Closes in 10 days (Wednesday 3 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
The People & Culture Apprentice will support the People team in delivering a comprehensive and efficient People service across a broad range of administrative tasks. This role combines practical experience with the opportunity to gain a recognised and highly desired qualification, offering a strong foundation for a future career in HR.
Wage
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
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Hours Monday to Friday8.30am- 5pmWith a 30 min unpaid break
40 hours a week
Monday 15 September 2025
Duration
1 year 6 months
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
1. Provide administrative and first line support across the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, employee relations, performance and absence management, with guidance from the People & Culture Partner, ensuring a smooth and efficient People service
2. Accurately update and maintain People systems and trackers, ensuring data integrity and demonstrating strong attention to detail
3. Uphold confidentiality and ensure compliance with data protection regulations, demonstrating a clear understanding of the importance of handling sensitive information
4. Support the recruitment and onboarding process, with a particular focus on the successful delivery of high-volume temporary recruitment campaigns, in close collaboration with the Recruitment Officer
5. Collaborate with the Learning & Development Officer to support and help deliver a successful Work Experience Programme
6. Support the Internal Communications Manager in the delivery of wellbeing and engagement activities across the organisation
7. Contribute to a variety of People projects and initiatives, as required by the team
8. Commit to and successfully complete the Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship, applying knowledge and skills gained through the real-life tasks within the workplace
Where you'll work
The North of England Zoological
Society
Cedar House
Chester Zoo
CH21LH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
* Service Delivery: Delivers excellent customer service on a range of HR queries and requirements, providing solutions, advice and support primarily to managers. Builds managers’ expertise in HR matters, improving their ability to handle repeated situations themselves where appropriate. Uses agreed systems and processes to deliver service to customers. Takes the initiative to meet agreed individual and team KPIs in line with company policy, values, standards. Plans and organises their work, often without direct supervision, to meet commitments and KPIs.
* Problem Solving: Uses sound questioning and active listening skills to understand requirements and establish root causes before developing HR solutions. Takes ownership through to resolution, escalating complex situations as appropriate.
* Communication & Interpersonal: Deals effectively with customers/colleagues, using sound interpersonal skills and communicating well through a range of media eg phone, face to face, email, internet. Adapts their style to their audience. Builds trust and sound relationships with customers. Handles conflict and sensitive HR situations professionally and confidentially.
* Teamwork: Consistently supports colleagues /collaborates within the team and HR to achieve results. Builds/maintains strong working relationships with others in the team and across HR where necessary.
* Process Improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve HR performance and service; acts on them within the authority of their role. Supports implementation of HR changes/projects with the business.
* Managing HR Information: Maintains required HR records as part of services delivered. Prepares reports and management information from HR data, with interpretation as required.
* Personal Development: Keeps up to date with business changes and HR legal/policy/process changes relevant to their role. Seeks feedback and acts on it to improve their performance and overall capability.
* The candidate will follow a Level 3 apprenticeship programme and study towards a Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship standard
* This training will be structured and delivered by Cheshire College– South & West
* If the candidate does not hold GCSE grades A-C (9-4) or equivalent, they will be required to complete a Level 2 Functional Skills in the relevant subjects
Requirements
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Customer care skills
* Strong work ethic
About this employer
Chester Zoo is the UK’s favourite zoo as well as an international conservation charity. Known as the North of England Zoological Society and managed by a board of Trustees.The zoo was founded by the Mottershead family and welcomed its first visitors on 10 June 1931. Three years later, the zoo was registered as a non-profit organisation to be run as a charitable educational, conservation and scientific institution. Our membership scheme was also launched. In its first year 155 members, whose subscriptions totalled £216, signed up. Today, the zoo has over 165,000 members all helping provide funds for our conservation mission, both here in the UK and around the world.What began as a family run zoo has grown into a globally-renowned centre of excellence for conservation and scientific research, and one of the UK’s biggest and most popular visitor attractions. We have even been voted the best zoo in the UK on TripAdvisor. The zoo’s 130-acre site in Chester, which is home to more than 30,000 animals and more than 500 species, is where this species-saving work is made possible. Each year we welcome 130,000 schoolchildren and gives away over 30,000 tickets to schools in less privileged areas. Our 2 million annual visitors and huge online communities are vital in helping us create a future where nature can survive and thrive.We pride ourselves on our global conservation work, the zoo is key part of 139 international conservation breeding programmes, working with 62 conservation partners in 19 countries to protect wildlife and people. Experts from the zoo are recognised by governments and NGOs across the world as leaders within the global conservation community. Currently, the zoo is saving species on behalf of the Bermudan, Spanish and Portuguese governments, among others.
Company benefits
33 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)Annual holiday buy/sell schemeStaff pass giving free zoo entryEmployee assistance programmeFree travel to and from work on the X1 bus servicePension scheme
After this apprenticeship
* Opportunities to progress to a higher HR qualification on completion of the apprenticeship
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CHESHIRE COLLEGE SOUTH AND WEST
becky.smythe@ccsw.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship isVAC1000337764.
Apply now
Closes in 10 days (Wednesday 3 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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