Applicant Portal

We at Best Practice Network share the belief that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education. To achieve that, we support and train the educational professionals who work alongside them to be the best they can be, so in turn, they can transform the lives of children and young people.

We’re a friendly, DfE accredited, Ofsted outstanding training company providing apprenticeships, professional development and the DfE’s ‘Golden Thread’ (trainee teachers to school Executive Leaders). We are adaptable, collaborative, and genuinely value the work we do to support the education sector, as much as our trainees do.

Our people are at the heart of our business and our passion and commitment to education is what drives us. As a result, we have seen incredible growth over the last few years both nationally and internationally.

We aim to be an employer where everyone can be themselves, do their best in an inclusive working environment and where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

About the Role:

Reporting to the Apprenticeship Funding Manager, the Early Engagement and Funding Coordinator role is integral to the delivery of high-quality programmes and requires excellent customer service, efficient coordination of the learner journey and effective support and coordination services. Within the team you will be designated certain areas of responsibility that will change dependant on the needs of the team, the business and your own professional development. 

Early Engagement and Funding Coordinators  will work closely with their team, Enrolment Coordinators, Sales, Marketing, Partnerships and Finance teams to ensure an outstanding end-to-end experience for participants. Cross-team collaboration is encouraged.

Responsibilities 

• Being the first point of contact to employers for all apprentice applications  
• Confirming all eligibility requirements are met so applications can progress  
• Respond to enquiries through various platforms including Zendesk, email and phone calls 
• Ensure that enquiries are acknowledged and dealt with promptly, efficiently and courteously 
• Process programme applications to ensure completeness and eligibility 
• Pre-empt withdrawals and deferrals, offering support, alternative provision, and manage/ track them when they occur 
• Work with colleagues to document and improve processes 
• Take ownership of and provide visibility into the progress towards KPIs 
• Role model values including working collaboratively, striving for excellence, working with integrity and undertaking continual learning 
• Ensuring all key contact, funding and invoicing details are logged on the candidate management system 
• Providing advice and support to employers regarding the Apprenticeship Levy, Incentives, and future funding reforms.  
• Guiding employers through the funding process – offering over the phone support and advice  
• Maintaining The Apprenticeship Service account – ensuring all cohorts are up to date and accurate 
• Working with employers to ensure funds raised are secured within desired timeframes  
• Working closely with other departments and support staff to assist with coordination of applications.  
• Ensuring the business hits our ambitious conversion targets 

About You:

• Be reliable, hardworking and professional 
• Have proven customer service-related experience 
• Possess an excellent customer service manner, both written and spoken 
• Have the ability to organise, plan and prioritise time and tasks effectively 
• Work well under pressure with the ability to deal with issues as they arise 
• Be highly competent using MS Office and Teams 
• Demonstrate accuracy and attention to detail 
• Highly numerate and literate 
• Creative, innovative and able to solve problems