Procurement and Operations Apprentice

Summary

At Guitar Anatomy, we're passionate about helping musicians across the UK and beyond build their dream guitars. As a fast-growing startup specialising in quality guitar parts, we're a tight-knit team committed to delivering great products and service. We’re now looking for a proactive Procurement & Operations Apprentice to join our journey.

Wage

£14,722.50 to £23,809.50, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. We offer flexible start and finish times around our core hours of 9am - 3pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 16 June 2025

Duration

2 years

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

Procurement & Inventory Management - Take a hands-on role in keeping our product range stocked and ready - monitor inventory levels, place supplier orders, and help us refine our forecasting methods to stay one step ahead of demand
Product & Industry Research - Stay up to date with innovations in the guitar parts industry, researching new components and suppliers, and helping to identify gaps or opportunities in the market
Order Fulfilment - You’ll be hands-on with our products, managing orders, and ensuring they reach our customers promptly
Supplier Coordination - Communicate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure smooth, timely deliveries
Data & Process Improvement - Support data analysis and help improve systems and supply chain processes

Where you'll work

Guitar Anatomy
2 Henson House Planet Place
Stephenson Industrial Estate
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE12 6RZ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

THE APPRENTICE ACADEMY LIMITED

Your training course

Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

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

We believe in learning while doing. As part of this role, you’ll spend one day per week training towards a Procurement and Supply Assistant Apprenticeship (Level 3), equipping you with valuable skills in purchasing, supplier communication, data analysis, and stock control - skills that will directly support your role and future career in procurement and supply chain management.

This formal training will be complemented by ongoing, hands-on experience in the workplace.

You’ll work closely with our small team to apply what you learn in real-time - gaining practical knowledge in stock forecasting, supplier management, procurement systems, and process improvement within a fast-paced ecommerce environment.

More training information

This training includes 10 exams that will take place at a local exam centre.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

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

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
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative

About this company

Guitar Anatomy is a UK-based start-up that provides high-quality guitar parts and tools. We cater to both professional luthiers and hobbyists, offering a wide range of innovative products. Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction sets us apart in the market.

https://guitaranatomy.com/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Staff Discount. Flexible working hours. Core hours are 9am - 3pm Monday - Friday.

After this apprenticeship

A permanent position in procurement & operations at Guitar Anatomy, along with a CIPS level 3 qualification.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Guitar Anatomy

Richard Norton

rich@guitaranatomy.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000319561.

Apply now

Closes in 30 days (Saturday 14 June 2025 at 11:59pm)

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