Apprentice Procurement Officer

Summary

The post holder will be responsible for procurement relating to non-contract and low value tenders and will assist with contracting. This opportunity is available as a Level 3 or Level 4 apprenticeship depending on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience.

Annual wage: £23,473 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30am - 5.00pm. Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm, with a 1 hour lunch break.
37 hours a week
Possible start date: Tuesday 1 October
Duration: 1 Year 6 Months
Positions available: 1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

To process purchase orders via the eProcurement system, ensuring financial coding, VAT coding and content is correct.
To ensure that tenders and quotes have been obtained where appropriate for all purchase orders.
Draft low value tender documents in accordance with agreed specifications and offer advice to tender review panel and/or other college Managers as appropriate.
To monitor expenditure and to produce the monthly reports for the the Colleges purchasing activity via GPCs (Government Procurement Cards) and ensuring deadlines are met.
To process credit card and train ticket transactions on behalf of departments as appropriate ensuring VFM.
To set up new suppliers and supplier changes in the finance system in line with CI procedures.
To provide advice on issues of compliance from internal and external customers, in line with relevant statutory provisions and internal Financial Regulations and procedures.
To maintain the preferred suppliers list.
To maintain and update the College contracts database. Fagging to relevant parties when action needs to be taken for contract termination and/or renewal.

Where you’ll work

Sheepen Road

Colchester

Essex

CO3 3LL

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

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.

Your training plan

The apprentice will be working towards the Procurement and Supply Assistant Level 3 Apprenticeship standard including an Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply Operations.
College delivery is online with no formal classroom attendance.
A Commercial Procurement and Supply Appprenticeship Level 4 may be available if the successful candidate has relevant qualifications or experience. They would also complete a Level 4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

maths and English (grade 9-4/A*-C)

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
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

The role will involve spending long periods working on a computer in a Finance office and working as part of a team.

About this company

With around 8,000 students and 800 staff, Colchester Institute is one of the largest providers of general further education, higher education, and skills training in the region. Colchester Institute is committed to meeting student and employer needs. We operate across two main campuses in Colchester and Braintree, along with a number of other focused learning sites in north Essex. Our most recent Ofsted inspection took place in May 2022, confirming what we already knew – that Colchester Institute is a Good College, in all aspects of its provision!

https://www.colchester.ac.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

28 days holiday, enhanced pension scheme, enhanced T&Cs, well being programme, and Employee Assistance Programme.

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

On successful completion progress can be made onto level 4 CIPS and potentially up to level 7 to become chartered.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

Colchester Institute - Apprenticeship Team

ci.apprenticeships@colchester.ac.uk

01206 712043

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000273352.

Apply now

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