Sales Executive Apprentice - Level 4

About Autotrader

You've probably heard of Autotrader, but do you know what we're all about?

We're the most trusted, most visited automotive marketplace in the UK. A heritage brand and a tech innovator. We bring together vehicle buyers and sellers to give them real choices. Cars may be what we're best known for but we’re also the place for pretty much everything else on wheels, from e-bikes to caravans. 

In the automotive world, change is a constant, that’s why we take our job of untangling the complex car-buying journey very seriously. 
 
At our core, we’re all about people. We go our own way while embracing diversity and celebrating our differences. We dedicate ourselves to the idea that we work better together. 

Autotrader is a beautiful, surprising and vibrant place to work. We might not be for everyone, but we could be perfect for you. 

About the job

We are looking to hire six Sales Executive Apprentices (Level 4) in our Manchester office. Kickstart your sales career by joining our Sales and Partnerships team.

Our apprentices feel supported from the moment they join. Their mentors and our dedicated early careers team are always there for them. And our collaborative, people-first culture means that help and support just come naturally. It brings out the very best in them. It’ll bring the best out in you too.

You may think a love of cars is a must to work at Autotrader, but it's not. 

You’ll join a vibrant and energetic Sales team where you'll build your understanding of the automotive industry along with your knowledge of our data, products, and services. Through continued learning within our Sales and Partnerships teams, you will have the opportunity to help our automotive retailer customers achieve their commercial goals. 

Communicating over phone, email and MS Teams, you'll be the first point of contact for automotive retailers’ questions and queries. As your knowledge grows, you'll be able to match our products and services to our customers' needs. You will also learn to how to tell stories using data and use this to educate customers on ways they can increase the performance of their businesses.

As a Sales Executive Apprentice, you will complete a Level 4 Sales Executive Apprenticeship with an external training provider which typically lasts 21 months. 

Our Apprentices will be joining us in September 2026. You can read more about Ellie's "Journey with Autotrader as a Sales Executive Apprentice" here. 

Eligibility Criteria

• For this apprenticeship, you must not hold a qualification at level 4 or above in the same or similar subject (examples of this would be a Sales Apprenticeship at level 4, HNC/D, foundation degree, degree etc.)
• You currently hold a Level 2/GCSE in English and Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above or will be willing to study these whilst completing your apprenticeship (subject to an entry test)
• You cannot be enrolled in any other full-time education
• You must have the right to work in the England and be a resident here for 3 years before the apprenticeship start date. If you are currently on a visa, this must be valid for the full length of the apprenticeship
• A full list of current criteria can be found here (subject to change prior to the start date of this apprenticeship role)

What we're looking for

• You’ll be a strong verbal and written communicator who is comfortable speaking and providing excellent customer service over the phone, email and video call
• You’ll be naturally curious and ask questions to deepen your knowledge
• You’ll be motivated to work towards targets both individually and as a team
• You’ll have resilience allowing you to handle some challenging conversations
• You’ll be able to prioritise and remain calm when dealing with multiple tasks at once
• You’ll be a natural problem solver who enjoys getting to the root cause of things with accuracy

Our apprenticeship roles require dedication, a love of learning, and a genuine aim to succeed. This is a permanent role, and the apprenticeship will support your learning and development. 

During our application process, you will be asked three questions to help us learn more about you and how you align with our values. These will be used as part of our selection criteria, to determine if we progress your application further.

To help you submit your best application, you can check out our application top tips video here.

Auto Trader's Apprentice Academy

Our apprentice programme is designed to fast-track your career and develop your skills. Your journey starts with an Academy foundation alongside other apprentices, learning about our company, culture, products and customers. You'll then focus on your specific role while working on practical projects as a cohort, with support from mentors, your dedicated line manager, the apprenticeship provider and our Early Careers team. For full details, visit our blog here. 

Benefits and more

We’re offering a competitive salary, plus an additional 10% of your salary awarded to you in shares each year. These awarded shares will become yours in yearly instalments over the next three years, and you can choose to either sell them or keep them as shares. 

You'll have 28 days holiday per year, and that's in addition to bank holidays and half day closures on Christmas and New Year's Eve.

That’s not all. You'll be enrolled in our pension scheme, where our standard contributions are 7% and employee contributions are 5%. We also have comprehensive private medical cover, enhanced family leave provisions, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more. 

We always want to give you the support you need and help prioritise your wellbeing, that’s why we provide access to 24/7 online GP and dentist, as well as specialist support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, period care plans and lots more.  

On top of all that, our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds – office and home working. You'll spend a minimum of 3 days a week in the office with your team, focused on collaboration and connection.

Additionally, we have our remote-first periods at set times during summer and winter. During these periods, you can work remotely anywhere in the UK and from certain locations abroad.