Operational Support Assistant Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time

Closing Date: 11.59pm, 30 April 2026

Interview method: in person

Interview date: week commencing 11 May 2026

Applicants must have existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This Role Is Subject To

• Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
• 2 References – where possible we require 3 years’ history.
• Proof of Manchester Residency – Roles at Grade 1 to 3, traineeships, or apprenticeships will initially only be advertised to Manchester residents and internal candidates. An applicant is classed as a resident of Manchester if they live within the boundaries of the City of Manchester; i.e. Any Council Tax liability for their home would be with Manchester City Council. To check if you fall under the Manchester City Council boundary please visit – https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council
• Driving Licence – The successful candidate must always hold a full valid driving licence as you will be required to drive a vehicle adhering to council regulations.
• Police Vetting- You will be required to undertake a Greater Manchester Police vetting process.

The role of Operational Support Assistant is a production support and delivery role.

The team sits within the Strategic Communications Directorate and is responsible for the management of all mail for the council and all outbound mail correspondences. In addition to print and mail, the service also manages the production and sourcing of all print items required including leaflets, booklets, posters, t-shirts, banners and some signage.

As part of the internal print and mail team, the duties are varied and include sorting of inbound mail items, operating machinery (print and mail equipment), processing outbound mail and driving the provided mailroom van from Openshaw to the Town Hall site every day to deliver mail items.

The other duties will include taking deliveries, sorting stocks (this will be for paper, envelopes and other consumables used for the service), loading items into the van and mailing trays into trolleys that need to be moved around the building. Manual handling guidance will be provided but most items are within a low level weight limit so should not be an issue.

Operating mailing equipment is also a part of the role and full training will be provided to ensure correct and safe use at all times.

Scanning and sending emails with attachments to customer as receipt of items sent out is also part of the role as well as speaking to customers face to face when delivering and collecting mail. You will be required to offer advice and sign-post them to the service and how it should be used.

Data entry for mail dockets and paperwork is another admin related task that is part of the role.

The team operates out of shared offices in Openshaw where the team shares space with some other council and Greater Manchester Police teams.

The Print & Mail team currently comprises of 5 operating areas which are Town Hall Print Room (Copy Centre), Central Mailroom, Transactional Print & Mail, Print Buying and Data Operations. The collective teams currently has 12 members of staff all of whom report to the Business Manager for Operational and Commercial Communications.

The candidate we are looking for should have good communication skills to support customers and be calm under pressure.

There are specific deadlines within service and we need to aim to meet them so it is important that you are pragmatic and well organised so that you can prioritise tasks to achieve this.

Scanning and emailing customers documents is something that is required so we are looking for someone who has good basic ICT skills and would feel comfortable receiving and responding to emails in a responsible and appropriate way.

Good attention to detail is important as you need to input data into the mail provider systems to produce mail dockets. This is the information the provider, i.e. Royal Mail, uses to invoice the service so it needs to be correct.

The same applies to tracked mail as the information for those has to be logged correctly so that items can be located and tracked once in transit being delivered.

The candidate needs to be someone who is a confident driver and would be ok to drive through the busy City Centre. The vehicle used is an automatic Electric vehicle and is a lightweight small van.

We are looking for someone who can work as part of a team and is willing to support across the service when needed.

Experience working in a print and mail production environment would be a benefit but a comprehensive training programme will be provided to the successful candidate.

Someone who is comfortable being on their feet for large parts of the day and undertaking some light manual handing required for deliveries, loading and unloading of items.

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester Is Our Vision For a Fairer, Greener, And Healthier City – a Vision Shaped By The People Of Manchester. It Guides Everything We Do At The Council And Is Brought To Life Through The Our Manchester Behaviours

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits We Offer

• Generous holiday allowance – Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension – You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave – Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks – Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow – We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member – We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave – Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the “Accessibility tools” button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

Requirements

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, Offering

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email jobs@manchester.gov.uk.

What We Will Need From You If You’re Successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship. 

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for, see the top of the advert for details.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other Relevant Information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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