Assistant Relationship Manager Review

My day to day role is to support relationship managers who manage portfolios of commercial banking customers. This involves; dealing with complex banking queries, account maintenance, processing payments and helping to arrange lending support and working capital. Typically my day is filled with phone conversations with customers, regular outgoing calls to customers to deal with ongoing issues/projects or simply for a catch up and to build a relationship. Processing banking documents from customer to bank and also issuing documents from bank to customer, having to maintain strict confidentially and data controls. My relationship managers call on me for information and support on administration as and when they need to.

I have learnt many new skills since beginning the programme, as a new to bank employee it's my first time working in the sector so i had to start my learning journey from the very beginning. I've learnt about bank mandates, payment processes such as CHAPs, Bacs and transfer, how we measure and rate risk of lending, how to read financial accounts. I've passed my Professional Bankers Certificate qualification that relates to banking practices and working with integrity. I've learnt to communicate effectively with several different departments within the organisation to ensure smooth and efficient completion of tasks, as the bank works worldwide this was key.

I enjoy the programme a great deal, being an "older" apprentice i have already worked for 14 years so to be able to continue to work and earn a a good salary whilst also learning new skills and developing toward my future goals is amazing. The team at BPP and RBS early careers have really made the programme as interactive as possible with webinars, regular discussions and on a few occasions trips to our Gogarburn head office in Edinburgh to meet the rest of our apprenticeship cohort. It's been a great experience so far.

Right from my initial interview in Birmingham the view of the apprenticeship has been very clear, the expectations of all parties laid out in a very well organised way. On induction all our questions were answered by the BPP team in regards to how the learning will be presented and how we will be graded. The modules are well designed to get the most from our placement and experiences. Regular calls and updates with our coaches via telephone, skype and zoom have made keeping up to date very easy.

The bank is extremely dedicated to nurturing apprentices through the programme and supporting them into their future. I have always felt i'm able to ask questions and contribute to my team from day 1. My line managers encourage me to seek out new experiences and learn new skills and always ensure we catch up regularly to keep track of my progress and to identify next steps. Through recent lockdown and working form home, they have always made sure i have everything i need and that i feel supported.

We receive a lot of support from bpp and our individual coaches/assessors. Regular webinars for the whole group and intemittent calls to check on progress and lay out new targets. The team at BPP are always on hand to assist should i need it, i have emailed into both Michelle (my assessor) and the wider team with issues and queries to have them answered very promptly and accurately. They have been very helpful whilst completing the functional skills part of the programme, providing guidance on completing the exams.

The various modules of the programme have clearly been well developed and thought out to add value to our my role. Focusing primarily on customer service and building relationships, it provides new ways to look at and analyze how we interact with all of our stakeholders, internal and external. Creating, building and maintaining strong relationships with customers is key for our role and is supported greatly by the contents of the apprenticeship programme. Paired with the professional qualification we complete it all helps to reinforce the people before profit mentality.

There are a huge number of additional activities and events to get involved in with natwest group. We support many charities and i have joined my offices charity team, hellping to organise and run events in around our workplace. On a larger scale we have several employee led networks that support in various ares, Aspire-helping to develop for the future, Rainbow network-working for inclusion for the LGBT+ community and various others that all put on amazing extra activities for us to be involved in.

Yes

The programme as a whole has been an amazing experience so far, i've met so many new people, learnt so many new skills within the bank and all while working for a large company that provides opportunities for development, advancement and personal growth. You are valued and listened to form day 1 and you peers and seniors are always happy to help whenever you need it. Your individuality and personal skills are not only valued but encouraged and you are made to feel comfortable within the team.

My best advice would always be to grab every opportunity that presents itself. There are always new things to learn or new people to meet, so make sure your open and willing to be as involved as possible. Don't worry if you aren't experienced in banking because they are looking for the best people, not the best bankers. Be ready to face challenges as some things do get complex, but always be confident that you are surrounded by support.