Apprentice Accounts & Customer Service Officer

Summary

A great opportunity to join the Rent Accounting & Home Ownership team, part of Sandwell Council’s Housing directorate. Our objective is to provide financial information, advice & guidance to internal Council officers as well as tenants & leaseholders. This role will provide customer service & admin support to deliver these services effectively.

Wage: £14,526.20 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9.00am - 5.00pm. Friday, 9.00am - 4.30pm.
37 hours a week
Possible start date: Tuesday 1 April
Duration: 1 year
Positions available: 1

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

To provide support to the Rent Accounting and Home Ownership Team Lead for the integrity of data held within the rent accounting system
To assist in the implementation of new system application releases and upgrades
To assist in the development of rent accounting/leasehold reporting tools
To assist with the period end activities in accordance with agreed processes and timescales as well as reconciliations
To support the investigation and allocation of any unidentified income to the correct account
To assist with the production of financial reports/repairs report & performance information as required
To liaise with external stakeholders and internal sections within the council, as required
To assist the delivery of effective and efficient services to leaseholders and right to buy applicants
To assist with the production of statements, and all associated letters, including supporting people, contents insurance and leaseholder service charges
To assist with updating procedural notes on the current rent and home ownership system
To provide general administrative support to staff such as word processing, data inputting, photocopying, scanning and filing
Receiving and taking appropriate action on incoming calls from customers, dealing with queries and requests
Attending mandatory training and undertaking relevant and appropriate training related to the role as part of your personal development
Ensuring confidentiality is maintained at all times
Ensuring that policies and procedures are followed at all times
Gathering customer feedback and analysing responses

Where you’ll work

Freeth Street

Oldbury

B69 3DB

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

JUNIPER TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Customer service practitioner (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents

Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications; and/or
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
Demonstrate patience and calmness.
Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
Maintain informative communication during service recovery.

Your training plan

Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard:

The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace, as you will receive visits from a college assessor
The apprenticeship will also include a proportion of 20% Off The Job Training and a robust programme of Mandatory Apprentice Training provided by Sandwell Council to include Workplace Professionalism and Equality & Diversity

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English Language (grade 4-9)
Maths (grade 4-9)

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
Presentation skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Adhere to data protection
Client confidentiality
Professionalism

Other requirements

Proof of qualification certificates will be required upon application. Initially this post requires the apprentice to work in the office a minimum of 4 days a week; following successful training and having met the competencies required to do the role with minimum support, agile working of a minimum of 2 days a week in the office will be offered.

About this company

Sandwell is a large, multicultural metropolitan borough situated in the heart of the Black Country, to the west of Birmingham, within the West Midlands conurbation and with a population of over 280,000. The Council is one of the largest employers in the Borough with employees in a variety of occupations, providing a comprehensive range of services. For more information about Sandwell Council’s apprenticeship programme and our recruitment process please visit our YouTube channel. Find out more information on Sandwell’s Values and Behaviours on the council’s webpage. For more information on careers in local government you can view a copy of the Local Government Career Guide.

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

This apprenticeship is a fixed term 12-15 month contract, and at the end you will gain a Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Qualification
The skills, knowledge and experience gained in this apprenticeship will allow you to gain future opportunities in the sector

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Parmjit Sidhu

parmjit_sidhu@sandwell.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000301758.

Apply now

Closes in 3 days (Tuesday 25 February at 11:59pm)

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