Apprentice (Credit Controller)

Summary

Do you want to be part of building a greener, healthier, and stronger North West? Come and join us! With a range of award-winning roles on offer, you’re sure to find your perfect career here at United Utilities. We’ll provide you with industry-leading skills and the experience you need to succeed in your chosen field.

Wage

£19,000 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Annual increase

Training course

Credit controller and collector (level 2)

Hours

Monday - Friday, times to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Possible start date

Wednesday 3 September

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

6

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

As an Apprentice Credit Controller, you’ll learn how to:

Interact with our customers with the aim of stopping them falling into debt, and help those who have fallen into arrears get back up to date with their payments
Provide ‘best in class’ customer service, supporting customers facing financial hardship and get them the help they need
Take ownership for complex queries and issues, following these through to resolution
Contribute to team targets
Diagnose customer issues and investigate and interpret data held on a number of different systems
Accurately record and process a variety of customer enquires both verbal and written
Manage customer expectations as well as set and agree timescales for actions to be performed
Promote United Utilities products and services

Where you’ll work

Haweswater House

Warrington

Cheshire

WA5 3LP

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

KAPLAN FINANCIAL LIMITED

Your training course

Credit controller and collector (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Service delivery: Delivers excellent service to customers using the organisation’s systems and processes; contributes to individual and team objectives, in line with the employer’s policy; works in a way which reflects organisational values and complies with standards and regulatory requirements; carries out a range of tasks which may include credit application processing, cash allocation and reconciliation; proactive contact with customers to collect outstanding balances, debt; maintaining accurate records of communications, actions; straight-forward dispute resolution; and recommending write offs.
Work planning: Organises their own accounts, completing tasks to required deadlines. Tracks individual customer accounts where necessary. Takes ownership through to completion, escalating when required, e.g. potential debt risk.
Teamwork: Consistently supports colleagues and collaborates to achieve results. Builds and maintains good working relationships within teams and with other business areas where necessary. Aware of own role in the team and the impact on others.
Communication and relationship building: Communicates effectively with customers and colleagues, using sound interpersonal skills, a range of media and appropriate language, e.g. phone, email, SMS, letter and face-to-face. Builds good relationships with customers, recognising their relationship with and their importance to the organisation while dealing with a potentially difficult topic. Adapts their style to that of the customer and actively listens to understand their needs. Handles difficult and sensitive situations professionally when they occur, e.g. regarding overdue accounts, working to support and retain a positive relationship with the customer.
Negotiation and decision making: Works with customers to identify mutually acceptable solutions to credit issues, within organisational guidelines. Takes ownership through to resolution, escalating where necessary.
Continuous improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve work practices and successfully implements changes that are required.
Personal development: Seeks feedback and acts on it to improve their performance. Builds their own capability through ownership of their own development, working with their manager. Keeps up to date with relevant changes.

Your training plan

Your apprenticeship will last 18 months, and successful apprentices will achieve a Credit Controller and Collector, Level: 2 standard, endorsed by the Institute for Apprenticeships.

More training information

During your apprenticeship, you may need to travel to your place of study. If you’re from outside the area, accommodation will be provided by United Utilities during this period (excluding weekends). Please consider travel requirements and staying away from home if applicable.

We need fantastic people to help us deliver a great service to the public. We are committed to reaching and recruiting from every community, supporting our employees to achieve their full potential, and ensuring everyone feels valued and included, regardless of gender, age, race, disability, sexual orientation, or social background.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

2 subjects: Maths and English (grade A-C or 9-4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

If offered a job, pre-employment checks are required before confirmation. Employment is subject to a satisfactory report from Disclosure Scotland/Disclosure and Barring Service. Apply for only one apprenticeship and explain your choice during the assessment. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

About this company

United Utilities is responsible for water and wastewater services in the North West of England. Our purpose is to provide great water and more for the North West. We deliver 1.8 billion litres of water a day to more than 3 million homes and businesses in the North West, as well as treating all the wastewater which disappears around the U-bend. Keeping the region flowing relies on a vast behind the scenes operation, involving hundreds of reservoirs, treatment works and pumping stations; thousands of kilometres of water pipes and sewers and a 5,000 strong workforce.

https://www.unitedutilities.com (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Credit Controller

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

KAPLAN FINANCIAL LIMITED

UUEarlyCareers@uuplc.co.uk

03301754408

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000298222.

Apply now

Closes in 26 days (Wednesday 19 February)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

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