Apprentice Buyer

VOLKERSERVICES LIMITED

Hertfordshire (EN11 9BX)

Closes on Thursday 30 April 2026

Posted on 6 March 2026

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Summary

As an Apprentice Buyer, you’ll work towards a recognised Procurement qualification (CIPS) while gaining hands‑on experience across our procurement functions. You’ll be a part of weekly team meetings, sharing wins, tackling challenges, and helping us hit — and exceed — our annual targets.

Wage

£20,000 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Procurement and supply chain practitioner (level 4)
Hours
Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 4 May 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

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

You will work towards the Level 4 Procurement and Supply Chain Practitioner apprenticeship standard. The training provider will be confirmed prior to enrolment and may be delivered either through a provider within reasonable commuting distance of our Hoddesdon Head Office or through a nationally recognised provider offering online or blended learning. Off-the-job training will be provided as part of the apprenticeship programme in line with apprenticeship requirements.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4 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
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Analytical 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:

SR SUPPLY CHAIN CONSULTANTS LTD

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000018086.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 30 April 2026

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.