Operations Administrator Apprenticeship

Summary

Gibsons is a family-owned company founded in London in 1919. Our mission is to create cherished moments through first class jigsaw puzzles and games, uniting innovation and heritage in a sustainable way. We are looking for a hands-on, team player to join our Operations team as a Business Administration apprentice.

Wage

£13,741 to £22,222.20, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

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Training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Hours

Hybrid working - 3 days in the office per week. Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

35 hours a week

Start date

Monday 9 June 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Purchasing:

Ordering stock of finished products and components in line with the purchasing decisions of the Head of Operations
Raising purchase orders for puzzles, games and playing cards and for call-offs of previously produced puzzles
Receipting stock into SAP, applying coefficients and reconciling with supplier invoices
Running end of day and end of month reports
Ordering stock of finished products in the absence of the head of Operations

Operations:

Dealing with warehouse on any delivery issues as they arise
Entering re-work or finished product assembly on to system
Making stock adjustments as requested by Head of Operations
Liaise with UK warehouses (B2B & B2C) to manage the stock transfer process and ensure optimum availability and delivery for all sales
Compile monthly quality reports to share internally and with key manufacturing partners
Provide support for International Sales Export documentation creation and control

Other:

Maintaining Product Testing records and ensuring certification is up to date
Organise the despatch of samples to customers / artists / license holders and testing house, as required
Working closely with the Customer Care Coordinator on providing B2C support including Puzzle Tester reporting and analysis

Where you’ll work

2 GEMINI COURT
42A THROWLEY WAY
SUTTON
SM1 4AF

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

CSM CONSULTING LIMITED

Your training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.
Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.
Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.
Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.
Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.

Your training plan

Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard:

You will spend at least one day per week working towards your qualification by taking part in training and development activities
It is important that you work hard on the formal training as well as the on-the-job aspects
Your employer, other colleagues and UCANs Apprenticeship Team will support you throughout
Training will take place on site at Gibsons Games during your normal working hours

More training information

CSM Consulting Ltd t/a UCAN is a leading provider of nationally recognised qualifications which provide the skills that individuals and their employers need
You will have a dedicated sector specialist tutor for the duration of your apprenticeship
Your course will be relevant to your job role and provide you with bespoke resources as well as Information, Advice and Guidance on future career development

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 2)
Maths (grade 2)

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
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working

About this company

Gibsons is a family-owned company founded in London in 1919. Our mission is to create cherished moments through first class jigsaw puzzles and games, uniting innovation and heritage in a sustainable way. Based in Sutton Surrey, Gibsons HQ is home to 19 employees who work together to drive worldwide growth. Our retail customers include major high street retailers and independent toy and gift stores, as well as garden centres and department stores. In 2019, we launched our e-commerce website which is now an integral revenue stream, alongside a thriving Amazon Seller Central business. We develop our jigsaw puzzles and games in-house, working closely with game designers, artists and illustrators. We care deeply about what we do and are proud of our values: in our team, you’ll find passion, excitement and a determination to bring joy with our puzzles and games to our customers across the world. Behind the puzzles and games is a passion to make a real difference to people. The service we provide our customers is second to none and we partner with our supply chain to ensure that together we achieve transparency and raise standards, whilst reducing our impact on the planet as much as possible. We are proud to have Investors in People accreditation and expect to be a B Corporation by the middle of 2023. Gibsons Games values the importance of a diverse workforce. Women, people of colour, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community are strongly encouraged to apply. We believe an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. We're not looking for candidates who are "culture fits". We are looking for candidates who can expand our culture, challenge business as usual, and bring the whole selves to work. We strive to provide those candidates with an equitable and accessible recruiting process. If we can offer accommodations for you in the recruiting process or you have feedback on how to make the recruiting process more accessible, please let us know.

http://www.gibsonsgames.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Permanent role as an Operations Administrator
Greater responsibilities within the existing administrative or operations team
Possibility of moving into a Team Leader role and undertaking the Team Leader L3 apprenticeship

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