Hartree Business Administration Apprenticeship

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Salary: £20,200 
Hours: Full time (37 hours per week)
Contract Type: Fixed Term for 2 years
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbruy Laboratory Keckwick Ln, Daresbury, Warrington 
Closing Date: 28th April 2024
Interview Date: May/June2024
Start Date: September 2024

We have a new and exciting opportunity for a Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice based within the Hartree Centre at the Science & Technology Facilities Council, SciTech Daresbury. 

The Hartree Centre helps UK businesses and organisations of any size to explore and adopt supercomputing, data science and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for enhanced productivity, smarter innovation and economic growth. Backed by significant UK government funding and strategic partnerships with industry and academia, the Hartree Centre is home to some of the most advanced digital technologies and experts in the UK.

Our experts collaborate with industry and the research community to explore the latest technologies, upskill teams, and apply practical digital solutions to individual and industry-wide challenges for societal and economic benefit.

This will be a fulfilling and rewarding role playing a crucial part in supporting the demands and challenges of administrative delivery in a scientific business environment supporting world leading research.

You will be part of a small team of experienced administrative staff, supporting the Centre by providing business administration functions whilst working towards a Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship.

As part of UK Research and Innovation, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) aims to make sense of the universe.  From cancer treatment to airport security, energy generation to emergency care, our impact is felt across the globe. We’re committed to keeping the UK at the forefront of world-changing science, to develop advanced technologies and innovate to solve real-world challenges, but that will take more than science alone. You can have the opportunity to use and develop your skills to help make this happen. 

About an Apprenticeship at STFC 

With training and support from experts in their fields, you’ll be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge, skills and behaviours, working towards completing your apprenticeship, gaining appropriate qualifications whilst making a real difference in your role.  

If working with innovative technologies on world-leading research isn’t enough, you will develop both professionally and as a critical member of the team in an environment you won’t find anywhere else. 

Our dedicated Apprenticeship Team will support you every step of the way, helping you make the most of your opportunities and to achieve the goals you already have – and those you have yet to discover! 

We provide an opportunity to really pursue your interests and passion. You’ll have access to additional core skills development, access to a community of apprentices across the site, annual Apprentice awards evenings, a number of active sport and social groups across campus, and potential opportunities for overseas placements. 

STFC offers a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, an outstanding index linked pension scheme, 10.5 public and privilege days, Christmas closure and flexible working hours.  

For a list of our full benefits, please visit here.

About the role

Main duties/responsibilities will include:

Business Administration Support

• Provide day to day administrative support for the Hartree Centre covering things such as procurements, travel booking, meeting and diary management
• Provide secretariat services for internal meetings including minute taking and action tracking using Word/Teams/Sharepoint
• Maintain the Staff Database and Hartree Centre Organogram using Microsoft products such as excel and powerpoint 
• Organise and book National and International Travel with our travel provider
• Meet and greet visitors to the Centre
• Help coordinate recruitment activities for the Hartree Centre including coordinating the recruitment tracking process, organising interviews and facilitating the on-boarding of new staff
• Help organise internal and external company visits to the Hartree Centre.
• Prepare emails, letters, reports, presentations, meeting papers and other documentation

Alongside this, you will undertake a Level 3 Business Administrator apprenticeship at Warrington and Vale Royal College. (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/business-administrator-v1-0)

The programme is 18 months long.  The first 15 months are known as the “practical period” this is the learning stage of the programme.  The apprentice learns on-the-job with the employer, they attend college for ½ a day a week for 12 weeks to gain the apprenticeship knowledge element and they also have monthly 121 visits in the workplace with the college Assessor Coach who supports with the apprenticeship skills and behaviours and the building of the portfolio of evidence and the work-based project that is required for Independent End Point Assessment.

You will cover the following topics:

week 1 Mission, vision and market sectors

week 2 PESTLE, supply chain & stakeholders

week 3 Organisational structure & legislation

week 4 Equality & Diversity

week 5 Project Management

week 6 Organisational Change

week 7 Meetings & Event Planning

week 8 Financial Processes

week 9 Finance – Budgets, Cash Flow, P&L

week 10 IT – CRM, databases, MS Office

week 11 Re-cap & Summary

week 12 Practice EPA Exam

Person specification (Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and any special requirements) 

Personal Qualitites

• Ability to represent STFC by both appearance and conduct
• Self starter; someone keen to develop excellent working relationships
• Committed to Apprenticeship study alongside full-time role

Key - (S) is measured at shortlisting, (I) is measured at interview, (S&I) are measured at both.

In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following: 

Essential: 

• Achieved or predicted to achieve 2 GCSE passes at Grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) including Maths, English (S)
• Knowledge or Microsoft Office products - particularly Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint (S&I)
• Clear and professional written and oral communication skills (S&I)
• Good organisational skills including time management (S&I)
• Ability to work in a team and independently (I)
• Ability to problem solve (I)
• Ability to prioritise tasks (S&I)
• Good interpersonal skills (I)
• Self-motivated (S&I)
• Attention to detail (S&I)
• A demonstrable interest in Science, Technology & Engineering (S&I)

Desirable:  

• Relevant experience of administrative activities or events management in social, educational, voluntary or work environment (S&I)
• Good minute taking skills and excellent grammar (S&I)

Any other Relevant Information

• You will be required to travel and work additional hours occasionally.  There will also be some short duration work at remote venues nationally.

Application Instructions

Applications will be shortlisted by the quality of their CV and cover letter. Please ensure you explain clearly why you feel you are a good fit for this role, taking into account the duties and responsibilities and the person specification. Please provide examples where possible, taking into account school/college project and/or work-based experience. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. To complete the apprenticeship, you will need evidence of Maths and English GCSE at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent)
2. When applying for an apprenticeship, there is a set residency eligibility criteria that must be met by the applicant. To check your eligibility please click here
3. The training provider will also ask you to complete an initial assessment during the application process. If you already have a qualification in this subject area or similar please include, as an attachment, your transcript outlining the grade/s achieved and modules covered.  By applying for this apprenticeship, you are giving permission for your details to be shared with the relevant training provider.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe’s largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what’s possible.  
 
We will be in touch after the closing date, however, please reach out on apprenticerecruitment@ukri.org if you have any questions. 

Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received.