Assistant Buyer and Assistant Merchandiser Apprenticeship

Summary

This is a fantastic opportunity to become a qualified Buyer. McMullen Facades Ltd. offers a complete facades solution, from design to completion, striving for a unique standard of excellence throughout. The company is part of the JRL Group, a construction services business with a turnover in excess of £800m.

Wage

£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Stakeholder Pension Scheme Private Health Insurance Scheme Access to on-site gym facilities and fitness classes at head office

Training course

Assistant buyer and assistant merchandiser (level 6)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 6.00pm, times may vary depending on project. Our usual weekly working time is 45 hours, this will be adjusted to 40 hours for people under the age of 18.

40 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 July 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

You will:

Assist in the identification and evaluation of specialist facade material suppliers, considering factors like quality, certifications, and technical specifications.
Learn how to obtain detailed quotations for facade materials, components, and installation services, analysing costs and value.
Contribute to the preparation and processing of purchase orders specifically for facade-related items, ensuring accuracy and adherence to project requirements.
Help track orders for critical facade materials and components, proactively managing lead times and ensuring timely delivery to site.
Assist in managing relationships with specialist facade suppliers, addressing queries and resolving any delivery or quality issues.
Develop a strong understanding of procurement policies and procedures relevant to the construction industry, with a focus on facade materials.
Maintain accurate purchasing records and documentation, specific to facade procurement, including material specifications and supplier performance.
Assist in the sourcing of new and innovative facade materials and technologies, keeping abreast of industry advancements.
Undertake relevant training and development activities as required, potentially including materials science or facade system-specific training.
Adhere to ethical and sustainable procurement practices within the context of facade material sourcing.

Where you'll work

4 Elstree Way
Borehamwood
Herts
WD6 1RN

Training

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

College or training organisation

FAREPORT TRAINING ORGANISATION LIMITED

Your training course

Assistant buyer and assistant merchandiser (level 6)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Apply understanding of customer and business operations to inform decisions on product and service portfolio management.
Selects and merchandises products that enhance the company brand image and product portfolio.
Anticipates the need for products and ensures that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer
Delivers and articulates supported recommendations regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
Analyse and react to main influences on Buying and Merchandising plans, taking appropriate actions as a result.
Leads the team to construct the key buying and merchandising objectives and plans for the specific product range to reach or exceed sales at forecasted levels.
Makes appropriate managerial decisions to ensure the departmental approach to selecting products and services balances quality and commerciality
Uses management -based monitoring procedures throughout the buying and merchandising process, taking account of legal and other requirements to ensuring product compliance is maintained.
Critically evaluate and advocate opportunities presented by new technologies taking account of how they will impact on the product range, fulfilment and consumer behaviour.
Analyses appropriate cost and income influences on buying and merchandising plans to make informed decisions
Through their influence as a leader, looks to use digital opportunities to drive sales and profitability across all channels where appropriate
Demonstrates how to negotiate in a manner that obtains the optimum outcome for the business
Through their leadership and management of the team, demonstrates a strategic approach to the relationship with other departments.
Anticipates potential problems and opportunities through the effective liaison at the appropriate level with other teams and functions.
Critically reviews and revises plans and forecasts for the function, taking into account the latest trend analyses, to produce the range.
Develops and implements a ‘People Plan’, that is effective in ensuring sufficient team capacity and capabilities to deliver on business objectives
Demonstrates an effective leadership style in achieving the key business objectives.
Ensure continuous personal and team development to enhance delivery
By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted
Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective and profitable channels to market.
Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style
: Assess the impact that they have on key external relationships, and adjusts their style to ensure that they achieve maximum benefit for the business
Assesses and implements the relevant approach required from a buying and merchandising strategy, to take account of differing types of delivery channel, product and customer.
Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective channels to market.
Work in partnership with the customer engagement team to achieve better outcomes for both existing and new customer groups.
Analyses the key buying criteria to help shape the planned product range
Critically evaluates the current and future methods of digital delivery, and anticipates customer changes in respect of the use of digital and Artificial Intelligence
Being able to implement techniques such as business planning, pricing strategies, product design and product manufacturing to maximise sales and profitably
Ensures that the organisation’s ethical and legal policies and procedures are monitored and adhered to by the team and suppliers.
Anticipates the need for products and to ensure that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer
Can articulate a supported recommendation regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
Ensures compliance with company operating standards in the sourcing of range.
Can identify when problems are likely to occur, and manage action required to resolve them.
Effectively analyses the key buying criteria to help shape the planned product range for 3rd party products
Has the ability to ensure that the right product is available at the right time, in the right place.
Produces and delivers accurate forecasts which demonstrate creative and ambitious suggestions for future strategy
Demonstrates customer insight in preparing forecasts
Demonstrates the activities needed to ensure that the forecast is underpinned by financial considerations and business strategy.
Ensures that the organisation’s ethical and legal policies and procedures are adhered to.
Ensures that all team members operate within current legal guidance.
Operates to, and ensures relevance of company operating standards
Makes commercial decisions based on product, category and departmental performance
Maximises every trading opportunity in order to deliver sound commercial outcomes for the organisation
Using IT skills, develop strong spreadsheet and pivot table creation knowledge to enhance and optimize reporting and analysis data, so as to improve sales and profitability.
Prepare executive level reports on current and forecasted performance, and using advanced presentation skills, ensure the communication of the outcomes is delivered in the most effective and profitable way.
Effectively liaises with other key stakeholders to ensure a joined-up approach across the business.
Delivers to the critical path plan in order to ensure that delivery deadlines are met, and that intakes meet stock levels
Delivers timely and accurate forecasts to ensure that customer needs are met.
Communicates directly with suppliers to ensure receipt of stock
Apply understanding of customer and business operations to inform decisions on product and service portfolio management.
Selects and merchandises products that enhance the company brand image and product portfolio.
Anticipates the need for products and ensures that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer
Delivers and articulates supported recommendations regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
Analyse and react to main influences on Buying and Merchandising plans, taking appropriate actions as a result.
Leads the team to construct the key buying and merchandising objectives and plans for the specific product range to reach or exceed sales at forecasted levels.
Makes appropriate managerial decisions to ensure the departmental approach to selecting products and services balances quality and commerciality
Uses management -based monitoring procedures throughout the buying and merchandising process, taking account of legal and other requirements to ensuring product compliance is maintained.
Critically evaluate and advocate opportunities presented by new technologies taking account of how they will impact on the product range, fulfilment and consumer behaviour.
Analyses appropriate cost and income influences on buying and merchandising plans to make informed decisions
Through their influence as a leader, looks to use digital opportunities to drive sales and profitability across all channels where appropriate
Demonstrates how to negotiate in a manner that obtains the optimum outcome for the business
Through their leadership and management of the team, demonstrates a strategic approach to the relationship with other departments.
Anticipates potential problems and opportunities through the effective liaison at the appropriate level with other teams and functions.
Critically reviews and revises plans and forecasts for the function, taking into account the latest trend analyses, to produce the range.
Develops and implements a ‘People Plan’, that is effective in ensuring sufficient team capacity and capabilities to deliver on business objectives
Demonstrates an effective leadership style in achieving the key business objectives.
Ensure continuous personal and team development to enhance delivery
By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted
Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective and profitable channels to market.
Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style
: Assess the impact that they have on key external relationships, and adjusts their style to ensure that they achieve maximum benefit for the business

Your training plan

Additional short courses and internal training programmes.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

A Level in:

Business Management (grade A)
Physics, Design, Maths (grade B)

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
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Willingness/ability to travel
Full driving license preferred
Interest in building materials

About this company

The JRL Group encompasses 35+ divisions delivering bespoke solutions for the most complex construction projects. We offer managed integrated construction solutions, with an annual turnover in excess of over £800m. Our portfolio of exciting projects include the Landmark Pinnacle, refurbishment of Regents Crescent and Royal Mint Gardens. We take pride in our diverse, flexible and skilled workforce, giving our people opportunities and confidence to innovate and succeed.

After this apprenticeship

Opportunities to broaden your experience through secondment to our other in-house companies like Midgard, Ark M&E or Access.

Potential career growth first to Assistant and then Senior Buyer.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

J. Reddington LTD

Urte Sonnenberg

urte.sonnenberg@jrlgroup.co.uk

+442089537800

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000319499.

Apply now

Closes in 12 days (Thursday 22 May 2025 at 11:59pm)

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