Procurement Assistant

Ark; Greater London; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Remote work up to 10 days

Flexitime core hours 10:00-16:00

Annual leave 27-30 days

Office closure Christmas

Pension scheme 11% contribution

Professional learning

Ark Rewards

Job summary

Ark is seeking a Procurement and Supply Assistant in West London, currently operating hybrid in our offices. This permanent, full‑time role runs 9am–5.30pm and supports Ark Schools’ procurement strategy across our schools.

You will liaise with schools to understand requirements, manage spend and contracts, and help drive supplier negotiations for better terms. A strong admin, organisational skill set and MS Office proficiency are essential.

Qualifications

• GCSE passes in English and Maths of grade 4 or above (essential)
• Potential to study for the Procurement and Supply Assistant apprenticeship as part of this role if successful
• Right to work in the U.K.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with schools to understand their procurement and supply requirements, and take action to make sure these are met
• Work with schools to ensure that their spend is managed efficiently, that they have contracts in place where required, and that their contracts are subject to regular review
• Own the Procurement Workplan, making sure that key deadlines are met, and that the Director of Finance and Procurement is kept updated on all key procurement activity
• Working with line manager, analyse procurement spend, making recommendations for new network contract and approved lists
• Negotiate with existing suppliers to obtain discounts and improved terms for schools

Skills

Administrative skills

Communication skills

Multi-tasking

MS Office

Education

GCSE English and Maths

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

About The Role

Reports to: Procurement Officer

Location: Currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office

Contract: Permanent

Pattern: Full Time (standard hours 9am - 5.30pm)

As a Procurement and Supply Assistant, you will undertake a range of responsibilities to support the delivery of Ark Schools’ Procurement Strategy. This is a varied and busy role, supporting Ark’s schools on the frontline of their operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Liaise with schools to understand their procurement and supply requirements, and take action to make sure these are met
• Work with schools to ensure that their spend is managed efficiently, that they have contracts in place where required, and that their contracts are subject to regular review
• Own the Procurement Workplan, making sure that key deadlines are met, and that the Director of Finance and Procurement is kept updated on all key procurement activity
• Working with line manager, analyse procurement spend, making recommendations for new network contract and approved lists
• Negotiate with existing suppliers to obtain discounts and improved terms for schools

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong administrative and organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work methodically and multi-task
• Ability to manage workload, meet deadlines and prioritise time effectively
• IT Literate; proficient with Microsoft Office applications, especially Word and Excel

Qualification Criteria:

• GCSE passes in English and Maths of grade 4 or above (essential)
• Potential to study for the Procurement and Supply Assistant apprenticeship as part of this role if successful
• Right to work in the U.K.

Benefits

• Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our state of the art West London office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working.
• In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad.
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years' service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to.Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year.
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform.
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests.

About Us

Ark is an education charity that exists to make sure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a great education and real choices in life. Our network of 39 schools reaches traditionally underserved communities in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth. We educate 30,000 pupils and have nearly 3,000 teaching staff across our network. We also incubate and scale innovative ventures, which we roll out beyond our network of schools for the benefit of teachers, pupils and the education system as a whole. Current Ventures include Ark Curriculum Plus, which equips teachers with the subject expertise needed to ensure students succeed, and Ark Start, a growing chain of nurseries offering affordable, high-quality early years education.
Recently, Ark moved to new offices at EdCity – a unique not-for-profit development in West London, in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham council. EdCity is designed to bring mission-aligned organisations together to focus on improving the lives of children, especially through education. It offers leased offices, a range of venues for training and events, and an innovation hub for the education sector to connect, collaborate and learn together.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend on the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.

For any questions, please contact [e-mail].