Apprentice Buyer
VOLKERSERVICES LIMITED
Hertfordshire (EN11 9BX)
Closes in 8 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
Posted on 29 April 2026
Contents
Summary
We are recruiting for an Apprentice Trainee Buyer to join our Group Procurement team.As an Apprentice Buyer, you’ll work towards a recognised Procurement qualification (CIPS) while gaining hands‑on experience across our procurement functions. You’ll support the Group Procurement Buyer and wider team with day‑to‑day activities
- Wage
-
£22,000 a year
- Training course
- Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 June 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 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
- Liaising with site teams, promoting our preferred supply chain agreements
- Requesting and analysing quotations and historical spend data
- Preparing management reports and information
- Supporting other procurement teams across VWUK through short-term secondments, including more transactional procurement, raising orders etc
- Visiting sites or suppliers when needed, building collaborative relationships
- Learning how our plant hire desk operates in Birmingham
Where you'll work
Hertford Road
Hoddesdon
Hertfordshire
EN11 9BX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SUPPLY CHAIN ACADEMY 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
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Team working
- Initiative
About this employer
VolkerWessels UK is a leading multidisciplinary contractor that delivers innovative engineering solutions across the civil engineering and construction sectors including rail, highways, airport, marine, energy, water, and environmental infrastructure. The company employs around 4,000 staff across the country and brings together best practice through five business units: VolkerFitzpatrick, VolkerRail, VolkerStevin, VolkerHighways and VolkerLaser. These business units each have a long and successful heritage built on delivering quality and bespoke projects as well as providing specialist skills, plant and equipment. Our success is founded on our ability to deliver in challenging environments and regularly winning repeat business from established clients.
https://www.volkerwessels.co.uk/en (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Competitive salary
- Competitive annual leave and an additional day off on your birthday
- Option to buy additional annual leave
- Private medical care
- Pension
After this apprenticeship
Higher level apprenticeship is an option on successful completion of this programme.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SUPPLY CHAIN ACADEMY LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000028795.
Apply now
Closes in 8 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.