Job Description

Position Details:

Campus Services


Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK


Full time starting salary 20,494 per annum rising to 25,618 after 12 months service.


Apprentice Grade 3


Full Time / Fixed Term for 16 Months


Apprenticeship Standard: Customer Service Practitioner - Level 2


Training Provider: Hit Training


Closing date: 10 August 2025 - please upload a CV with your application.

Eligibility:

The training delivered in apprenticeships is funded through the apprenticeship levy which is subject to Department for Education funding rules for apprenticeships. When reviewing applications the University and the training provider will be checking candidates meet this eligibility criteria . Further information is available on our webpage .


You have normally been a resident in the UK for the last 3 years. For exemptions please refer to the government funding rules for apprenticeships.

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.


The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.


We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.


We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.


Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.


The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.


Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Apprenticeship Context

Student Living at the University of Birmingham have an exciting opportunity to join our team as an Apprentice Customer Service Advisor. You will play a key part in ensuring a comprehensive and efficient accommodation experience for all students.


The team play a major role in ensuring that university owned and managed bed spaces are fully occupied and that excellent customer care is always provided. The Student Living team provides advice, information and support to students living in University owned accommodation and the private sector.

Apprenticeship Summary

This Apprentice Customer Service Advisor role, situated within the Business Development Team at the Student Living Hub in University Centre, requires the post holder to provide direct customer and administrative support. Key responsibilities include assisting with accommodation allocations, transfers, private sector contract verification, and general guidance. The role encompasses responding to customer enquiries across multiple channels (in-person, email, telephone) and performing general office administration.



The Apprentice will represent Student Living at various outreach events, including Open Days, Webinars, and Offer Holder Days.

Main duties the apprentice will learn:

Deliver a high-quality service to all visitors at the Student Living Hub. Respond promptly and effectively to customer enquiries across all channels (in-person, email, telephone, and social media) concerning a full range of accommodation issues. Advise students on appropriate housing options, including University, Partner, and private sector accommodation. Provide updates to the wider team on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and trends related to customer enquiries. Manage the accommodation transfer process and requests for early release from accommodation. Handle complaints confidently and efficiently, escalating issues to the relevant manager when necessary. Update the student record database, StarRez, ensuring records are current and all correspondence is logged accurately and professionally. Monitor knowledge bases and University websites to ensure their relevance, accuracy, and support a quality user journey. Ensure clear communication and effective information sharing with other Student Living departments and across the University. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of private accommodation options across Birmingham (training will be provided). Generate references for students moving into the private sector. Adhere to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), IT, Health and Safety, and financial policies, and other relevant legislation at all times, handling sensitive and confidential information professionally. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as required. You will be expected to engage fully with the University of Birmingham apprenticeship scheme, attending mandatory group days and contributing to the successful promotion of the scheme by representing your department in a positive manner.

Further Details

Hours of work will be flexible and as required to meet the demands of a business that can have a changeable pattern across the year, including evening and weekend work as required. This includes taking annual leave outside of the summer allocations period that runs from August to mid-September.

This apprenticeship would suit

Someone looking to develop a career in administration and/or working with students. The role will require someone who can organise their own time and complete the tasks required of them. We are looking for someone who is keen to learn and enjoys providing excellent customer service. An organised individual with the ability to work well both within a busy and diverse team and independently deciding own short-term priorities and timetabling of tasks to meet agreed deadlines. Able to judge the urgency of tasks and reliably, independently and consistently, prioritise their workload.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

A good understanding of delivering excellent customer service skills. Computer literate with the ability to use Microsoft Office. Excel skills desirable. Confident in telephone and in-person engagements, including in the delivery of presentations Able and willing to work flexibly, office hours will be from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, however some evening and weekend work will be required Enthusiasm and willingness to meet challenging and competing demands A proactive and innovative approach to problem solving, with an ability to adapt to changing requirements and escalate issues where needed Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers and staff, demonstrating a high level of discretion in dealing with confidential matter

Career Pathway

On completion of this apprenticeship, you may be able to progress into one of the following roles:


Customer Service Advisor


Administrator


Team Leader



For enquiries please email: apprenticeships@contacts.bham.ac.uk


View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy

.

You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone

on our website

.