Climate Action Business Administration Apprentice

City of London Corporation

LONDON, EC2P 2EJ

Closes in 20 days (Thursday 21 November)

Posted on 28 October 2024


Summary

You will be part of the central team coordinating the Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy – delivering work through over 70 colleagues sitting in 6 departments. You will learn about setting and delivering a strategy to tackle the climate crisis, complex project management and delivery, and innovation at the heart of a corporation-wide strategy.

Annual wage
£25,780 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

City of London Corporation staff can take advantage of the pension scheme. They also receive discounts and special offers for a wide range of products and services.

Training course
Business administrator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 9:15am - 5pm core hours. Flexibility will be required for business needs. The role is 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home.

35 hours a week

Possible start date

Thursday 9 January

Duration

1 year 6 months

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

Purpose of Post:

The organisation launched an ambitious Climate Action Strategy (CAS) in October 2020 aiming to reach net zero in our own operations by 2027, and our full value chain by 2040. In addition, we will support the Square Mile reach net zero by 2040 and build climate resilience into our buildings, spaces and infrastructure. The CAS is delivered through 13 projects, sitting across 6 Corporation departments, coordinated by the central Climate Action Programme Team. 

The purpose of this post is to provide administrative support to the delivery of the CAS, across all 13 projects. This includes diary management for the central team, administration of financial processes, supporting some communications, and undertaking ad-hoc requests where required.

Main duties and responsibilities:

  • Act as a point of contact for financial and gateway process administration, assisting to resolve issues as they arise.
  • Request invoices, and raise, circulate and track purchase orders, as requested. Work with colleagues to ensure accurate receipting of purchase orders.
  • Support tracking of capital code requests, liaising with colleagues in Chamberlain’s and across the wider CAS programme.
  • Keep up to date with relevant City Corporation procedures, platforms and tools, and ensure compliance with City Corporation and Climate Action financial governance.
  • Assist with the collation and analysis of climate performance data during the annual emissions assessment.
  • Arrange meetings, as required, ensuring distribution of materials and documents.
  • Assist with minuting meetings and documenting actions for follow up.
  • Support the maintenance of key stakeholder engagement resources, ensuring materials are current, accurate, and aligned with the latest Climate Action Strategy initiatives.
  • Assist with keeping the web platform updated for use in communicating to a wide range of stakeholders about the Climate Action Strategy.
  • Assist in planning, coordinating, and executing stakeholder engagement events to effectively communicate and promote the Climate Action Strategy.
  • Develop teamwork, communication, presentation and verbal skills.

Learning and Development

Actively and enthusiastically work towards achieving the Business Administration Apprenticeship as agreed in individual learning plan, including:

  • Attending all the training sessions for the programme, and
  • Undertaking any required written work at home throughout the course.
  • Identify personal development needs and work with the Climate Action Programme Director to plan how these needs could be met.
  • Actively and enthusiastically learn about the work of the Innovation & Growth Department’s divisions and teams.

Additional

  • Actively seek to implement the City of London’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy in relation to the duties of the post, and at all times give due regard to the health and safety of both themselves and others when carrying out duties.
  • Actively seek to implement the City of London’s Equal Opportunity Policy and the objective to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the duties of the post.
  • Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested appropriate to the grade.

Where you’ll work

City of London

Guildhall

Gresham Street

LONDON

EC2P 2EJ

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

COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONDON

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

    You will be supported to achieve the Business Administration Level 3 apprenticeship. Theoretical training will be Biweekly with the support of the training provider.  

    Practical training and support will be given in the workplace allowing you to embed your learning in the working environment.

    You will receive hours 6 per week to support with your apprenticeship studies.  

    More training information

    The apprenticeship training will be delivered by the City of London corporation in house training provider Common Council of the City of London.

    The apprenticeship training will be delivered via face-to-face training session at the Guildhall London EC2V 7HH on a biweekly basis.

    Requirements

    Essential qualifications

    GCSE in:

    • English (grade 4)
    • Maths (grade 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
    • Administrative skills
    • Number skills
    • Analytical skills
    • Logical
    • Team working
    • Non judgemental
    • Patience

    About this company

    The school was founded in Brixton in 1854 to provide an education for the orphaned children of the City of London before moving to the present site, Ashtead Park, in 1926. We have a magnificent site with modern buildings alongside the original Main House set in a stunning 57 acres of parkland. This idyllic setting further supports the wellbeing of our students and staff, as being here, in the park, makes coming to work a pleasure. It looks striking in every season, and we are lucky to have a vast array of wildlife living in our woods. Today, Freemen’s is an independent day and boarding school for students aged 7-18, with a strong ethos of community and service in accordance with the values on which the school was founded. We are proudly co-educational and have been since 1854, which was radical at the time, and we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with our forward-thinking, progressive approach. It is the sister school of the City of London School and the City of London School for Girls, which are both independent single-gender schools located within the City of London itself. All three schools receive funding from the City of London Corporation.

    http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk (opens in new tab)

    Disability Confident

    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

    On successful completion of the apprenticeship, we aim to offer the opportunity to progress to a level 3 apprenticeship, then a permanent role within the team if a position is available. 

    Alternatively, we shall endeavour to secure an alternative position within the City of London Corporation.   

    Ask a question

    The contact for this apprenticeship is:

    City of London Corporation

    Kate Neale

    Kate.Neale@cityoflondon.gov.uk

    The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000284298.

    Apply now

    Closes in 20 days (Thursday 21 November)

    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.

    Company’s application instructions

    Please apply online and ensure that you answer the questions in the Recruitment Information Pack - please include your answers in the supporting information section of the application form. We are unable to accept curriculum Vitae (CVs)