Life-enhancing homes. Built by you.
Want to tackle some of the big issues in society today, from driving UK housing growth to fighting fuel poverty? Like to be part of an organisation that has a commercial, innovative outlook but also reinvests over £5 million into UK communities every year? Want an Early Careers programme that takes your future very seriously, helping you do everything from attending a Board meeting to getting some impressive qualifications? … Welcome to Orbit.
Our Graduate Programme
We see our graduates as leaders of the future – so we invest a lot in our two-year Graduate Programme – and in you. Whatever team you join you’ll rotate through a series of placements – often spending a rotation in a relevant team outside your division too.
Variety and influence
As well as getting lots of responsibility in your day-to-day role, we’ll help you explore the whole of Orbit and a growing sector that is tackling some of today’s biggest social challenges. You’ll have opportunity to visit building sites, independent living services, witness the positive impact that our community investment initiatives deliver as well as meeting our executive team and even going to a board meeting.
A big strategic project
You’ll join our other graduates who also start in September to tackle a big strategic project together. Our former Graduates have been researching how we can cut fuel poverty and improve our strategic asset management in one stroke, with new technology solutions. Working with teams across Orbit, they’ve been analysing costs, appointing suppliers and running pilots, so that they can give their final recommendations to the Board.
The role
We are currently looking to recruit a Graduate Trainee Quantity Surveyor who will be based at our Orbit offices in Maidstone, Kent. Our Graduate Trainee Quantity Surveyor will learn to assist the Commercial Team in managing the costs of projects and enhancing value for money, whilst still maintaining the highest standards and quality of product. As a Graduate Trainee Quantity Surveyor, you will assist our Surveyors in the preparation of tender and contract documents, including bills of quantities and travel to site in order to assist/carry out the monthly progress and stock taking. You will also assist the Surveyors in the management of Subcontractors and measurement of quantities.
This role will provide a firm foundation for a successful career in Orbit including all fundamental processes, systems and ways of working within the Commercial Team function. You will have a series of placements in other departments in order to understand how the business operates as a whole, as well as internal and external training to include both technical competencies and leadership/management development.
In Year 1 of the programme, you will undertake a series of rotations where you will be based in the following teams: Land, Construction (on a direct build site), Contracts, Development, Finance, Sales & Marketing.
In Year 2, and for the remainder of the programme, you will be based in the Commercial Team.
Through a combination of training, work shadowing, project work and mentoring we will provide the requisite professional and technical skills to develop into a successful manager and leader.
What we offer
The scheme is a two-year placement starting in September 2021. We will be proactively working with you throughout the two-year programme to secure your permanent role with Orbit for the end of the two year programme. We invest a lot in your development through the two years and endeavor to offer every Graduate who meets the required standards a permanent role, subject to business need.
We enable people from every background to achieve their career ambitions, giving them the support, benefits, training and environment they need to thrive at work. You will receive a robust company-wide induction on top of a local induction with your peers. We see our Graduates driving innovation and change and using their ideas to help shape our future.
You will have access to coaching, mentoring, a buddy, the opportunity to study for a qualification which is linked to your role and attendance at external events (e.g. conferences). Not only that but we will enrol you on our in-house management development programme; you will have regular reviews and 121s with your line manager alongside a unique Personal Development Plan.
We offer an excellent flexible benefits package including private medical insurance, discounted dental insurance, gym membership discount, generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days plus bank holidays) and pension scheme. Salary will be £26,000 per annum rising to £27,000 in Year 2.
Can I apply
We ask that you have achieved or expect to achieve a 2:2 degree in a related subject for example Construction, Quantity Surveying or Civil Engineering. We need you to share our values and demonstrate that you can use your initiative. We are looking for people that are naturally curious about improving the way things work and happy to work with others to do so. If you are ambitious, driven, and relish the idea of working for a well-respected organisation in a sector that provides a valuable service to the community, then apply today.
To apply please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement which must detail why you are interested in the role and why we should consider your application.
Please be aware of the following key dates:
Closing date for receipt of applications: 28 February 2021
Virtual interviews are to be held via Microsoft Teams on: 15 March 2021
Start date: September 2021
You can find lots more information regarding early careers on the careers section of the Orbit website