactful in addressing the needs of the region.

Key responsibilities...

• To provide a consistent and reliable high quality business, project and administrative support to this Department for Education funded Local Authority Fostering South East (LAFSE) project to ensure the successful delivery against agreed budgets, timescales and objectives.
• To develop close contacts with colleagues from our partner 17 local authorities across the South East region in order to ensure the successful delivery of this high profile fostering project.
• To act as the main contact point for both internal and external partners triaging and responding to queries appropriately and providing support to the LAFSE team.

Our benefits...

• 25 days* annual leave increasing to 28 days* after 3 years’ continuous service.
• The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days* annual leave per year and sell 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. 
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice for an electric car at a fixed monthly cost (subject to eligibility).
• An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks. 
• Local government pension scheme.
• Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme)
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave. 
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits such as annual leave entitlements, occupational maternity/paternity leave, and more. (Terms and Conditions apply – please refer to candidate pack for more information.)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities. 
• A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre. 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing. 
• Sports and Social Club.
• Staff dental and health plans. 
• Discounted leisure centre and gym membership. 
• Supermarket discount. 

Our values...

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.

Reasonable adjustments...

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process.  

Interview date 

Interviews will be held on 27th June 2025.

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question...

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact: 

Name: Anne Marie Ali

Job Title: Senior Project Delivery Manager

Phone Number: anne-marie.ali@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambition and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for more details.

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Any successful internal candidate will be offered the position as a secondment and, in line with Section 8.1 of the Secondment Policy, must consult with their manager before applying.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please.