Apprentice Buyer

Summary

Are you looking to start a career in the NHS? Or, are you considering a career change? Would you like to work in a friendly and supportive team who will help you develop? Interested? We have an opportunity for you to join us as an Apprentice Buyer. The role comes with lots of support and professional development from our friendly team,

Annual wage

Competitive

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Salary paid at Annex 21 of a Band 2. (£23,615p/y) Annex 21 is a % between 65-75% of the full wage. If the salary falls below NMW, this will be adjusted. If you are already an NHS employee, you may be entitled to pay preservation.

Training course

Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)

Hours

The usual working pattern is 7.5 hours per day excluding lunch breaks, working Monday to Friday. During your apprenticeship we can support hybrid working on a 2:3 ratio - two days in the office, three days working from home. Shifts TBC.

37 hours a week

Possible start date

Thursday 2 January

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

You will be enrolled with a training provider and embark on a comprehensive 18-month training programme working towards CIPS Diploma Level 3.
At the start of your employment, you will spend time across all the Procurement operational teams (Purchasing /Contracts/Logistics/Systems) to give you an overview of the operational aspects of the Procurement function and how they interact with each other.
You will then settle into what will be your main role as an apprentice buyer within the Purchasing Team.
The Purchasing Team processes all purchase orders for the Trust covering goods & services. During this time, you will gain a broad range of knowledge, skills and competencies to support your onward progression.
See Job Description for more detailed list.

Where you’ll work

Walton Hospital

Whitecotes Lane

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

S40 3HW

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

APA PROCUREMENT 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.

Your training plan

You will have a minimum of 6 hours per week protected time to work on your Apprenticeship. Exact details are to be confirmed at interview.

More training information

The teaching is virtual.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade A-C (9-4))
Maths (grade A-C (9-4))

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
Number skills
Team working
Use own Initiative
Work to Deadlines
Work under Pressure

Other requirements

You will be enrolled with a training provider and embark on a comprehensive 18-month training programme working towards CIPS Diploma Level 3.

About this company

Derbyshire Community Health Services has been rated as an ‘outstanding’ trust by the Care Quality Commission; we have achieved this by providing high quality patient care within an inclusive organisation that works together and shows care and compassion for each other. DCHS is a top performing NHS Trust that strives for innovation and improvement for the service and individuals that work within it.

https://dchs.nhs.uk (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

NHS Blue Light Card

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

To be able to apply for suitable roles within the NHS Procurement teams.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: