Apprentice Receptionist and Administrative Assistant

UK date and time: 10-November-2026 16:57

Apprentice Receptionist and Administrative Assistant

Medical Sciences Divisional Office, Bio Escalator, Innovation Building, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7FZ
OX

This is an exciting opportunity to kickstart your career at the Bio Escalator, the University of Oxford’s incubator for early-stage biomedical start-up companies. This role offers a fantastic pathway to develop essential skills, providing professional and high-quality customer service and administrative support within a collaborative team at the heart of Oxford’s thriving innovation community.

As an Apprentice Receptionist and Administration Assistant, you will be a key member of the Bio Escalator team, managing reception and supporting the team’s administrative functions. You will gain hands‑on experience in tasks such as handling enquiries, supporting financial processes and events and assisting with day‑to‑day operations.

• You will complete a Business Administrator level 3 Apprenticeship through Abingdon and Witney College, attending training sessions as part of a 1.5-year training programme within a 2-year contract.
• Based at the Bio Escalator, this role places you at the centre of a vibrant community of start-ups, offering a unique environment to build valuable customer service and administrative skills.
• This is a full‑time post (36.5 hours per week) and the core hours are 8.30am – 4pm with some flexibility with start and finish times.

Full training will be provided as part of the apprenticeship:

• Provide a professional welcome to all visitors and manage the day‑to‑day running of the reception.
• Organise room bookings, parking, manage access rights and coordinate diary activities.
• Support financial administration, including processing orders and maintaining office supplies.
• Assist with event preparation and provide support on the day to ensure smooth delivery.
• Help maintain up‑to‑date databases and general office organisation.

• We seek motivated individuals with a passion for learning and a commitment to supporting others. Previous experience is not required - just a proactive and can‑do attitude and a willingness to learn and take on new challenges.
• GCSE-level literacy and numeracy skills (or equivalent).
• Good communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational abilities.
• Proficiency with Office
  365, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• A proactive and adaptive approach to problem‑solving.
• Interest in supporting business operations in biomedical start‑ups.

• 38 days annual leave – including Bank holiday
• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle and electric car loan schemes
• Discounted bus travel and season ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

This apprenticeship offers full training, allowing you to build valuable skills while working towards a qualification.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 30th November 2026.

will take place on Tuesday 19th January 2027 and will be held face‑to‑face at the Bio Escalator - Innovation Building, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone can thrive. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals from all backgrounds to grow their career in administration and digital support.

Generative AI (GenAI), including tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Gemini, can produce human‑like content and assist at various stages of your job application. These tools can be incredibly helpful when searching for and preparing for a new role, but it’s important to use them in the right way. While they can assist, they should complement, not replace, your personal effort in your application.

Remember, we want to get to know you as a candidate!