Procurement & Buying Apprentice
THE SOURCING TEAM LTD
WALLINGTON (SM6 8ND)
Closes in 20 days (Monday 18 May 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 28 April 2026
Contents
Summary
Brilliant early-career role for someone wanting to kickstart a career in procurement. You will gain broad skills across buying, working with suppliers, order management, logistics & delivery, invoicing and payments. The Sourcing Team sources ethical & sustainable promotional merchandise for the UK’s leading organisations.
- Wage
-
£16,500 a year
- Training course
- Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30am, with half hour lunch break. Office based role in South London. With four days of work and one day studying for apprenticeship.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 7 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
You will work as part of our team on product solutions for our clients, procured from across the UK and Europe. You will gain broad skills across buying, creating presentations, quoting, placing orders with supply partners, order management, fulfilment and delivery through to working on e stores where we hold and promote our client products.
- Effectively use all aspects of our Order Management System (OMS)
- Understand our suppliers and their products
- Be able to use the various supplier platforms
- Prepare PowerPoint documents for client presentations
- Understand how we use branding and client logos
- Organise product samples, keep records and log into OMS
- Logistics around the best shipping methods for each order
- Book deliveries, track and record proof or deliver and update clients
- Checking purchase invoices against OMS to make sure correct quantity, costs
- Database entry and updating and requesting of supplier/product information
- Take incoming calls in a professional way and connect with relevant team member
Additionally, to build on our sustainable credentials, to learn more about what makes products sustainable learning about product accreditations across production, materials and product end of life options and much more.
And finally, working with the team on our e commerce platforms run on behalf of our clients where you will help build product ranges and how we then promote these ranges to various client groups.
Where you'll work
8 THE PARADE
STAFFORD ROAD
WALLINGTON
SM6 8ND
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CIPS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
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.
Training schedule
On successful completion of the apprenticeship, individuals will have achieved the CIPS Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Procurement & Supply Operations, a globally recognised qualification. The core modules for this qualification are:
- Procurement & Supply Environments
- Ethical Procurement & Supply
- Contract Administration
- Team Dynamics & Change
- Socially Responsible Procurement
Training will be a combination of on the job and off the job. The off the job element will include virtual classroom style learning and revision days, as well as one to one tutor sessions.
Study guides, eBooks, eLearning and all resources will be provided.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 5 or above)
- Maths (grade 5 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
Other requirements
Please note: This is an early careers role for school/sixth form college leavers so we would not expect the candidate to have all these skills but would need to demonstrate the drive to learn and succeed and how they have tackled their studies, hobbies, extracurricular activities and any work experience to date. We would also expect the candidate to show a real interest for a role in the area of procurement, supply and buying.
About this employer
The Sourcing Team source ethical and sustainable promotional merchandise for some of the UK’s Europe leading organisations. We partner with Leaderpromos, a top US promotional merchandise agency of over 120 professionals based around the globe.
This partnership brings together two companies, both focused on sustainability, with a likeminded vision, to create purpose driven merchandise. Both companies the coveted B Corporation status. We also hold EcoVadis Platinum award and ISO 14001 and 9001.
The Sourcing team are continually looking for enthusiastic and committed individuals from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences to join our team. We believe that the diversity of our team helps create a culture of teamwork, collaboration and innovation and makes the difference to our business. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.
After this apprenticeship
Throughout the period of your apprenticeship you will have the opportunity to build a very wide range of skills and get involved in all areas of the business. At the end of your apprenticeship there will be opportunities to specialise in buying and procurement and move on to the next level of CIPS qualifications.
Alternatively you may decide you would like to focus on Project Management, Client Development or E Commerce roles at The Sourcing Team.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CIPS CORPORATE SERVICES LIMITED
Annette Thurgood
annettethurgood@sourcing.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000028775.
Apply now
Closes in 20 days (Monday 18 May 2026 at 11:59pm)