Procurement Assistant Business Apprenticeship
BARTON STORAGE SYSTEMS LTD
WEST MIDLANDS (WV14 7NG)
Closes in 8 days (Friday 31 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 17 October 2025
Contents
Summary
Reporting directly to the Procurement Supervisor, the Procurement Assistant role involves providing crucial support to the procurement team by managing administrative tasks and ensuring the smooth operation of processes ensuring that the business receives the goods it requires for its operations in a timely fashion.
- Wage
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£16,354 a year
- Training course
- Business administrator (level 3)
- Hours
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Monday - Thursday, 8.30am - 5.00pm and Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Friday 7 November 2025
- Duration
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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
The goal of this role is to improve the departments administrative efficiency, making sure that orders and IT system information is always up-to-date allowing for a better customer experience. The role will also support the Procurement Supervisor, allowing them to focus on more tactical tasks.
Specific Duties:
Drop-ship order processing:
- Raise all drop-ship (direct delivery) orders onto the ERP system
- Where required, raise Barton Storage Systems delivery paperwork for dropship orders
- Send orders through to suppliers
- Track and expedite drop-ship orders to ensure that they are received by the customer by the required promise date.
- Record keeping
- Scan and file supplier delivery paperwork
- Scan and file supplier order confirmation paperwork
- Ensure that the ERP system is kept honest with updated supplier expected delivery dates
Customer Portals:
- On a daily basis update customer portals with up-to-date stock information
- ‘Turn-off’ any lines where stock is not available
- Complete reports for the Procurement Director and Procurement Supervisor to show the lines that are not available
- Put the expected back-order / replenishment dates into the customer portals, so that customers are well informed when items are due back into stock
Communication and Coordination:
- When dates on any drop-ship ordered items are moved by suppliers, communicate the delays to the Sales Team
- Inform the Sales Team and the Operations team on any items that are going to be placed on back order and when they are expected to be replenished
Procurement Team Assistance:
Shadow and support the Procurement Team in their tasks so that cover can be provided when other Procurement Team members are out-of-office or on leave, including the following:
- Running ‘re-order’ reports or ‘Materials Requisition Planning’ with the purpose of raising purchase orders for the products and services that the business requires, while maintaining appropriate levels of stock
- After approval by the Procurement Director (or other Directors in the business) raising ad-hoc Purchase Orders as requested, such as; non-product-related items, services and spot-buys
- Ensure that Orders are placed accurately and acknowledged by suppliers promptly so that invoice queries are kept to a minimum
- Resolving supplier invoice queries
- Order book management. Ie. expediting orders, cancelling, increasing or reducing order quantities where appropriate, checking and filing order acknowledgements to ensure that Purchase Orders aren’t missed or lost by suppliers and sending outstanding order reports to suppliers
- Updating the Operations team, informing them in advance of goods that are not going to be ready to send to key corporate customers, so that they can be left off outbound advance shipping notes
- Planning supplier deliveries into timed delivery slots to assist with warehouse resource planning
Where you'll work
BARTON INDUSTRIAL PARK
MOUNT PLEASANT
BILSTON
WEST MIDLANDS
WV14 7NG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON COLLEGE
Training course
Business administrator (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.
- Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.
- Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
- Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
- Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
- Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.
- Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.
- Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.
Training schedule
- Business Administrator Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard
- Training will be completed with City of Wolverhampton College
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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
Other requirements
Strong organisational and multitasking skills with the ability to prioritise workload. Knowledge of computer operation including the MS suite and ERP software. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to organise daily workload. The ability to prioritise, multi-task and work well under pressure. Excellent time management to meet tight deadlines. Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in all tasks. Ability to work collaboratively in a team and independently. Data Entry and Analysis: Enter and maintain accurate data in our ERP system. Assist in analysing sales data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
About this employer
Barton Storage Systems, your trusted trade-only supplier with over 60 years of excellence serving the UK and international markets. Through our UK distributor network, we deliver premium-quality storage equipment, innovative handling systems, and reliable access solutions that meet evolving industry demands.
After this apprenticeship
- There may be the opportunity of a full-time position upon successful completion of the apprenticeship
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON COLLEGE
Laura Aston
01902 837163
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000347172.
Apply now
Closes in 8 days (Friday 31 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
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