Apprentice Purchaser

Colchester Institute Corporation; Colchester; Hybrid; GBP 16,000 - 20,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday increases based on length of.’

Auto-enrolment pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Medical cash plan

Apprenticeship progression to higher C

Job summary

Colchester Institute is offering an entry-level Apprentice Purchaser role to learn purchasing operations in a busy environment. You will work with our Warehouse & Purchasing Manager, raising purchase orders and contacting suppliers to secure timely deliveries.

You’ll study a Procurement and Supply Assistant level 3 apprenticeship, with time away from work for specialist training. This 40-hour week role starts at £16,640 in year one and includes progression opportunities.

Qualifications

• GCSE in maths and English (grade 9-4/A*-C)
• Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Responsibilities

• Raising purchase orders where sales orders cannot be fulfilled from existing stock
• Ensuring purchase orders contain all necessary information so that goods and services are delivered correctly and on time
• Contacting suppliers to check pricing, confirm delivery dates, and chase outstanding orders
• Entering and processing delivery notes accurately into our systems
• Responding to queries from internal teams and suppliers by phone and email in a timely and professional manner
• Supporting the development of supplier relationships to improve service and responsiveness
• Maintaining accurate filing and records for the purchasing department
• Keeping purchase order due dates up to date and flagging potential issues proactively
• Following company procedures for record-keeping and system updates
• Supporting wider service departments and contributing to shared business goals
• Adhering to all company Health & Safety, Quality, and HR policies

Skills

Customer care skills

Analytical skills

Initiative

Job description

Closes in 21 days (Saturday 3 October 2026)

This is an exciting entry-level opportunity for someone looking to start a career in purchasing, procurement, or supply chain. As Apprentice Purchaser, you will work alongside our experienced Warehouse & Purchasing Manager, learning the fundamentals of purchasing operations in a busy, real-world environment.

Wage

£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

• Annual Pay review

Training course Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)

Hours Monday to Thursday, 8:00am - 4:45pm. Friday, 8:00am - 3:30pm. With a 40 minute lunch break each day.

40 hours a week

Monday 12 October 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

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

As you grow in confidence and capability, your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Raising purchase orders where sales orders cannot be fulfilled from existing stock
• Ensuring purchase orders contain all necessary information so that goods and services are delivered correctly and on time
• Contacting suppliers to check pricing, confirm delivery dates, and chase outstanding orders
• Entering and processing delivery notes accurately into our systems
• Responding to queries from internal teams and suppliers by phone and email in a timely and professional manner
• Supporting the development of supplier relationships to improve service and responsiveness
• Maintaining accurate filing and records for the purchasing department
• Keeping purchase order due dates up to date and flagging potential issues proactively
• Following company procedures for record-keeping and system updates
• Supporting wider service departments and contributing to shared business goals
• Adhering to all company Health & Safety, Quality, and HR policies

Training

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

Training provider

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

Training course

Procurement and supply assistant (level 3)

• 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.
• The Apprentice will be working towards the Procurement & Supply Assistant Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard
• The apprentice will also complete a Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply Operations (CIPS)
• No physical college attendance - all delivery is online

Requirements

GCSE in:

maths and English (grade 9-4/A*-C)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Customer care skills
• Analytical skills
• Initiative

Other requirements

• This position is primarily based working with the current purchasing team at our head office site with the occasional chance to visit suppliers within the UK or Abroad

About this employer

Since it’s conception in 1997, Sportsafe now employs over 65 staff at three locations in Essex (head office), Manchester and Scotland.

Sportsafe offers installation, service and sales of sports and fitness equipment to more than 10,000 customers from the Shetland Isles to the South Coast in the including primary and secondary schools, private schools, sports centres, care homes and more than 120 county councils and fire, police and NHS authorities. The company is ISO 9001; ISO 14001, Safecontractor, CHAS, AFPE accredited.

• Holiday increases based on length of service
• Auto-enrolment pension and Group Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your well-being
• Medical cash plan, staff benefits hub, and access to physio support
• Includes the option to continue on as an apprentice and work towards a higher CIPS qualification or move into a purchasing assistant role within Sportsafe

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

COLCHESTER INSTITUTE

01206712043

The reference code for this apprenticeship isVAC2000049831.