Vacancies

Procurement & Contracts Support Officer (Business Administrator Level 3 Apprentice role)

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

About the role

This is a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship role for an 18 months contract training and developing within the Procurement and Contract Management Governance Team, who as a team provide professional leadership and advice on strategic purchasing and contractual governance issues across the Council.

We offer our customers professional guidance and support to officers up to and including Directors for delivering service objectives by procuring value for money for goods, services and works.

We inform services of re-design and innovation to both front-line and back-office projects with whether it is procurement strategy or e-procurement solutions that will enable more efficient processes, improved service specific contracts.

In addition we also let a range of corporate contracts on behalf of all departments and provide a contract management governance role ahead of planning for future procurement activity.

The Procurement and Contracts Support Officer is a good entry to public procurement and contract management, learning the skills and demands of the service and providing vital support to the team, helping to deliver projects and other management information such as policy, processes and system access for our internal WNC staff and external customers and suppliers.

Aside from on the job experience working in this role you will also be part of our apprenticeship scheme learning Business Administration study within the 18 month contract and potentially a future career in the Procurement and Contract Governance team.

What will you be doing?

A good analytical business analyst is a must. You must be a team player, be able to demonstrate strong communication skills with external customers and within a large organisation. You will be expected to quickly learn our procurement portal, In-tend and our contract register on our database, ERP to support our team with projects and contracts.

You must be able to deliver sound reporting and correspondence for any member of our procurement team. You must be able to represent the team internally and externally through support at external events or delivery of procurement training.

About you

This is an apprenticeship role. You will be an effective communicator with excellent IT skills and attention to detail and a keen interest in procurement and contracts.

Working experience of Power BI is not essential but desirable. A can-do attitude and ability to quickly learn is essential.

Further details can be found in the job description.

GCSE Maths and English is a must.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
Cycle to Work scheme.
Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
Car Lease scheme
Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
Ongoing training and development opportunities.
A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

About us

We’re a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.