The Participant assumes the role of a new recruit, working within the Trade Support department of a leading Investment Bank, Bear Capital. The Department is responsible for providing day-to-day operational support to the trading desks. Within this role they have to deal with a number of important issues that arise. These include investigating failed trades, ensuring timely payments are made and dealing with queries from internal and external customers. No prior experience of Investment Banking or related financial services is required.
Competencies: Attention to Detail
The Participant assumes the role of a Trainee Store Manager working for a major international retailer, EuroBargain, which has numerous hypermarkets across Europe. The Participant is asked to deal with a range of issues typical of those faced in a retail environment. Issues include standard day-to-day management tasks relating to sales figures, stock levels, staffing challenges and customer liaison, as well as a number of non-standard tasks.
The Participant takes on the role of a recently recruited Graduate who is on the Management Trainee Scheme at Concordia Ltd, a kitchen appliance manufacturer. The scheme is comprised of a series of 3-month placements working on a series of special projects, aimed at giving the individual a broad understanding of the Organisation. The exercise scenario involves the Participant managing a range of issues related to a new set of projects. Items within the In-Basket include emails, circulars and correspondence and the Participant has to process these items within the allotted time.
The Participant assumes the role of a Customer Service Agent working for a small low cost airline, Low-Fare Air. It is the Participant’s first day, having taken over from their predecessor who has transferred to another department within the airline. Due to an urgent offsite meeting, no other members of the Organisation are available. The Participant is required to deal with internal and external customer issues and complaints such as damaged baggage, complaints against staff, reservation errors, rota checking, and policy document checking.
The Participant assumes the role of Relief Manager in the branch of a typical national supermarket chain, SuperStores plc. Aimed at trainee or potential managers, the scenario includes more immediate, tactical issues in the areas of Personnel, Health & Safety and Administration and requires that the individual gives careful consideration to the prioritisation of the items.
The Participant is asked to assume the role of an Administrative Assistant who has been called in to replace an employee who has suddenly been taken ill. The Participant is required to deal with a number of important issues such as the organisation of an international conference, the co-ordination of a selection interview schedule and various other general administrative matters. The Participant is required to act decisively, prioritise and display good planning and organising ability.
The Participant assumes the role of a Personal Assistant to the Senior Partner in the Law firm, Parker Woods LLP. They work closely with the Senior Partner providing administrative support for daily work requirements. The Participant is required to deal with issues relating to diary management, quality checking documents, dealing with internal and external requests and performance issues. This exercise is one of our more challenging Level A exercises due to the responsibilities of a Personal Assistant.
The Participant assumes the role of an Office Assistant who has been sent by a Recruitment Agency to the Council Tax Office of Lowborough County Council. Due to the last Office Assistant leaving the job without giving notice there is no handover period. The Participant is required to deal with issues such as arranging meetings for the Council Tax Office Managers, co-ordinating their calendars, ordering stationery supplies, dealing with queries and responding to customer complaints.
The Participant assumes the role of the Finance Assistant covering maternity leave in the Finance Department of a small firm of solicitors, Hunter & Partners. For health reasons their predecessor has had to leave suddenly and so there has been no handover period. The Participant is required to deal with issues such as invoice coding, bank reconciliations, summarising the budget position to date, checking commission payments and invoices and completing journal transfers for the year end reconciliation. This exercise is suitable for Participants working in Finance Department at Trainee Accounts Clerk or Purchase Sales Ledger Clerk level.
The Participant assumes the role of a newly appointed Support Officer for a group of Sales Managers working for the software supplier, Burgundy Solutions Ltd. Due to unforeseeable circumstances there is no handover period. The Participant is required to deal with issues such as identifying, allocating and co-ordinating the Managers schedules to fulfill internal and external demands, requesting goods and services and monitoring associated internal procedures, for example, querying customer contracts and invoices.
