Graduate Vulnerable Customer Trainee

First Response Finance; Leigh; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working

Private Medical Insurance

Enhanced Pension

Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme

High Street Discounts

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Structured training from day one

Job summary

First Response Finance is seeking a Graduate Vulnerable Customer Trainee in Leigh. You’ll support customers with finance agreements, focusing on those experiencing financial difficulty with empathy and careful listening.

The role is telephone-based, with no call targets, and includes structured training and mentoring from day one. From day one you will follow a clear development pathway with weekly coaching, and you can progress across the business.

Qualifications

• Strong verbal communication and rapport building.
• Empathy with a non-judgemental approach.
• Active listening and attention to detail.
• Problem-solving mindset and good judgement.
• Resilience and openness to feedback.
• Teamworking and a positive approach to personal development.

Responsibilities

• Support customers with their finance agreements and assist those experiencing financial difficulty.
• Handle inbound and outbound calls; use active listening to understand situations and outcomes.
• No call targets; build rapport and aim for fair, sustainable customer outcomes.
• Receive structured training and mentoring; prior experience with vulnerable customers is helpful but not essential.

Skills

Verbal communication

Empathy

Active listening

Problem solving

Resilience

Teamworking

Curiosity

Learning agility

Commercial awareness

Job description

Why Join Us?

Are you a recent graduate seeking a purposeful start to your career, where the work you do genuinely helps people?

Why Join Us?

Are you a recent graduate seeking a purposeful start to your career, where the work you do genuinely helps people? At First Response Finance, previous financial services experience is not required. We seek curious, empathetic people who are keen to learn. Our structured Graduate Vulnerable Customer Trainee role will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to support customers in vulnerable circumstances while building a long-term career within a growing financial services business. If you communicate clearly, enjoy solving problems and want to make a positive difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Why This Role Is Ideal for Graduates

This role is designed for graduates from any discipline. We value potential and attitude above prior sector experience.

From day one you’ll receive:

• A comprehensive 3-day onboarding programme
• A structured training pathway with hands-on coaching
• Dedicated weekly development time and feedback
• Clear career progression opportunities across the business
• Access to specialist development and leadership pathways

Could First Response Finance Be Where Your Graduate Journey Begins?

About The Role

As a Graduate Vulnerable Customer Trainee within our Account Management team, you will support customers with their finance agreements and assist those experiencing financial difficulty, health challenges or other life events that require additional care and understanding.

The role is primarily telephone based, handling inbound and making outbound calls. You will use active listening and problem-solving to understand each customer’s situation and identify the most appropriate, compassionate outcome.

There are no call targets, allowing time to build rapport and focus on achieving fair and sustainable customer outcomes.

You will receive structured training and mentoring; prior experience with vulnerable customers is helpful but not essential and we will send a full role profile to you once you've applied.

What You'll Learn

Throughout your tenure you will gain skills and experience including:

• Customer relationship management
• Active listening and communication techniques
• Managing sensitive and complex customer conversations
• Problem-solving, decision-making and negotiation
• Knowledge of consumer finance and regulated environments
• Data awareness and analytical thinking
• Resilience, confidence and professional development
• Commercial awareness and how customer outcomes link to business performance

Who This Role Would Suit

This role is suitable for graduates who enjoy:

• Helping and supporting others
• Building relationships and earning trust
• Solving problems and thinking critically
• Working collaboratively in a team
• Learning new skills and progressing a career
• Working in a values-led environment with a focus on positive impact

Essential Skills

We are looking for people who can demonstrate:

• Strong verbal communication and rapport building
• Curiosity and confidence to ask the right questions
• Empathy and a non-judgemental approach
• Excellent active listening and attention to detail
• A problem-solving mindset and sound judgement
• Resilience and openness to feedbackGood organisational and time management skills
• Ability to learn new systems and follow process
• Teamworking and a positive approach to personal development

Why First Response Finance?

Our purpose is simple: People. Service. Profit.

We invest in our people because great service delivers the best outcomes for customers and the business. Our values guide how we work:

• Customer Driven
• Team Player
• Winning Attitude
• Open and Honest

Rewarding Your Development

• Starting Salary: £28,934
• Planned salary increases at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months
• Salary potential up to £37,531 within 36 months
• Annual Company Bonus Scheme

Other benefits include:

• Private Medical Insurance
• Enhanced Pension
• Hybrid Working
• Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme
• High Street Discounts
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Structured training from day one

All of these will depend on tenure and your performance within the role.

Working Hours

This is a full-time role. During training you'll work Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30.

Following successful completion of training:

• Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 17:30
• One late shift per week (Tuesday or Thursday): 10:00 to 18:30
• One Saturday per month: 09:00 to 13:00 (paid as overtime)

Hours may vary to meet business needs and additional office attendance may be required during training.

Location

The Account Management Team is based in Leigh (WN7 3XZ).

You must have the permanent right to work in the UK to apply for this role.

The closing date for this role will be Monday the 28th of September.