Admin Support Officer

About Play for Progress

This is an exciting moment for Play for Progress (PFP) as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and reflect on a decade of creative, therapeutic and community-building work with young people navigating the asylum system. Play for Progress is a Croydon-based charity dedicated to supporting unaccompanied young people seeking asylum, aged between 14 and 25. Through creative engagement, education, therapeutic support and community-building, we provide a space where young people can access opportunities, develop their skills, and find the support they need to navigate the challenges of displacement.

Our mission is simple but profound: to ensure that every young person who comes to us has the community to survive, the space to heal, and the stability to thrive. We are a small, close-knit team driven by a deep commitment to the young people we serve — and we are looking for an Admin Support Officer who shares that commitment.

The Role

This is a vital role at the heart of our organisation. As Admin Support Officer, you will be the operational backbone of Play for Progress — keeping our systems running smoothly, supporting our team to do their best work, and ensuring that the young people and partners who engage with us experience a professional, warm and well-organised charity.

The role is  hands-on, varied and  touches every part of the organisation. You will need to be highly organised, proactive and adaptable — someone who takes real pride in getting the details right and who understands that good administration is what makes good work possible. A genuine commitment to our mission and values is essential.

Key Responsibilities

General Administration

• Provide day-to-day administrative support across the organisation, ensuring smooth and efficient operations

• Manage and maintain organisational filing systems — both digital and physical — ensuring documents are accurate, accessible and up to date

• Draft, proof-read and format a range of documents including letters, reports, meeting papers and internal communications

• Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence professionally and promptly, including post, email enquiries and phone calls

• Support the scheduling and coordination of internal meetings and workshops, including preparing agendas and taking minutes

• Support HR administration, including contracts, onboarding, and maintaining records.

• Oversee the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) process for staff, ensuring compliance with safeguarding requirements.

• Maintain staff training records and track compliance with mandatory training.

• Assist in recruitment processes, including posting job descriptions, coordinating interviews, liaising with candidates and onboarding

Programme & Operations Support

• Maintain and update databases and records relating to young people, sessions and outcomes, ensuring compliance with GDPR and data protection requirements

• Assist with the collection and recording of monitoring and evaluation data to support impact reporting

• Assist with the coordination of half-term projects, events and external activities as required

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Who You Are

• Highly Organised: You love keeping things running smoothly and efficiently.

• Detail-Oriented: You ensure compliance, record-keeping, and processes are all in top shape.

• Proactive & Reliable: You anticipate challenges and take initiative to solve them.

• Social Media Savvy: You understand how to use digital platforms to communicate impact and engage audiences.

• Compassionate & Aligned with Our Values: You believe in the power of creativity, community, and care to support young people who have faced adversity.

• Tech-Savvy: Comfortable using administrative tools, HR platforms, and databases.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Experience in office management, administration, or HR support roles.

• Strong knowledge of HR processes, safeguarding, and compliance (DBS checks, training records, etc.).

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience managing social media platforms for an organisation or project.

• Comfortable working independently and as part of a hybrid team.

Desirable

• Experience working in a charity, arts, or community organisation.

• Understanding of trauma-informed practice.

• Familiarity with Canva, Mailchimp, Square Space, InForm, scheduling tools, and content creation for social media.

What We Offer

• A flexible, supportive and genuinely values-driven working environment

• The chance to be part of an organisation doing vital and meaningful work with young people

• 20 days annual leave pro rata, plus bank holidays

• Pension - 5% contributory pension scheme with 3% employer contribution 

• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements

• Regular supervision and access to professional development opportunities

• A warm, diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Play for Progress is an equal opportunities employer. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, and particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities and from people with lived experience of the refugee or asylum journey. We believe that a team which reflects the diversity of the young people we support makes us stronger and more effective in our work.

If you require any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to get in touch.