Apprentice Procurement Support Officer “Southampton – a city of opportunity where everyone thrives” Apprenticeships are an exciting way to develop your career. At Southampton City Council we’re keen to invest in people, apprentices are a valuable part of our workforce and the future of the council. As an apprentice, you’ll be receiving practical and professional training right from the start. Working alongside experienced colleagues who will supervise your development and a dedicated mentor providing support and guidance throughout your training. You will have regular reviews with your manager and tutor so you know how you are doing and can gain support with any activities to help you progress. An apprenticeship is a real job, with real responsibilities and along with a competitive salary an apprenticeship will provide you with many benefits including; Paid time off for holidays and a pension scheme A career path so you can progress to the next level On and off the job training The achievement of a nationally recognised qualification while you work. At Southampton City Council we are committed to paying Foundation Living Wage as a minimum and we believe apprentices should also be paid fairly. Your salary as an apprentice will be £24,795 annually and may increase in line with any national rise in Foundation Living Wage. Although we can’t guarantee you a permanent job at the end of your apprenticeship, we will support you to apply for other roles within the council, and help make sure you are ready for a wider job search with support from our Employment Skills team. About the role: We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join us as Apprentice Procurement Support Officer in our Procurement Team. In this position, you will engage in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include providing essential support for various purchasing activities throughout the council, such as conducting small-scale procurement, issuing Purchase Orders and invoices, and overseeing tracking systems. Your contributions will be integral to ensuring value for money and delivering optimal services to our residents. You will possess proven experience in meeting tight deadlines and demonstrate confidence in proactively addressing challenges and identifying solutions. As the primary point of contact for queries directed to the Procurement team, you will also provide comprehensive meeting support to the Senior Management team. This apprenticeship will give you hands‑on experience in a key business function while you work towards a recognised procurement qualification. Our Location: You will be based within Southampton city centre in the Civic Centre with remote working available. What we can offer you: Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below. Excellent local government pension with 16.8% employer contribution Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution) Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service Flexible working options (role-dependent) Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents Training and development, including coaching and mentoring Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer F or further information on our benefits package please visit : Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk) Contact details for informal discussion: For further information and details regarding the position please contact Lauren Cooper via email at Lauren.Cooper@southampton.gov.uk You will be working towards the Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant apprenticeship with Aspire Procurement Training. The duration of this apprenticeship is 13 months with 6 months for the End Point Assessment. If you feel you have the necessary background, experience and skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you. To apply for this role please click on the 'Apply' button below to complete the online application form. Additional information: This role is a fixed term apprenticeship, 37 hours a week This is a fixed term position and the salary will be pro rata of the above salary. This post is fixed term for 19 months Please see the job description for more information. Recruitment contact details: Email: recruitment@southampton.gov.uk Tel: 023 8083 4033 For more information about SCC please visit Southampton City Council Follow us on social media for regular updates on our featured jobs and latest news. Facebook YouTube