Advanced Business Administration Apprenticeship- Waste Collections and Street Scene Services

Overview

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our Waste Collections and Street Scene Services team as a Business Administration apprentice. This Advanced (Level 3) apprenticeship offers a hands-on introduction to the essential operations behind waste management, recycling, and street scene services within a busy local authority environment.

Working for one of the largest employers in the County, you will gain practical skills as well as experience of the waste management services that the Council provides.

If you’re dynamic, detail-focused, eager to learn, and passionate about contributing to environmental and community outcomes, this apprenticeship could be the ideal start to your career.  

About us

Our apprenticeships are designed to give you the hands-on experience needed in a real job that brings out the best in you, with real responsibilities, real challenges, real projects and scope to grow your career. 

This role sits within the Waste Collections and Street Scene Services. The team work collaboratively to provide core Council services that cover waste collections (Communal/Garden/Food/Refuse & Recycling), Street Cleansing Services, Commercial Waste Services, Clinical Waste Collections, Waste Prevention and Waste Policy management.

Working across the team means there are plenty of opportunities for learning and development in both a formal and informal capacity.  The team environment is fast paced, dynamic and supportive, and we invest in ‘growing our own’ so there are excellent opportunities for career progression.

Click here for an insight on what it’s like to be an apprentice with us. 

About the role

In this role you’ll be working closely with other members of the Waste Collections and Street Scene Services team with a particular focus around the day-to-day management of the key waste services and helping us deliver critical services to residents, businesses, and internal stakeholders.  You’ll gain insight into how local government waste services operate, build practical experience, and work towards your Level 3 Business Administration qualification—with dedicated study time provided during your working week.

You will play an active role in coordinating formal complaints and enquiries, supporting Customer Services and Business Support teams, assisting with contract monitoring, and contributing to service improvements across waste and street cleansing operations.

The role will also give you insight into how the wider waste service operates, including our outsourced waste contract. You’ll develop skills in handling difficult and complex situations, delivering excellent customer service, and building strong working relationships across a range of teams and service areas.

Your work activities will focus on some of the following key areas:

• Investigating, responding and co-ordinating formal complaints and enquiries.
• Liaising with our waste services provider to provide resolutions to customer enquiries.
• Mailbox management and dealing with Councillor enquiries
• Providing support functions to other areas of the team, including contract management activities such as minute taking of contractual meetings.
• Supporting/Escalation point for our Customer Services Centre & Corporate Business Support Teams.
• Working with council systems such as Abavus (Customer Relationship Manager software) and I-Casework (Complaints)

About you

Skills required:

• Able to organise own work and achieve deadlines
• Microsoft Office skills (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook)
• Good IT skills and the ability to use databases
• Able to communicate well verbally and in writing
• Able to use initiative and work independently with a good attention to detail

• Good standard of written work with accurate spelling and grammar

Personal Qualities:

• Resilient and able to handle difficult customers
• Comfortable working as part of a team and playing an active role
• Able to get on well with a range of people
• Ambition to develop your skills and experience
• Enthusiastic, dynamic and forward thinking
• Willingness to learn and to undertake a range of different tasks as required
• An interest in the environment and sustainability

Eligibility Criteria:

Good Maths and English skills are desirable but not essential.

Please note: You will not be eligible for this post if you have a Degree in the same subject as this apprenticeship, or other qualifications in the same subject at an equivalent level.   

The ability to converse with ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (Code of Practice: English language requirements for public sector workers 2016) 

Other information

Location: High Wycombe (minimum of two days per week). Sometimes working in Aylesbury offices will be required.

Possible Starting date: End May/early June

Duration of Apprenticeship: 18 months

Salary: Your initial apprentice salary will be £15,392 p.a for your first year and will go up to National Minimum Wage if you are 19+ when you start the 2nd year of your apprenticeship. All your training will be funded by us. As well as the salary, our apprentices are eligible to:

• Paid holiday package
• Join our generous Pension scheme
• Get 50% off of Arriva bus travel
• Receive a range of restaurant, shop & gym discounts through our Employee Benefits scheme.
• Apply for a TOTEM Card (formerly called the NUS Extra card)

Reality Check: This is a full time position working a 37 hour week Monday to Friday.

Our apprenticeship roles are on a fixed term contract for the duration of the apprenticeship. Level 3 is usually for about 18 months.

Contact: If you have any questions about this role please contact Shahzaib Khan email [email protected] or call 01296 382368

Future Prospects: We cannot guarantee a permanent position following completion of the apprenticeship, however this is a great opportunity to develop knowledge of business administration functions of waste services which will provide skills for future employment opportunities.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Our Communities directorate works across the county to deliver a number of the key customer-facing services that our residents, businesses and visitors rely on every day. 

This directorate includes a wide range of services, including:

• collecting and disposing of waste and recycling
• maintaining our roads and Rights of Way network and parking
• ensuring the delivery of school transport, and supporting sustainable travel including public bus services and School Crossing Patrollers
• managing Country Parks
• leisure facilities, museums, theatres and libraries, as well as developing our Cultural Strategy
• Licensing, Environmental Health and Trading Standards
• Cemeteries and Crematoria

The customer is central to how we develop and deliver all of these services, which help promote our rich and vibrant culture and special environment. 

We are looking for enthusiastic, ambitious and committed individuals to join our team and help us to continue to make Buckinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit. This is an exciting time for us as we bring together the services previously run by five separate councils before Buckinghamshire Council was created. Whilst making major changes to contracts affecting residents across Bucks, we continue to focus on delivering great customer service. You will join us on our journey of continuous improvement - whether that’s through developing strategies and ways of working or delivering services on the ground, every person in Communities is a valued member of the team.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/