Procurement Apprentice
North East Procurement Organisation
Gateshead (NE8 3DF)
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 16 July 2026)
Posted on 9 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Have you considered a career in procurement?
It’s a fantastic choice, with continuous professional development, varied and rewarding work, as well as great career prospects! With our procurement apprenticeship, you will benefit from a structured learning programme, get hands-on experience and earn a salary.
- Wage
-
£26,403 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Full Time (37 hours per week)
Starting salary £26,403 – rising to £27,694
You will recieve any cost of living increases as agreed by the Local Government Association.
- Training course
- Procurement and supply chain practitioner (level 4)
- Hours
-
37 hours per week, core hours between 9 am and 9 pm, with flexi-time available. Flexi-time must be taken around the requirements of business needs.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
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3 years 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
The key duties of this post will include:
a. Studying towards the following qualifications:
- Level 4 Commercial Procurement and Supply (includes CIPS Level 4 Diploma)
- CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply
- Level 6 Senior Procurement Supply Chain Professional (includes CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma in Procurement and Supply)
b. Supporting the development of procurement projects to help NEPO achieve its strategic objectives.
c. Supporting the ongoing contract management of procurement solutions to ensure expected outcomes are achieved
d. Adopting NEPO’s processes, policies and guidance to safeguard consistency, quality and achievement of desired outcomes.
e. Supporting stakeholder management, liaising with members, suppliers and wider stakeholders in a professional, customer-focused manner.
f. Utilising digital tools and systems to maximise efficiency and ensure compliance.
g. Undertaking data analysis and collating management information accurately and within timescales.
h. Producing correspondence, tender documentation, and presentations to a high standard.
i. Communicating in a professional manner with diverse stakeholders in writing, by telephone and in-person.
Where you'll work
Northern Design Centre
Abbots Hill
Baltic Business Quarter
Gateshead
NE8 3DF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SR SUPPLY CHAIN CONSULTANTS LTD
Training course
Procurement and supply chain practitioner (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Manage relationships with stakeholders.
- Interpret business requirements by assessing the demand for the product or service.
- Undertake market analysis to establish potential routes to market.
- Conduct benchmarking to evaluate costs against industry standards.
- Prepare or contribute to the drafting of a sourcing plan which meets business needs, including corporate social responsibility factors.
- Use the organisation's documentation designed for commercial procurement processes for the supply of goods and services.
- Notify potential suppliers of proposal requirements.
- Use selection and award criteria to source requirements from external suppliers evidencing how supplier bids are evaluated against them.
- Analyse the financial implications of decisions and identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Liaise and negotiate with suppliers and stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of purchased goods and services.
- Support contract award and briefing of suppliers in line with the organisations processes and governance.
- Monitor and manage contract performance to meet time, costs, service, and quality objectives.
- Manage contract performance and advise suppliers on any areas for improvement.
- Maintain contract documentation such as change control, version control.
- Use IT and software to produce spreadsheets and presentation packages to communicate information.
- Identify, raise, and facilitate discussions with stakeholders to resolve any issues or risks.
- Analyses sustainability challenges and risks at each stage of the product or contract life cycle.
- Manage information in accordance with policy and processes.
- Continuously review work processes to identify and eliminate inefficiencies and simplify workflow.
- Use available systems and tools to identify relevant data.
- Interpret, analyse, and evaluate data through questioning to drive actionable intelligence and support decision making.
- Use horizon scanning to identify future changes in procurement and contracting.
- Manage relationships with stakeholders.
- Interpret business requirements by assessing the demand for the product or service.
- Undertake market analysis to establish potential routes to market.
- Conduct benchmarking to evaluate costs against industry standards.
- Prepare or contribute to the drafting of a sourcing plan which meets business needs, including corporate social responsibility factors.
- Use the organisation's documentation designed for commercial procurement processes for the supply of goods and services.
- Notify potential suppliers of proposal requirements.
- Use selection and award criteria to source requirements from external suppliers evidencing how supplier bids are evaluated against them.
- Analyse the financial implications of decisions and identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Liaise and negotiate with suppliers and stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of purchased goods and services.
- Support contract award and briefing of suppliers in line with the organisations processes and governance.
- Monitor and manage contract performance to meet time, costs, service, and quality objectives.
- Manage contract performance and advise suppliers on any areas for improvement.
- Maintain contract documentation such as change control, version control.
- Use IT and software to produce spreadsheets and presentation packages to communicate information.
- Identify, raise, and facilitate discussions with stakeholders to resolve any issues or risks.
- Analyses sustainability challenges and risks at each stage of the product or contract life cycle.
- Manage information in accordance with policy and processes.
- Continuously review work processes to identify and eliminate inefficiencies and simplify workflow.
- Use available systems and tools to identify relevant data.
- Interpret, analyse, and evaluate data through questioning to drive actionable intelligence and support decision making.
- Use horizon scanning to identify future changes in procurement and contracting.
Training schedule
You will undertake the following qualifications via hybrid training, taking you from a Level 4 qualification, right through to Level 6 MCIPS status:
- Level 4 Commercial Procurement and Supply
- CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply
- Level 6 Senior Procurement Supply Chain Professional
Procurement apprenticeship knowledge is delivered in person in Gateshead at the Northern Design Centre, Abbott's Hill, Gateshead NE8 3DF, with a possibility of some travel to Tees Valley for additional training. You will be provided with the support you need to travel effectively between Gateshead and the Tees Valley.
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, applicants will have the opportunity to apply for a NEPO Procurement Coordinator position and/or wider opportunities across the 12 North East local authorities (subject to recruitment processes).
More training information
You will learn through a combination of hands on training with your manager and the systems you'll use.
Technical knowledge is delivered through a combination of in-person teaching with SRSCC (our training provider) and some hybrid learning over Teams.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
A Level 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
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
Other requirements
- You must be comfortable and able to balance work and apprenticeship requirements
- The best candidates are those who are proactive in their own development
- You must be comfortable communicating with many different types of people and enjoy working with and around others
- We are a collaborative organisation and we need those who work best as part of a team
About this employer
NEPO works in partnership with councils in the North East and Tees Valley to deliver a programme of strategic procurement that creates economic, social and environmental benefits for the communities we serve. We also work closely with the region’s supply base to boost competitive skills, signpost tendering opportunities and improve procurement processes. We’re very excited about our apprenticeship vacancy! This is the first year of our regional procurement apprenticeship programme, where we are working with the twelve local authorities across the region to nurture the procurement talent of the future. This means that as well as being part of the NEPO team, you’ll be part of a community of region-wide apprentices. Whilst the regional programme is new, nurturing talent isn’t new to us, so you’ll be in safe hands! Our programme recently received a Highly Commended Go Award for the impact and collaboration used to design the programme!
Based in modern offices at Gateshead’s Northern Design Centre, we offer a competitive apprenticeship salary, paid time to attend training, generous annual leave (28 days per year), and a local government pension. We also offer hybrid working with the opportunity to work from home following an induction period. We are committed to supporting you throughout your apprenticeship with a dedicated mentor, and additional training and development opportunities. Last but not least, our team are brilliant colleagues who will support you throughout your time at NEPO.
https://www.nepo.org/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Flexi-time
- Hybrid working, requiring a balance between office and home working. Following your induction, you will be offered the opportunity for hybrid working
- Free parking
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- Possibility of progression to a permanent procurement role with NEPO at the end
- Chance to apply for roles with local authorities
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
North East Procurement Organisation
Brett Sharkey
brett.sharkey@nepo.org
07702637420
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000041607.
Apply now
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 16 July 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.