Procurement Business Trainee

Location: Rochester, Kent. Minimum of 4 days per week onsite.

Salary: £25,000

This is a full-time role on a 2-year fixed term contract and will be based at our site in Rochester. On successful completion of the scheme and the training required for this role, at the end of the Business Trainee Programme you may be offered a permanent position within the function, where you will get the opportunity to continue with further training as a Procurement professional and further advance your career within a fundamental function to the Electronic Systems business.

You will experience working with various Procurement teams and will complete a Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Level 3 qualification, fully funded by BAE Systems.

What you’ll be doing:

• Receiving requisitions and demands, supporting negotiation with suppliers, and processing Purchase Orders and Purchase Order amendments in accordance with Procurement processes, procedures, and the requirements of the business.
• Understanding the budget requirements for the Purchase Orders and supporting the achievement of these requirements through effective negotiation with suppliers.
• Obtaining and communicating progress updates from suppliers, resolving issues, and escalating more critical issues to senior members of staff.
• Maintaining supplier open order books and ensuring that correct and current data is maintained in the Oracle ERP system.
• Processing supplier returns, ensuring these are actioned in a timely manner.
• Understanding and supporting the implementation of corporate Procurement processes and initiatives as appropriate to your area of responsibility.

Your skills and experiences:

Essential:

• Minimum of five GCSEs – Grade 5 or above (or recognised equivalent qualifications) which must include English and Maths.
• Three A levels A-C grade (or recognised equivalent qualification).
• Be driven and self-motivated with a desire to develop an exciting and rewarding career.

Desirable:

• Business-related qualification with experience in data entry or administrative tasks.
• Awareness of CIPS and general knowledge of supply chain processes.

Benefits:

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Procurement Team:

The Procurement function is the trusted partner in providing best value solutions for the business; managing supplier relationships, determining capable sources that offer innovative technical solutions, placement of orders for goods and services, and the maintenance of these orders governed by procedures and processes. As part of a wider Supply Chain Management organisation the Procurement function acts as the focal point for all interactions between the business and our global supply chain.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and particularly from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our industry, including women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals. We also want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 26th May 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.