Apprentice Procurement
CPI
Stockton-on-Tees (TS21 3FG)
Closes in 10 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
Posted on 23 April 2026
Contents
Summary
CPI are looking for an enthusiastic and forward-thinking Procurement Apprentice to join our Procurement Team. This is an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience of working in an exciting business within procurement whilst working towards professional qualifications.
- Wage
-
£25,947.47 a year
- Training course
- Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Thursday 08:30am to 5:00pm and Friday 08:30am to 4:30pm
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 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
- Assist with tenders and procurement exercises to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to quality standards
- Assist with managing contracts, to maintain, monitor and help build strong relationships and good contract performance
- Maintain accurate records and a compliant audit trail for all procurement activities
- Support transactional and operational duties within the department
- Ensure accurate data entry into CPI’s finance and purchase order systems
- Work collaboratively with colleagues to maximise value for money while maintaining compliance
- Escalate issues to senior leadership when appropriate
Where you'll work
CPI, The Neville Hamlin Building
Thomas Wright Way
Sedgefield
Stockton-on-Tees
TS21 3FG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DARLINGTON COLLEGE
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
Procurement and Supply Assistant Level 3.
Requirements
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
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
About this employer
At CPI we work with our partners to translate inventions into products and processes that enhance health and well-being, protect and improve our environment and increase productivity across industries. With a deep understanding of innovation processes and funding, outstanding technical expertise and industry relevant assets, we enable products and processes to be quickly and cost-effectively brought to market.
After this apprenticeship
- Junior Buyer
- Buyer
- Senior Buyer
- Procurement Lead
- Procurement Manager
- Head of Procurement
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DARLINGTON COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000027045.
Apply now
Closes in 10 days (Thursday 7 May 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.