Business Administration Apprentice

A leading UK law firm with a network of offices from the South Coast to Scotland, working together as one national team. An innovative practice and the first top 100 law firm to achieve “Gold Standard” Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm. The lack of barriers between departments, a real lack of hierarchy, zero tolerance for arrogance and pomposity makes Shoosmiths a fantastic place to work.

Our Recoveries Services Group provides a complete range of debt recovery services utilising cutting edge technology and with specialists dealing with different debt types, all operating under a centralised management structure allowing us to deliver consistently excellent service.

We act for a wide variety of captive and non-captive lenders.

Our specialist team of asset finance litigators is trained to deal with asset finance recoveries using commercial strategies and to engage with the customer at an early stage of proceedings. We deal with all cases, from routine undefended matters to large complex cases.

Within the asset finance recoveries team we have our own negotiations team, comprising experienced collections staff who engage with customers by telephone and seek to agree sensible repayment terms before legal proceedings are issued.

We also have a complaints team made up of experienced collections staff. This team deals with our clients' complaints and for a fixed fee will seek to engage with the customer to resolve the dispute, whether it concerns the satisfactory quality of the asset, title or a lien. We are able to bring objectivity to complaints resolution and reduce the number of complaints being referred to FOS.

The main purpose of the role is to work with the RSG Operations team providing telephone support to the Practice Group and general Administration.

• Ensuring all client SLA’s are met
• Adhere to all service standards
• Deal with all telephone and paper queries
• Outbound telephony to Customers/Businesses on behalf of RSG

• Carry out duties as outlined within the RSG Operations team working practices
• Providing a centralised administration service for the Practice Group

• Pro-actively contacting Customers on behalf of RSPG.  Completion of all necessary Data Protection checks, updating case management systems with full and accurate notes. Obtaining payments in full or part settlement, in respect outstanding balances/invoices, arranging and negotiating payment plans in line with the client’s requirements and deadlines. Ensuring all collection opportunities are maximised.
• Pre-dialling and additional telephony support to RSG as detailed by the Practice Group.
• To be familiar with and follow the Unit’s policies, procedures and processes
• Processing of incoming card payments via the telephone
• Setting up payment arrangements via the Direct Debit system, amendments, cancellations and unpaid Bacs notifications
• Completion of teams daily MI
• Processing of Engrossment Invoices onto SAP
• Centralised administrational duties on behalf of RSG
• Adhoc telephony support to RSG as and when required to meet our Clients requirements & SLA’s
• Generation of Contact Strategy letters
• Entry of all manually incepted files onto the case management system
• Complete Conflict check, Royal Mail, Local Authority and Insolvency searches.
• Request of Land Registry Documents
• Processing Instructions via External Client systems
• Attend and complete any training in a timely manner

Other tasks as appropriate

• Good written, verbal and numeracy skills
• Good organisational skills
• IT Literate and experience of using word & Excel
• Excellent telephone manner adhering to all Data Protection guidelines
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise, be organised and efficient
• Able to work as part of a team, but able to use own initiative when required.
• Working understanding of Visual Files, SAP & external payment providers
• Entry of financial information onto the case management system
• Liaise with other internal teams as appropriate
• Flexibility with the capability to adapt to change, new practices and cope under pressure but with the ability to recognise when to seek assistance
• Able to integrate within a team and able to work on own initiative.
• Friendly and helpful approach

Shoosmiths is a committed Equal Opportunities employer promoting equality of opportunity. This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.