Applicant Portal

We at Best Practice Network share the belief that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education. To achieve that, we support and train the educational professionals who work alongside them to be the best they can be, so in turn, they can transform the lives of children and young people.

 

We’re a friendly, DfE accredited, Ofsted outstanding training company providing apprenticeships, professional development and the DfE’s ‘Golden Thread’ (trainee teachers to school Executive Leaders). We are adaptable, collaborative, and genuinely value the work we do to support the education sector, as much as our trainees do.

 

Our people are at the heart of our business and our passion and commitment to education is what drives us. As a result, we have seen incredible growth over the last few years both nationally and internationally.

 

We aim to be an employer where everyone can be themselves, do their best in an inclusive working environment and where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

To ensure the Apprenticeships department operates in full compliance with the latest ESFA funding rules, safeguarding public funds while supporting the delivery of high-quality apprenticeship programmes. This role is integral to maintaining operational excellence, mitigating compliance risks, and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of organisational processes. The Compliance Officer will play a key role in fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and upholding the organisation's commitment to quality assurance and improvement. 
 

Job Responsibilities 

• Achieve daily, weekly, and monthly auditing targets to maintain compliance. 

• Review and improve internal processes to enhance compliance rates. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to promote best practices in funding compliance. 

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of compliance checks for all programme documentation. 

• Share compliance updates and insights across departments to promote organisation-wide adherence. 

• Support the delivery of organisational compliance assurance plans and improvement activities across Quality & Training. 

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive compliance culture, promoting accountability, accuracy and attention to detail. 

• Support preparation for external funding audits, inspections and due diligence exercises. 

• Provide feedback, coaching and guidance to operational teams to improve compliance performance and reduce funding risk. 

• Share best practice and lessons learned across businesses to drive consistency and continuous improvement. 

 

Administration 

• Maintain and update compliance documentation against specified targets. 

• Ensure all compliance actions for specific apprentices are recorded and tracked. 

• Generate and distribute regular compliance reports as required. 

 

Equality & Diversity 

• Support and promote equality and diversity to ensure opportunities for all students, visitors, and staff while eliminating discriminatory practices. 

 

Safeguarding 

• Actively support and promote safeguarding to ensure the safety and well-being of students, visitors, and staff. 

Essential Criteria: 

• Experience in a back-office function with a strong focus on customer service. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365, especially Outlook, Word, Excel (advanced level), and Teams. 

• Commitment to continuous improvement (personal and organisational). 

• Strong analytical skills for evaluating detailed information and preparing/presenting reports. 

• Ability to work within tight deadlines and remain focused under pressure. 

• Experience working in a dynamic, change-oriented environment. 

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal). 

• Tenacious, results-driven, and team-oriented. 

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English at Grade C or 4. 

Desirable Criteria: 

• Experience with government-funded programmes, including apprenticeships. 

• Familiarity with ESFA funding rules and compliance standards. 

• Previous experience in further education or a similar environment. 

• Knowledge of apprenticeship standards and delivery platforms like BUD.