Apprentice Directors Support Manager

These roles are working within DWP Digital Business Service Practice. Our practice brings together the key business services which enable Digital Group as a whole to focus on delivering critical IT services for DWP and its citizen customers. These services are delivered through a mix of both centralised teams working at Group level and Function teams supporting the Directors & their SLTs to deliver against their own lines of business. Our Practice members typically share a passion for delivering excellence and provide the services which underpin Digital's ability to assure ourselves that we have the building blocks in place to enable successful delivery. We understand the DWP & Digital Group strategy & direction, and our roles in delivering that strategy. We understand the delivery landscape, we develop and track our delivery plans, unblocking dependencies and supporting our operating environment by focusing our effort in adding real value to delivery teams, enabling excellence and ensuring Digital is focused on outcomes and value. We are keen to develop both our own skills and those of others, as members of a professional community which is acknowledged as best in class. This is an exciting opportunity to earn as you learn and get hands on practice while you study towards a Business Administration qualification Level 3. You'll receive formal learning to develop crucial skills, knowledge and behaviours for your career and be part of a great team. If you wish to find out more about the apprenticeship, please click here. As an Apprentice Directors Support Manager, you will be the first point of contact for the Director or Deputy Directors whilst working towards your level 3 business administration apprenticeship. You will:

• Provide effective lines of communication between the Director / Deputy Director, internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Ensure emails are well managed and responded to in a timely manner, filtering and redirecting as appropriate.
• Take ownership of tasks ensuring they are delivered on time and to a high standard, such as coordinating returns or setting agendas for meetings. You may also organise large team events.
• Manage requests for their time and attention, managing the need to respond to urgent requests and complete high priority work, such as ministerial advice. This requires building good rapport and maintaining supportive relationships.
• Develop professional relationships with and acting as a first point of contact for stakeholders within and outside the department who engage with the Director/Deputy Director.
• Anticipate and solve problems before they arise and liaise frequently with senior colleagues and external stakeholders. The varied role will include electronic diary and email management; running large events; drafting correspondence and briefing reports; producing presentations and providing administrative support.
The successful candidate will have plenty of opportunities for further career and personal development and will dedicate 20% of their working week working towards their apprenticeship. Check out these vlogs on what is it like to start a career in the tech sector as part of a government apprenticeship scheme? and what to expect from a DWP apprenticeship., If you are unsure of your eligibility, please review the content of the apprenticeship standard on the IfATE website: Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/business-administrator-v1-0) and assess whether your previous learning has already covered much of this content. If it has, you're unlikely to be eligible for the apprenticeship. You will be given time out from your role to work on your apprenticeship. You must be committed to seeing through the apprenticeship and complete the qualification. This includes working a minimum of 30 hours per week to ensure you have enough time to complete the apprenticeship. You'll be supported by your line manager, skills coach, fellow apprentices on the programme and the vibrant and support community of Director Support Managers. You will have access to a variety of sources of encouragement to help you succeed. There is a lot to learn and do, so you need to be ready to be proactive, work hard and participate in the many opportunities you will be given to showcase your skills.

Do you have an appetite for learning? You won't need previous experience because we'll provide full training. It's your enthusiasm, helpful manner and willingness to learn that we are looking for. You'll join a friendly and welcoming team, who will help you reach your potential. Do you want to apply and further develop your IT technical skills in an organisation that makes a difference to UK citizens lives? Do you want to work in an exciting and highly motivated team, where no two days are the same and where you can help and support the reliability of live services within our IT applications?, Part of this apprenticeship is to complete a level 2 English and Maths functional skills qualification. If you have already achieved GCSEs in English and Maths at Level 4 (grade C) or above, you will not need to complete functional skills.,
• Must have lived in the UK and/or EU for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date.
• Not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time.
• The successful candidate(s) will be enrolled onto a Level 3 apprenticeship in Business Administration. At the enrolment state, the individual's eligibility will be checked by the training provider. Candidates need to make sure they do not have pre-existing qualifications at the same or higher level in a similar subject as the apprenticeship.