Business Administration Apprenticeship

Castle Water works together with GP Strategies to provide Apprenticeship opportunities across our company. An Apprenticeship takes on average 6-18 months to complete. During your working week we will set aside 3 hours for you to work specifically on your apprenticeship, and you will also be required to attend weekly meetings with your GP Strategies appointed assessor.

As a Business Administration Apprentice, your role typically involves providing administrative support across administration departments at Castle Water. Business Administration Apprentices will be placed either in our SME Billing and Payments Department or our Industrial and Commercial department.

Your responsibilities may include:

Data Entry and Record-Keeping: Inputting and managing data in databases, spreadsheets, or other software systems. This could involve maintaining customer records, producing customers invoices, or allocating payments.

Communication: Handling incoming communications typically over email.

Document Preparation: Assisting in the creation, formatting, and distribution of documents such as customer invoices and statement of accounts. This may involve word processing, proofreading, and ensuring documents adhere to company standards.

Project Assistance: As a Business Administration Apprentice you will have the opportunity to get involved in company projects, promoting apprenticeships at Castle Water and working alongside marketing.

Throughout your apprenticeship, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and develop a wide range of administrative skills while gaining practical experience in a professional setting. You’ll likely work closely with experienced administrators and managers who will provide guidance and mentorship as you progress in your role.

We can promise you a hardworking and lively environment that will equip you with skills that could be used across many areas of the business. You can expect to be part of a collegial and supportive team, with a strong emphasis on knowledge-sharing, continuous learning, mutual respect, and personal development. We will ask a lot of you, and in return, opportunities for advancement in our company are available for those who put in the effort. We value our people and love to watch them develop and advance in their careers with us.

• Understand, generate and review customer bills, taking ownership or customer queries and following through to resolution
• Build rapport, identify customer needs quickly, efficiently, and proactively to deliver excellent customer services
• Work collaboratively with team members to ensure more complex customer queries are investigated and resolved
• Allocate customer payments and set up direct debits
• Assist and collaborate with ALL other area of the business when required, supporting them with billing queries
• Manage workload effectively ensuring all tasks are completed within given timescales
• Actively work on apprenticeship during allocated 3 hours of allocated study time
• Attend weekly meetings with GP Strategies appointed assessor

Company Values

• Understand and model behaviours on company Values, and adhere to all regulatory requirements
• Ability to work in a high pressure, challenging and fast paced environment, working to tight deadlines

Delivering and reporting KPIs

• Fully understand the KPIs in their area, and takes responsibility for their delivery
• Ongoing monitoring of performance statistics to evaluate and ensure that the set goals and targets are consistently achieved

Subject matter expertise

• Understanding key processes throughout the customer journey, particularly those processes within your area of responsibility
• Identifying and implementing process improvements to improve operational efficiency and customer service throughout the business

Proficient use of company systems

• Creating an environment and culture where everyone is or becomes proficient in using key company systems, related to their area of responsibility
• Ensuring you and your team are effective and efficient in using all company IT systems
• Identifies and facilitates training as required

Compliance

• Understands regulatory requirements and the company code of ethics and applies these to all tasks
• Undertakes all mandatory training required by the company including GDPR, Equality & Diversity
• Undertakes ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 responsibilities associated with the role

Undertaking continuous professional development

• Taking responsibility for self-development
• Attending all Apprenticeship meetings with Assessor from GP Strategies
• Using allocated study time effectively

Any other duties

• You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties

• Communication Skills: Clear verbal and written communication is essential for conveying information effectively, whether it’s through emails, phone calls, or in-person interactions
• Organisational Skills: The ability to prioritise tasks and manage time efficiently
• Attention to Detail: Being meticulous and thorough ensures accuracy in tasks like data entry, document preparation, and record-keeping, minimising errors and oversights
• Problem-Solving Skills: The capacity to identify issues, analyse situations, and propose solutions is valuable for resolving challenges that may arise in day-to-day operations
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Working well with others, being cooperative, and contributing positively to team dynamics fosters a productive and harmonious work environment
• Adaptability: Flexibility and openness to change enable you to adjust to shifting priorities, new tasks, and evolving business needs effectively
• IT Proficiency: Basic proficiency in using common office software such as word, Excel and PowerPoint is often necessary, along with the ability to quickly learn new software tools
• Qualifications: Minimum Nat 5 Maths and Nat 5 English preferred