Trainee Buyer/Buyer

Are you good at communicating with all sorts of people? Do you like analysing data and solving problems? Are you confident with numbers and figures? Do you have commercial skills and knowledge of supply chains and enthusiasm for learning more?

At NTU, we spend £155m on bought in goods and services. The variety is vast, and we buy goods and services in the following main categories, Estates FM & Catering, Professional Services, Digital Technologies, Research and Science.

We’re looking for a Buyer or Trainee Buyer to join our small and experienced team:

Trainee Buyer Responsibilities:

• Provide support for Buyers and participate in tenders

• Maintain supplier details on contract registers and the NTU CRM database

• Carry out data analysis and support preparation of team reports

• Calculate and record savings and benefits from procurement activity

Buyer Responsibilities:

• Provide advice and guidance to stakeholders across the University, on all procurement and purchasing matters

• Be responsible for a portfolio of contracts which will require tendering, with ongoing support for the category and the supply chain

• Help NTU achieve it’s ambitious Net Zero Carbon targets, but working with the team, colleagues from sustainability and the wider university, using our innovative and award-winning Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool actively contributing to reducing the University’s carbon emissions footprint

• Build relationships with key suppliers to deliver graduate opportunities to NTU students

No two days will be the same, and you’ll be amazed to see the diversity in our supply chain. NTU is a great place to progress your procurement career., As a member of our team, you’ll contribute to the commercial success of NTU, by ensuring the best contract solutions are in place, with the right suppliers at the right time. Join us and gain valuable experience in handling complex procurements, collaborating with diverse stakeholders and making a meaningful impact on all aspects of the work of the university.

For any informal queries about the role or the Procurement team, please contact Kate Brown, Head of Procurement at kate.brown@ntu.ac.uk.

Proposed interview date: 10th March 2025

Join Us

• Hybrid working – we encourage and offer a mixture of office working and working from home. You’re empowered to define how you work best for the benefits of your stakeholders.

• Flexibility – take ownership over how you get your work done. We’re open to different working patterns and approaches.

• 25 days annual leave, plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata.

• Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.

• Range of health and wellbeing services, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.

• Access to a wealth of formal and informal professional development opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.

• And a whole lot more…

Come and be part of our success. Apply today!

Safe and Inclusive

At NTU, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our students and colleagues. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team.

Please note that unfortunately, this role has been assessed as ineligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system, upcoming immigration rules (4th April 2024) changes may impact on eligibility for sponsorship, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position.

Visit for more information. However, applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK, but who would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route. Please consult the for further information.

Please note that this role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and successful applicants will be asked to declare any unspent criminal convictions.

Are you a recent graduate eager to join our growing Finance Team? We’re looking for motivated and eager individuals ready to jumpstart their careers in a supportive and forward-thinking environment. At NTU, we believe in investing in potential and that’s why we encourage recent graduates who are passionate about learning, growing, and making an impact to apply for the Trainee Buyer position.

For more details about the two positions, please take a look at the role profiles to see which position would fit best.

We’ll still consider applications even if you don’t meet every single one of the requirements, so don’t be put off if you don’t match them perfectly. To ensure the diverse needs of our team are met we actively encourage secondments and offer flexible part-time working patterns and would consider applications from those wishing to get into Procurement too – we’re focused on finding the right person for the role.