Summary
We are looking for someone who is keen to learn more and work in a fast-paced Procurement function where no two days are the same. You will have the opportunity to cover the end-to-end procurement process within the Direct and Indirect Purchasing Teams on 3-6 month rotations allowing you to develop your knowledge and skills.
Wage
Competitive
Competitive wage offered
Training course
Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 08:30 - 17:30.
40 hours a week
Start date
Monday 1 September 2025
Duration
3 years 6 months
Positions available
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you’ll do at work
* Be able to demonstrate the skills learnt by increasingly working independent, being involved in and ultimately running tenders and negotiating with suppliers.
* Monitor and develop suppliers’ performance.
* Developing stakeholder relationships across the business.
* Proactively liaising between suppliers and stakeholders to resolve purchasing supply issues.
* Ensure an accurate delivery status for purchase orders.
Where you’ll work
Operations Centre
Brackley
Northamptonshire
NN13 7BD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
ACHIEVEMENT TRAINING LIMITED
Your training course
Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Monitor and order products, stock, equipment and services at appropriate times using the appropriate procurement method.
* Communicate to procurement's internal stakeholders, suppliers and other stakeholders in order to develop effective relationships and networks
* Create, maintain and amend purchase order and contract records.
* Interpret, evaluate and compare procurement information such as historical spend and usage using databases and spreadsheets.
* Present findings and data in all formats e.g. mathematically, written and oral.
* Determine value for money (VFM) and added value through the use of Total Cost of Ownership during the evaluation process, and apply the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) criteria to the evaluation of quotes and tenders to support the recommendation at award. This may include the inclusion of green, low carbon, sustainability, and ethical criteria.
* Utilise relevant Procurement computer systems or internal databases.
* Select the supplier of the most appropriate products and services for purchases within their remit and place purchase order.
* Undertake appraisal of adhoc and low spend suppliers including setting them up on the purchasing system.
* Effectively research and analyse demand, spend, trends, potential suppliers and industries utilising qualitative and quantitative methods.
* Develop specifications of requirements and requests for quotes/tenders in line with organisational requirements.
* Apply considerations of responsible procurement in evaluating potential suppliers, quotes and tenders.
* Investigate and resolve purchase order, delivery and invoice queries.
* Own low risk value projects such as supply contracts for stationery, personal protective equipment (PPE) or other consumables, and contribute to higher risk activities such as contracts for building services or machinery, and track, log, expedite and review outstanding orders and stock availability where applicable.
* Maintain knowledge on all open orders and their status' and provide assistance to all purchasing staff e.g. expediting and feeding information back to the relevant stakeholders.
* Able to consider the impact of the decision making process when interacting with the supply chain.
* Able to support the contract negotiations and mini competitions with suppliers.
* Monitor and order products, stock, equipment and services at appropriate times using the appropriate procurement method.
* Communicate to procurement's internal stakeholders, suppliers and other stakeholders in order to develop effective relationships and networks
* Create, maintain and amend purchase order and contract records.
* Interpret, evaluate and compare procurement information such as historical spend and usage using databases and spreadsheets.
* Present findings and data in all formats e.g. mathematically, written and oral.
* Determine value for money (VFM) and added value through the use of Total Cost of Ownership during the evaluation process, and apply the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) criteria to the evaluation of quotes and tenders to support the recommendation at award. This may include the inclusion of green, low carbon, sustainability, and ethical criteria.
* Utilise relevant Procurement computer systems or internal databases.
* Select the supplier of the most appropriate products and services for purchases within their remit and place purchase order.
* Undertake appraisal of adhoc and low spend suppliers including setting them up on the purchasing system.
* Effectively research and analyse demand, spend, trends, potential suppliers and industries utilising qualitative and quantitative methods.
* Develop specifications of requirements and requests for quotes/tenders in line with organisational requirements.
* Apply considerations of responsible procurement in evaluating potential suppliers, quotes and tenders.
* Investigate and resolve purchase order, delivery and invoice queries.
* Own low risk value projects such as supply contracts for stationery, personal protective equipment (PPE) or other consumables, and contribute to higher risk activities such as contracts for building services or machinery, and track, log, expedite and review outstanding orders and stock availability where applicable.
* Maintain knowledge on all open orders and their status' and provide assistance to all purchasing staff e.g. expediting and feeding information back to the relevant stakeholders.
* Able to consider the impact of the decision making process when interacting with the supply chain.
* Able to support the contract negotiations and mini competitions with suppliers.
Your training plan
* This Apprenticeship will take part at our Campus in Brackley working towards Procurement & Supply, where the programme is delivered online via weekly interactive training will be mostly delivered online as well as self-study.
* You must have a passion for your own development as this programme is delivered online via weekly interactive learning sessions with a CIPS trainer and monthly one-to-one coaching with an experienced procurement coach.
* You will have full access to CIPS online resources and peer to peer learning is facilitated with other procurement learners.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* Additional GCSE (grade 5-9)
* Additional GCSE (grade 5-9)
* English (grade 5-9)
* Maths (grade 5-9)
* Science (grade 5-9)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Number skills
* Analytical skills