Apprentice Sales Executive

Summary

This role will involve building a structured sales pipeline from scratch, developing new business opportunities, and then maintaining and growing that pipeline through consistent follow-up and account development.

Wage

£22,000 a year

£22,000 - £25,000 depending on experience and qualifications

Training course

Sales executive (level 4)

Hours

Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm with a 30 minute unpaid lunch break.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 12 October 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

This is a multi-faceted role combining business development, account management, and light marketing activity, suited to someone who is organised, self-motivated, and confident operating independently in a small business.

Sales & Pipeline Management:

• Build, manage, and grow a structured sales pipeline covering prospects, quotes, follow-ups, and converted orders
• Proactively generate new business opportunities within public sector and commercial markets
• Follow up all outstanding quotes via phone and email to maximise conversion rates
• Track and manage all activity using a CRM system or structured spreadsheet

Business Development:

• Identify and target councils, local authorities, housing associations, police forces, and other public sector organisations
• Research upcoming projects, tenders, and recurring signage requirements
• Develop relationships with new and existing contacts to secure long-term repeat business

Account Management:

• Re-engage dormant and lapsed customers to generate repeat orders
• Act as a key point of contact for customer enquiries, pricing, and product information
• Provide a professional and responsive service to support customer retention and growth

Marketing Support (desirable not essential):

• Create and send targeted email campaigns (e-shots)
• Produce and post basic LinkedIn content to promote products and campaigns

Internal Collaboration:

• Work closely with the owner and operations team to ensure efficient handling of enquiries
• Provide regular updates on sales activity, pipeline value, and conversion performance

Where you'll work

23 RUSSELL STREET
LONG EATON
NOTTINGHAM
NG10 4LU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

SR APPRENTICESHIPS LIMITED

Training course

Sales executive (level 4)

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

SR Apprenticeships is a leading national training provider delivering Apprenticeship programmes throughout the UK.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade C/4/Pass)
• Maths (grade C/4/Pass)

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
• Punctual
• Record keeping skills