Sales Apprentice
DS Smith
Swadlincote (DE12 8AA)
Closes in 13 days (Monday 8 June 2026)
Posted on 26 May 2026
Contents
Summary
As a Sales Executive Level 4 Apprentice, you will play a key role in supporting our commercial growth while developing the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in sales. You’ll build strong relationships with customers, understand their packaging needs, and help deliver high-quality, sustainable solutions.
- Wage
-
£23,975 a year
- Training course
- Sales executive (level 4)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- 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
- Contacting customers to understand their packaging requirements, managing enquiries and responding to customer queries
- Liaising with internal teams to ensure orders and enquiries are processed efficiently
- Developing an understanding of DS Smith’s products, services, and the UK corrugated packaging market
Where you'll work
Mercia Park Unit 4
Swadlincote
DE12 8AA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BMS PROGRESS LLP
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.
Training schedule
- Work towards the Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship
- Classroom and online
- One day per week
- Functional Skills in English and maths if required
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
About this employer
DS Smith is a world-leading provider of fibre‑based, sustainable packaging solutions, supported by our integrated recycling and papermaking operations. Through our purpose of Redefining Packaging for a Changing World, we are driving the transition to a more circular, low‑carbon economy. Our solutions help major brands reduce carbon, replace problem plastics and keep materials in use for longer - supported by our innovative design capabilities and our unique “box‑to‑box in 14 days” model.
After this apprenticeship
- Junior Account Manager
- Customer Service
- Business Development
- Direct Sales
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DS Smith
Oliver Churchill
oliver.churchill@dssmith.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000033343.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Monday 8 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.