Business Growth Apprentice

Summary

To maximise sales and develop sales opportunities, resulting in increased business and profit. Support sales efforts by generating leads, handling inquiries, and building relationships with customers, often through phone calls and emails. Recognise sales opportunities and act on them promptly and effectively

Wage

£16,000 a year

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Training course

Sales executive (level 4)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 23 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

Gain deep knowledge of the company’s offerings to effectively communicate benefits to customers
Developing and nurturing relationships with customers, both existing and potential
Complete proactive sales activity Including negotiate and close sales solutions
Manage a pipeline of customers to ensure sales forecasts are fulfilled
Build/manage a territory (geographic or industrial)
Create opportunities within existing customers/new business
Develop sleeping/inactive accounts
Supporting and Liaising with relevant inside sales team members
Generating / taking / quoting / chasing material enquiries
Enter and maintain data on CRM system
Filing and general administration

Where you'll work

The Deckhouse
The Water Front
Brierley Hill
West Midlands
DY5 1LW

Training

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

College or training organisation

ZENITH PEOPLE LIMITED

Your training course

Sales executive (level 4)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Sales planning and preparation: Set effective targets using sales forecasts. Prioritise customers and activities to grow account value and maximise return-on-investment in line with your organisation’s strategy. Formulate or refine customer plans and objectives. Create efficient territory plans where appropriate.
Customer engagement: Effectively communicate and interpret customer information exchanged through written, verbal and non-verbal communication. Develop a customer engagement style that effectively opens sales conversations, builds rapport, enhances customer relationships, and adapts to different customer’s social preferences.
Customer needs analysis: Be highly skilled at effective questioning and active listening techniques to understand the customer’s needs, guide the sales conversation appropriately, create mutual understanding, and build trust and affinity with customers.
Propose and present solutions: Develop sales proposals and deliver them using a presentation style and technique appropriate for your customer. Present relevant products and/or services, explain features and their advantages, and clearly articulate the value and benefit of the solution for the specific customer. Use and adapt a range of techniques to draw-out and overcome common sales objections.
Negotiate: Research the customer’s likely desired outcomes and negotiating stance. Develop responses to likely objections. Identify your own organisation’s needs, such as minimum price and acceptable terms. Negotiate or trade variables effectively.
Closing Sales: Be attuned to verbal and non-verbal buying-signals andmove to close at an appropriate point in sales conversations. Develop ethical techniques to close sales and confirm customers’ purchase agreement.
Gathering Intelligence: Collect, analyse and interpret market intelligence and share it appropriately and effectively within your organisation.
Time Management: Use and adapt appropriate tools and techniques to prioritise and manage your time effectively.
Collaboration and team work: Contribute effectively within a team environment. Work collaboratively with both internal and external stakeholders. Manage communications with the cross-functional team in relation to the effective delivery of your sales, such as finance and service delivery. Support continual business improvement by sharing best practice with sales team colleagues and assist the marketing team to develop new marketing collateral.
Customer experience management: Deliver a positive customer experience. Manage customer enquiries and issues effectively. Take proactive action to prevent and minimise customer concerns and complaints. Handle all customer interactions professionally to the customer’s satisfaction.
Digital skills: Effectively use digital tools to conduct research and target customers in line with the overall sales strategy. Able to deliver presentations and meetings using digital communication. Complete accurate records and process sales in accordance with your organisation’s policies, procedures and digital CRM systems.

Your training plan

A fully work based programme undertaking Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship Standard qualification over 18-months
You will receive support from your employer mentor throughout as well as your training provider who will come out on site to deliver your apprenticeship qualification

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent 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

Administrative skills
Analytical skills
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Customer care skills
Initiative
IT skills
Organisation skills
Patience
Presentation skills
Problem solving skills
Team working

Other requirements

Healthcare cash plan

About this company

Van Leeuwen is a globally operating trading company and specialist in steel pipes and pipe and tube applications. The company is headquartered in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands, and globally active with 77 offices and warehouse locations in 33 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America. The family-owned company was founded in 1924 by Pieter van Leeuwen. With a history of almost a century as a specialized business partner, we live up to our promise of delivering 'More than tubes.'. The company has 2,500 employees worldwide. They have specialist knowledge of sourcing, processing, stock planning, project management and logistics. Our passion is to create the best value, working closely together with customers in various segments in the industry and energy markets.

After this apprenticeship

Upon completion of apprenticeship the aim is for the candidate to progress into a Business Development role or Account Management

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