Legal Operations Apprentice

Job description

Fixed Term for 22 months- Full time 37 hours

We have a fantastic opportunity for an apprentice to join our Legal Operations Team which provides high quality business support to Reading Borough Council's Legal Service.

The Legal Service in Reading provide excellent in-house provision to our teams across the Council and through our Joint Legal Shared Service we provide councils across Berkshire with a legal service which is approaching 25 years in term. It is an extremely exciting time to join our legal service in Reading as we continue to deliver our ambitious strategic plan.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We are open to flexible working patterns and can provide a hybrid working environment which utilises the best of both worlds with a mix of office working in central Reading and homeworking according to the needs of the Service.

About the role:

Our Legal Operations staff work as part of a team responsible for providing comprehensive administration support to the council's legal service. Postholder will deliver general operational support to a very busy service and with the right training and support you will be able to help deliver effective system and process support to staff within the service.

We aim to provide the opportunity to develop core skills as part of the role, as well as the ability to build strong transferable administration skills to support the whole service and our customers.

The role is varied, and no two days will be the same, you could be asked to complete a range of administration related tasks including processing financial transactions, taking minutes at meetings, assisting staff with IT system queries or providing management information and reports.

You will be asked to work both on office administration and the finance side of the business.

You'll be working towards achieving a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship, for more information on this please visit - Business administrator / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

About you:

We are looking for a proactive and organised individual with:

• Strong administrative skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and teamwork abilities.
• A willingness to learn and adapt to new systems and processes.
• Experience in finance administration, data management, or legal operations is desirable but not essential.

Duties:

Legal Operations Administration:

• Seal legal documents and complete HM Land Registry search requests.
• Monitor service inboxes and manage post.
• Conduct records management and organise print room requests.
• Support the set-up and induction of new starters.
• Carry out satisfaction surveys to help improve our services.

Finance Duties:

• Process purchase order requests and court invoices.
• Produce finance reports and assist with invoicing and internal recharging.
• Support supplier set-up and management.

Systems & Data Management:

• Set up new users and support the legal case management system.
• Administer Microsoft Teams and SharePoint platforms.
• Assist with process mapping, workflow development, and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

General Support:

• Provide flexible support to the team, undertaking any other duties in line with the grade.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.

Our offer:

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

For more information on this position please contact Harjit Bains, Legal Operations Manager via email –

Closing Date: Wednesday 19th November 2025

Interview Date: To be confirmed

Interview Setup: In person at the Civic Offices