Procurement Assistant

John Lewis Partnership; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Herbert Parkinson, part of the John Lewis Partnership, is expanding its procurement function. As Procurement Assistant you will source, evaluate and onboard suppliers, negotiate contracts and build resilient supply chains to deliver value for the business and its Partners.

You will support end-to-end tenders for raw materials and GNFR, collaborate with internal stakeholders on service procurement, and drive cost-saving initiatives while maintaining governance and compliance across UK and

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience of working in a procurement role.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Ability to source, evaluate and onboard suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end tenders for raw materials and GNFR.
• Assist in sourcing third-party services with internal stakeholders.
• Mitigate supply chain risk in collaboration with Planning & Logistics.
• Surface and deliver cost-saving initiatives to improve margins.
• Onboard suppliers with terms, conditions and SLAs.
• Build relationships with UK and international suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and governance standards.
• Leverage group purchasing power and platforms (e.g., Coupa).
• Execute tender requests and vendor selections with commercial acumen.

Skills

Procurement experience

Negotiation skills

Tendering

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Coupa

Job description

About the role At Herbert Parkinson, a proud and historic part of the John Lewis Partnership, we are embarking on an exciting transformation journey to secure our long‑term success. By investing in state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing capabilities, streamlining our operations, and creating broader, more fulfilling roles for our Partners, we are building a more sustainable and agile future. Join us as we continue to deliver exceptional quality and service for our customers while empowering our partners to thrive. As Procurement Assistant, you will play a crucial role in the procurement of raw materials, GNFR and services. Translating customer requirements you will source, evaluate & onboard suppliers, negotiating contracts, and building supply chain resilience to deliver value to the business.,

• Support the execution of end-to-end tenders for raw materials and GNFR (Goods Not For Resale), evaluating and selecting supplier partnerships to secure high‑quality, cost-effective inputs, maximising commercial margins
• Assist in the sourcing of third‑party services-collaborating with internal stakeholders to define scopes of work, evaluate supplier proposals, and onboard key service partners
• Work closely with the Planning & Logistics function to share knowledge & proactively identify and swiftly mitigate supply chain risk - , establishing robust contingency measures to safeguard business continuity & customer experience
• Surface & deliver cost‑saving initiatives to reduce expenditure & expand profit margins
• Onboard suppliers - setting terms & conditions, (e.g., payment windows, service level commitments) to ensure the relationship remains sustainable for both parties
• Build and maintain strong relationships with UK and international suppliers, ensuring reliable supply chains
• Ensure all raw materials comply with the relevant legislative & governance standards
• Adhere to company procurement standards while identifying opportunities to leverage group purchasing power and platforms (e.g., Coupa) Demonstrable experience of working in a procurement role
• Confident in executing tender requests & vendor selection
• Commercially astute with excellent negotiation skills

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• CIPS or relevant qualification
• Experience of procurement activity in Manufacturing sector

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food‑lovers in Waitrose. As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work‑life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.