What are the responsibilities and job description for the Apprentice Buyer position at Freeman Hospital?
Employer heading
Apprentice Buyer
Apprentice Band 2 - Band 3
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job Overview
Are you looking to start a career in the NHS? Are you considering a career change?
Do you want to work in a friendly and supportive team who will help you develop?
We are offering an opportunity for you as an Apprentice Buyer. The role comes with lots of support and professional development from our friendly team. As part of our Purchasing team you will support the delivery of an effective, efficient and professional purchasing service for the Trust including but not limited to obtaining quotes, raising purchase orders and resolving invoice queries.
You will be enrolled with a local education provider and embark on a comprehensive 18-month training programme working towards level 3 NVQ Business Administration. During this period you will be paid at a Band 2 then, upon successful completion you will automatically transfer to the Band 3 Buyer post and salary.
Main duties of the job
At the start of your employment, you will spend time across all the Procurement operational teams (Purchasing/Inventory/Logistics/Systems) to give you an overview of the operational aspects of the Procurement function and how they interact with each other. You will then settle into what will be your main role as an apprentice buyer within the Purchasing team. The Purchasing team processes all purchase orders for the Trust covering goods, services, maintenance and travel. During this time, you will gain a broad range of knowledge, skills and competencies to support your onward progression to the full-time role of a Buyer.
The normal working pattern is 7.5 hours per day Monday to Friday and upon completion of your apprenticeship we can support hybrid working on a 2:3 ratio – two days at home, 3 days in the office. We also offer flexible working patterns with time off in lieu whilst still supporting our core service hours of 8:30-17:00 Mon-Thurs and 8:30-16:30 Fri.
You will need to demonstrate good customer service skills; strong organisation and time keeping skills; the ability to work on your own initiative; have a flexible and adaptive approach to work; and be committed to achieving your apprentice qualification.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Apprenticeship Posts “You will need to be able to meet all the eligibility requirements as prescribed by the apprenticeship criteria to undertake the role”.
To Be Eligible For An Apprenticeship You Must
Further details can be found on the UK Government website.
Job Purpose
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Person specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
Essential criteria
Essential criteria
Essential criteria
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
Name Lorraine Lowrie Job title Purchasing Manager Email address Lorraine.lowrie@nhs.net Telephone number 0191 2137809
Apprentice Buyer
Apprentice Band 2 - Band 3
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job Overview
Are you looking to start a career in the NHS? Are you considering a career change?
Do you want to work in a friendly and supportive team who will help you develop?
We are offering an opportunity for you as an Apprentice Buyer. The role comes with lots of support and professional development from our friendly team. As part of our Purchasing team you will support the delivery of an effective, efficient and professional purchasing service for the Trust including but not limited to obtaining quotes, raising purchase orders and resolving invoice queries.
You will be enrolled with a local education provider and embark on a comprehensive 18-month training programme working towards level 3 NVQ Business Administration. During this period you will be paid at a Band 2 then, upon successful completion you will automatically transfer to the Band 3 Buyer post and salary.
- Interview date: Thursday 17 July 2025
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
Main duties of the job
At the start of your employment, you will spend time across all the Procurement operational teams (Purchasing/Inventory/Logistics/Systems) to give you an overview of the operational aspects of the Procurement function and how they interact with each other. You will then settle into what will be your main role as an apprentice buyer within the Purchasing team. The Purchasing team processes all purchase orders for the Trust covering goods, services, maintenance and travel. During this time, you will gain a broad range of knowledge, skills and competencies to support your onward progression to the full-time role of a Buyer.
The normal working pattern is 7.5 hours per day Monday to Friday and upon completion of your apprenticeship we can support hybrid working on a 2:3 ratio – two days at home, 3 days in the office. We also offer flexible working patterns with time off in lieu whilst still supporting our core service hours of 8:30-17:00 Mon-Thurs and 8:30-16:30 Fri.
You will need to demonstrate good customer service skills; strong organisation and time keeping skills; the ability to work on your own initiative; have a flexible and adaptive approach to work; and be committed to achieving your apprentice qualification.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
- Freeman Hospital
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
- Cramlington Manor Walks
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Apprenticeship Posts “You will need to be able to meet all the eligibility requirements as prescribed by the apprenticeship criteria to undertake the role”.
To Be Eligible For An Apprenticeship You Must
- Have the right to work and remain in the UK.
- Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years.
- Provide original evidence of required English and maths qualifications.
- You will not be considered if you have an equivalent or higher qualification in the same or a very similar subject.
- You must not be engaged in any other funded training or education programme.
- We cannot sponsor applicants during or on successful completion of the apprenticeship so please ensure you meet visa status eligibility.
- We cannot accept applications from student visa applicants.
Further details can be found on the UK Government website.
Job Purpose
- Be part of a small team of buyers, supervised by a Team Leader which will be responsible for the order processing and customer service activity relating to a discrete group of requisitioning departments
- Ensure that ‘requisitioned to order’ lead times are adhered to
- Ensure that goods/services ordered are progressed and delivered to the
- Ensure that invoice queries relating to orders placed are resolved satisfactorily within set target time
- Ensure effective communications with requisitioning departments
- Ensure that the procurement process is compliant with the Trust’s Corporate Governance
- Completion of NVQ Level 3 Business Administration
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Person specification
KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
- Understand a range of work procedures and practices, which require a base level of theoretical knowledge through formal training or equivalent experience
Essential criteria
- Good keyboard skills with experience of MS Office Suite including Word and Excel
- Good customer service skills
- Good numeric and literacy skills
- Good communication and organisational skills
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in a team
- Previous purchasing experience
Essential criteria
- 5 GCSEs (or equivalent), including the English and Maths
- English and Maths at Level 2 (GCSE 9-4 or A*-C, or Functional/Key Skills at Level 2).
- European Computer Driving Licence
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
- JD & PS (PDF, 395.8KB)
- Newcastle Staff Benefits (PDF, 274.4KB)
- Behaviour and Civility Charter (PDF, 93.8KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
Name Lorraine Lowrie Job title Purchasing Manager Email address Lorraine.lowrie@nhs.net Telephone number 0191 2137809
