Buyer

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS); United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading procurement organization is seeking a Procurement Support Assistant to join the Frameworks and Supply Chain Risk team. This role is based in Birmingham, Manchester, or Milton Keynes. You will support procurement activities, assist in high-value projects, and benefit from training and development opportunities. The position offers competitive salary and various employee benefits including flexible working options.

Benefits

28 days annual leave

Access to contributory pension schemes

Discounted rail and underground travel

Hybrid working available

5 days of paid volunteering leave

Qualifications

• Experience with procurement processes is preferred.
• Confident with Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Clear and effective communication skills needed.

Responsibilities

• Support procurement activities including pricing and tendering.
• Assist in high-value procurement projects.
• Prepare reports, meeting notes, and presentations.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Experience with procurement processes

Effective communication

Excel proficiency

Education

Working towards or holding a professional procurement qualification

Tools

Excel

Power BI

PowerPoint

Job description

About Network Rail

Make a Real Impact - Join Network Rail!

Are you ready to help shape the future of transport and make a difference in millions of lives every day? At Network Rail, we keep the country moving by connecting passengers and freight customers safely and efficiently. When you join us, you matter - to us, and to the communities we serve.

Watch our video to discover how we're building a better railway for everyone: We Matter To Millions

Why Join Us?

Inclusive & Diverse: We're proud to be one of the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equity, four years running! ( The Times Top 50 Listmakers 2024 - Business in the Community )

People First: We invest in your growth, wellbeing, and work-life balance.

Flexible Working: We understand that one size doesn't fit all - just let us know what works for you and if we can make it work, we will!

Disability Confident Leader: We're committed to making our recruitment process accessible and inclusive for everyone ( How we recruit - Network Rail ).

Learn more about our Equity, diversity and inclusion strategy ( Equity, diversity and inclusion - Network Rail ) and North West & Central Region ( North West & Central region - Network Rail ).

Brief Description

Join our Frameworks and Supply Chain Risk team in the North West & Central Region (NW&C). We're responsible for creating value-for-money frameworks and supplier lists that support both regional and national operations. From major infrastructure projects like our £1.2bn Fencing & Vegetation framework to critical services like demolition, ecology, and security - we ensure safety, sustainability, and value are at the heart of everything we do.

This is a fantastic opportunity to kick-start your career in procurement and commercial contracting. You'll gain hands-on experience, receive support from your manager and team, and benefit from on-the-job training and development.

Location: Birmingham, Manchester, or Milton Keynes

About the role (External)

You will

Support procurement activities including pricing, tendering, and documentation

Help with high-value and complex procurement projects

Maintain accurate team data and support internal stakeholders

Prepare reports, meeting notes, and presentations using Excel, Power BI, and PowerPoint

Analyse supplier information and help prepare tender packs

Collaborate with internal clients and external suppliers

✓ You have

In order to be successful in this role, we would like you to have/to :

• Commercial awareness and attention to detail

• Experience with procurement processes

• Confident using Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint

• Clear and effective communicator

We would also like but it isn't crucial to have/to :

• Knowledge of procurement legislation and public sector frameworks

• Working towards or holding a professional procurement qualification

•

Ready to Apply?

If you're passionate about making a difference and want to grow your career in a supportive, forward-thinking organisation, we'd love to hear from you!

How to apply (External)

Salary : £26,125 - £30,000 dependent on experience

Closing date : Friday 22 August 2025. Late applications will not be accepted. We may close the advert early if we receive a large volume of applicants.

As this is a role in a regional team, occasional travel across NW&C may be required. Candidates should be comfortable with some travel to client sites, regional offices, or other business locations as needed.

Click apply now to apply.

You can visit Evenbreaks Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

Network Rail Benefits

• 28 days annual leave - with the opportunity to buy and/or sell upto 5 days
• Access to a range of contributory pension schemes, and the potential to top up your competitive salary with a bonus
• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train
• Privileged staff travel - Discretionary leisure travel discount of 75%
• We can offer you a season ticket loan, annual season tickets are discounted.
• A 35-hour-per-week contract with flexible working options available to help support your work-life balance
• Hybrid working where possible and enhanced family-friendly support
• Take advantage of healthcare offers (including discounted healthcare club membership), discounted cycle hire, and online shopping sites
• 5 days of paid volunteering leave
• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community

To find out about what benefits we offer, click here
All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information