Assistant, Access Support (IC78)

Closing date: 19th May 2025 at 9am

Salary: £27,401 per annum plus benefits including a final salary pension scheme, generous annual leave, and flexible and hybrid working

Contract: Working 35 hours per week, Fixed term for 12 months (Arts Council also recognises the benefit of flexible working as a valued part of the way we work, and welcome applications from individuals who require flexibility)

Location: Manchester (The role will be based at Manchester; however, we are operating a hybrid way of working and support our staff to make use of remote working options when combined with regular on-site contact days with other members of the team, normally 1-2 days a week).

1st Interviews: (virtual) 27 and 28 May 2025

Support Arts Council England in this exciting entry-level admin role based in Manchester.

The Pre-Application Access Support Team is a team at Arts Council England who will support customers, who require additional support to access our programmes, services, and information, by removing barriers to access.

Line-Managed by Senior Officer, Access Support and supported by the Officer, Pre- Access Support, you will have responsibility for supporting the Pre-Application Access Support Scheme by providing outstanding customer service and support to users of the service, contributing to the team achieving their goals and required outcomes.

The Assistants, Access Support will help champion anti-ableism internally and externally and working with the Officer, Access Support will use Arts Council’s processes and procedures to help remove systemic bias and improve services offered to applicants. The team will support the following types of applicants to remove barriers to accessing Arts Council’s programmes, services and information:

• D/deaf or disabled
• neurodivergent
• experience learning difficulties
• have a mental health condition or
• have a long term health condition.

Working with the Officer, Access Support, the Assistants will respond to phone calls, Livechats, Video Calls and emails from users of the service and their support workers handling enquiries through to their conclusion. The Assistants will help develop and maintain processes and procedures to deliver Pre-Application Access Support and provide outstanding service to external customers and value to internal customers of the service.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• To succeed in the role, you will need experience in a customer services type role preferably in a contact centre environment or similar. You will have a broad understanding of accessibility having supported people with access needs.
• You will have excellent written and telephone skills and be able to communicate to a broad range of people comfortably, with the ability to adapt your style and delivery to best suit the person you are responding to in an engaging and empathetic way.
• You will have excellent communication skills, able to work with people at all levels and convey complex messages tailored to different audiences.
• You will have strong organisation skills and the ability to identify the needs of others and translate this into creative bespoke packages and support mechanisms for applicants with additional needs. To do this you will need empathy, patience and the ability to fluidly flex and adapt to changing situations.
• You will be adept and experienced at handling escalated situations and display exemplary skills in conflict resolution.
• You will have a genuine desire to help people make the best applications they can.

Desirable

• You will need a good understanding of the role of the customer service function in public sector organisations. Knowledge of the Arts and Culture sector is desirable.
• You will need a good understanding of the Data Protection and Freedom on Information acts and GDPR and how they apply to access and Customer Services activities.

About us: Arts Council offers a range of benefits to our employees including hybrid and flexible working, a generous annual leave allowance and the Arts Council Retirement Plan - a final salary scheme. To find out more, click here.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement:

Arts Council are committed to being an inclusive employer, building an inclusive workplace, and recruiting a workforce that is as diverse as the communities we serve. However, you identify, and whatever background you bring with you, we welcome you to apply for a role at Arts Council. If there are any adjustments that would support you in your application, please do let us know when you apply. If you are disabled, Evenbreak are able to provide support with your application. For further information please visit their website here.

Disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent people and those from Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in our workforce so we particularly encourage applications from people in these groups.

Our Code of Ethics requires that employees of the Arts Council are not able to receive an Arts Council grant, investment or loan funding - either in person, as a member of a partnership, or for any organisation they own. There are also limitations on board or CEO positions employees can hold in organisations we fund. For more information on this, please talk to the recruiting manager or contact recruitment@artscouncil.org.uk

We believe our recruitment process should be inclusive and transparent. Find out what to expect with our application guidance and more about our commitment to diversity on our website here.

Please note: We do NOT accept CVs or cover letters as part of our recruitment process. If you require any documentation in an alternative format, please contact recruitment@artscouncil.org.uk

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.