Apprentice - International Freight Forwarder

COMPANY GBA Logistics - Freight Services

JOB TITLE Apprentice Freight Forwarder

SHIFTS Monday - Friday 39 hours per week

SALARY £18,000 per year

BASE Seaham

GBA Logistics has been delivering logistics solutions since 1987 and are a leading family-owned logistics company. We target the top end of the logistics value-chain and our passion is to solve our customers problems. We are in the top 50 Logistics Companies in the UK with annual turnover in excess of £75m. With a base in 5 European countries and a growing presence in mainland Europe we are looking for a Freight Forwarding apprentice to play a major role in our Freight Services team.

Whether it’s regular Full Truck Loads (FTLs) from A to B, imports and exports, or express vans delivering to multiple locations, we have the experience, equipment and network to support our customers.

GBA offers the security of a large, established freight partner operating our own fleet of vehicles with highly trained drivers, combined with a flexible, large network of logistics partners all over the world - ensuring you always get the best solution, tailored to your specific business requirements.

Our people are our most important asset and are crucial to the success of our business. We are one big family and care passionately about the work we do and the service provided to our customers.

Key Responsibilities
- To support the team administrative function to meet the requirements of customer bookings
- To support the account managers and work as a part of a team.
- To assist with the smooth running of customer accounts by ensuring that all job bookings are handled efficiently through use of the GBA systems.
- Ensuring all jobs are booked and monitored in accordance with the GBA life cycle.
- Start to gain an understanding of your customers Standard Operating Procedure’s & Service Level Agreements and ensuring that these are adhered to
- Work reliably and ethically in line with our Values
- Locating live jobs and ensuring all delivery times are being met, escalating any concerns in relation to vehicle deadlines to a manager.
- Prepare and input all handover information for Out of Hours and weekend staff into the GBA handover system.
- Start handling some communication with customers
- Ensuring any filing systems are kept accurate and up to date.
- Other general administrative tasks including data input, printing, copying, etc.
- Complete any other tasks deemed applicable/appropriate to the role.
- Ensuring good housekeeping standards are maintained within own workspace.

You
- You will have 5 x GCSE A*-D / 9-3 which must include GCSE English at A*-C / 9-4 and Maths at A*-D / 9-3 or equivalent and a positive attitude.
- 2-3 years vettable work history
- Ideally experience of working in a fast-paced office environment.

What We Can Offer
- A level 3 International Freight Forwarder qualification gained within 18 months
- Long term career with a stable market leader
- Holiday loyalty scheme
- Company Health Care Scheme
- Company Sick Pay
- Learning and Development opportunities

What do our people say?

“Family Values and truly are. Will do utmost for staff: Driver allowed to take grand-daughter to prom in vehicle. Supported charity bike ride by supplying vehicle. Engaged with staff for helping with problems.”

“Fair rate of PAYE. Cycle to work scheme. Employee health care scheme. Made to feel like family. Supportive HR. Team building exercises even if it is a meal and a drink.”

“Great place to work with good rates of pay throughout. Progression and development are key elements of the business and shows a true reflection on how the company want to help the growth of their employees.”

“The feeling like you are a part of the business family meant I settled in very quickly as I felt very included and that I could talk to my colleges.”

“I am really enjoying working for GBA, management are very friendly and supportive, they respect you. HR department is very welcoming and continuously driving to develop the company, whilst taking onboard and listening to employees views. GBA offer flexibility within my role and there is a good work-life balance.”

Culture fit is also vital to this role and we are looking for people who share our values. In a recent employee engagement survey, when asked “what is it like at GBA” the top three responses were “Challenging”, “Interesting” and “Friendly”. If this sounds like you then please get in touch.