We believe it is our people which make us what we are and that's why we want to help them be the best they can. Find out what they have to say.
Case Studies
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Matthew Keepfer - Field Account Manager, V12 Retail Finance
Matthew joined V12 Retail Finance back in April 2016 as Customer Service Assistant Manager. Following his success in this role Matthew then moved to the Central Sales Department as an Account Manager in January 2017. With his desire to progress and move up in the business Matthew took advantage of the opportunities available at V12 and became a Field Executive in November 2017, and then becoming a Field Account Manager in May 2018.
What is it you enjoy about working at V12?
I have never worked for a company who take some much pride in developing their staff and give you the opportunity to grow. It's a very exciting time to be working at V12 as the business is growing rapidly but it still hasn't lost that family run feel where everyone knows everyone, which makes it such a great place to work. Since I started working here in 2016 I have been lucky enough to move onto new roles within the company on a number of occasions. This is down to me putting a lot of hard work and determination in but also due to the management group identifying the skills you have that suit the roles available. We work as one big team and all have the same goal, which is to be the number 1 provider in retail finance. There's a lot of opportunities and support to progress at V12 due to the rapid growth we are experiencing as a business.
What does your role at V12 involve?
Working in the Field Sales Team means I manage a portfolio of retail accounts across the UK. These accounts vary in the sectors across the retail market including cycles, music, furniture and jewellery, with a finance turnover of up to £5m annually. My aim is to ensure each retailer I work with has all the relevant tools they need in place and understand how to process the finance. While getting the most out of offering it to their customers and help develop and grow the business for both sides of the relationship. I conduct regular performance review meetings to analyse retailer performance and see if there is any room for improvement. These improvements range from amendments to the retailers web platform to enhance finance visibility and the customer journey, ensuring they have the correct products available to offer and also store layout point of sale improvements.
Relationship building also forms a key part of my role ensuring we stay as close as possible with our retailers and always being available when needed. I communicate with my retailers in multiple ways such as site and branch visits, email, teleconference and Skype calls to ensure we have a wide range of contact across all avenues.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I most enjoy being able to visit retailers and provide them with solutions that help them to improve in ways which grow their business and increase their sales. Seeing the positive results of V12's service in a business that may have been struggling is a very rewarding feeling. It's also great to be able to travel around the UK meeting new people and having such a varied day to day job.
Jocelyn - Digital Marketing Apprentice
Leaving Uni was a huge decision for me but joining the STBG Apprentice Scheme was the best decision I made. The welcome I received on joining the Group was like no other I've had in a job role. You are constantly reminded that personal development is key to becoming the best at your job.
I have grown more in my short time at STBG than I did in my whole University journey and I think that says a lot about the dynamics of the Bank.
Louise Burns - Commercial Finance"Invoice finance isn't just about numbers. It's about building relationships, communicating, making decisions. Clients have to trust that you're there to help and support them." Louise is the Operations Manager for our Commercial Finance division based in Manchester. She's been with us since August 2014 and has played a key part in helping us develop and grow our invoice finance proposition.
Invoice finance encompasses invoice discounting, factoring and asset-based lending. The Operations Team has a varied back-office role, setting up and managing the facilities, negotiating legal documents, allocating cash and running credit control for factoring clients. It also involves analysing and managing risk and dealing with any number of client enquiries.
"It's fast paced, fun and satisfying. We're helping companies access funds that wouldn't usually be available to them. You have to have lashings of common sense and the ability to make measured decisions."
"We've grown substantially and we're still expanding - we have more than 80 clients and handle around 250 cash transactions a day - so keeping operations streamlined and efficient is more important than ever.
My role's developed too and there's a big focus on how we can improve our processes. I'm rolling out a complaints management system across the division and training another member of the team to take over the day-to-day sales support. It's exciting!"
"This is a great environment to work in. We're well-rewarded, appreciated and listened to - I've had a lot of support and I feel like I'm making a real contribution. That brings out the best in me."
"Our aim is to help our clients operate more efficiently and become more successful. We work as a team to achieve that."
Helen Young - Human Resources Business Partner, V12 Retail Finance"I love the variety of my job. Every day is different and just when you think you have your whole day planned, something happens and you have to react quickly." Helen is the Human Resources Business Partner at V12, our retail finance division. She was the first member of HR to be dedicated to V12 and based at Cardiff.
V12 provides finance that helps customers buy high value items and spread the cost. It's a fast paced environment and the growth has been rapid. In fact, the division recently acquired another building to accommodate the increase in numbers.
Helen's involved with everything HR-related, from internal recruitment and training, to drafting policies and employee relations.
"It's a combination of project work and operational HR. This is what I enjoy - I'm exactly where I want to be."
Helen did a degree in Business Administration at the University of Bath, and it was during a placement at Lloyds TSB that she discovered a passion for HR. In her final year, she focused on HR modules then joined a financial services group as an HR administrator.
"I worked my way up in the firm and then did my post-graduate diploma, getting my CIPD qualification in 2010. I briefly moved into a manufacturing environment but realised that I enjoy the buzz of financial services so much I had to come back."
"I've been here since August 2016, so I'm a relative newcomer to the business, but I can see that the opportunities for development and progression are excellent."
"We've just launched an apprenticeship programme for existing staff which is designed to help us gain extra skills and experience around the company. And a group of us recently attended a workshop on mental health issues in the workplace held by MIND. It's vital that you know how to support employees if you're in HR or management.
It's a really positive place to work. There's lots of interaction, lots of movement between departments. We're all aware of what we're trying to achieve and we're on the same track."
"We're encouraged to take responsibility for ourselves. With that comes accountability, of course, but you also get a real sense of empowerment."
Gareth Hall - Senior Collections Manager DMS"I love working here. We're driving the right values and we really look after our customers." Gareth is the Senior Collections Manager at Debt Managers (Services) Ltd. He oversees 120 employees within Collections, develops and maintains relationships with clients, takes responsibility for meeting revenue targets and manages the teams who have the often challenging job of helping vulnerable customers in financial difficulties.
Gareth is 26. He started on the phones nine years ago.
Gareth's progression at DMS has been extraordinary and largely driven by his own determination and drive. However, he says that if you have the ambition to succeed, you'll get all the support you could ever want.
Starting in the call centre after taking his 'A' levels, he was promoted to Team Senior after a year and a half, then Team Manager.
"It was quite a challenge having to manage 12 people but I did it. And I also started on a development plan because I was keen to progress."
Through this, Gareth became involved with an intensive debt sale project which gave him an opportunity to learn and show how capable he was. He had his sights set on a promotion to Collections Manager but his first interview was unsuccessful. It didn't put him off - "I just tried harder" - and in January 2015, he went for the job again and got it.
Now after just a year, he's been promoted again, this time to Senior Collections Manager, and he's also studying for his Credit Services Association (CSA) Diploma. The CSA is the voice of the debt collection industry and he knows this qualification will help him progress even further.
"Balancing a new job and more responsibility with studies is tough, but everyone's really supportive. They're flexible and I can manage my own workload."
"I'm new to this role and I know I've got a lot to learn. But I've got my sights set on becoming a Director next, and after that, who knows?"
"I've got no plans to leave - I want to stay here and help move the business forward. It would be great if I could play a part in creating more opportunities."
David Stott - Credit Risk"My job's satisfying because it's quantifiable - we can measure the impact changes have on the business." David Stott is a Credit Risk Analyst for Secure Trust Bank. He monitors the performance of the consumer lending portfolio to ensure it meets our Responsible Lending policy, using the data to make recommendations that help ensure customers are provided with affordable finance options.
He works across retail finance, motor finance and personal lending - starting at the point of application and monitoring consumer loans to the end of their lifecycle. The team uses a business analytics software called SAS (Statistical Analysis System) to extract and analyse advanced data and business intelligence.
"SAS gives us scope for detailed reporting - and with more complex ways of searching, we're better equipped to investigate problems. It's a powerful tool."
It's a long way from a temporary filing job in Human Resources. That's where David started five years ago after doing well in his A levels. He took a fixed term contract as an apprentice, and was offered a permanent role when that came to an end.
"I was in HR for about 2 ½ years and then moved into Lending Operations where I was responsible for all their reporting, feeding back to middle management and heads of departments. Lending Ops interacts with the customers throughout the lending process - from application and account management to collections and repayment.
"I learned a lot in that department - and completed an Open University degree in Business Studies - so it felt right to move onwards and upwards."
"The job I'm doing now is harder, more technical and much more challenging and that's why I enjoy it so much. I was trained on SAS when I started, and I recently won an Outstanding Achievers award - a few of us are being rewarded with a holiday to Copenhagen this year!
Secure Trust also put me through a Team Leader course. That's great experience because it's given me the knowledge to move up to a management role at some point in the future. I feel like they're investing in me.
We're very performance-driven in Credit Risk - we have to be because we work to strict deadlines. I can't go into a meeting if I haven't got the information I need to present, so it's important to be organised and prepared."
"It's a really supportive team - there are people here who have been doing the job much longer than me, and they're always ready to help. I can ask them anything I need to."