Salary: £17,710.89 a year
Location: The Council House
Hours: 37 hours a week
Contract Type: Fixed Term for 2 years
Closing Date: 6th September 2026
Start your procurement career – or change direction – with Derby City Council
Are you looking for your first professional role, or thinking about a change of career into a growing, in-demand field?
We are offering a fantastic opportunity to join Derby City Council as a Procurement Apprentice, working towards a Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) qualification while gaining hands-on experience in a busy, supportive team.
Whether you are just starting out, returning to work, or ready for a fresh challenge, this role will give you the chance to earn while you learn, build a recognised professional qualification, and help deliver real value for residents and communities across Derby.
About the role
As a Procurement Apprentice, you will:
- Work alongside experienced Procurement Assistants and Senor Officers on real procurement projects.
- Support the administration of tenders, quotations and contract processes using our e tendering and financial systems.
- Help to prepare and check documents, gather data and maintain accurate records.
- Be a first point of contact for routine queries from internal colleagues and suppliers, providing helpful and professional responses.
- Learn how the Council buys goods, works and services in a fair, transparent and compliant way.
You will be fully supported to develop your knowledge and skills, with tasks matched to your experience and confidence as you progress through your apprenticeship.
Your apprenticeship and development
You will study for a CIPS-recognised procurement apprenticeship (for example Level 3). This includes:
- Off the job learning time to attend training, workshops and complete assignments.
- Support from your line manager and colleagues to apply your learning in day-to-day work.
- Regular development conversations focused on your progress and future career.
On successful completion, you will have a strong foundation in public sector procurement and a respected professional qualification to help you move into more senior roles.
Who we are looking for
You do not need previous procurement experience – we are interested in your potential, values and motivation.
We are looking for someone who:
- Is keen to learn and committed to completing the CIPS apprenticeship.
- Has good communication skills and enjoys working with others.
- Can organise their work, pay attention to detail and use basic IT (email, Word, Excel).
- Is curious about how organisations buy goods and services, manage suppliers and achieve value for money.
- Shares our commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and high-quality public services.
This opportunity is ideal for:
- School or college leavers looking for a professional career path.
- People who have worked in other sectors (such as retail, customer service, administration or finance) and want to move into a procurement/commercial role.
- Anyone returning to work who wants to build new skills and a recognised qualification.
What the job role offers
- A structured CIPS apprenticeship, fully supported by Derby City Council.
- A friendly, inclusive team where your ideas and development are encouraged.
- A varied role with exposure to different types of procurement and contracts.
- Access to Council employee benefits, learning resources and wellbeing support.
- The chance to make a positive difference for Derby and its residents.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you’ll also receive:
- Flexible work/life balance scheme (depending on your role)
- Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
- 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays (depending on contract)
- Local Government Pension Scheme (depending on contract)
- Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
- Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
- Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
- Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
- Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
- Support for colleagues who are carers
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website
The closing date for this vacancy is at midnight on Sunday 6 September. Any applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held week commencing 14th Septmber 2026
If you would prefer to apply for this job using your CV, then please download the attached Declaration Form and send it along with your CV to
[email protected]. Without a completed declaration form, your application will not be accepted. We also encourage you to download the Equalities Form and return this to
[email protected], however this is optional and will not affect your application.
Important Information
Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are below.
Before you complete your application form please read ourguidance on filling in your application form.
Remember to align your personal statement to the essential criteria in the Person Specification.
Please be aware that where there are colleagues within the organisation who are 'at risk' of redundancy, requirements to redeploy to another suitable role will apply and take priority.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We recruit for diversity and value difference. As many of our roles can now be home-based, we are able to offer more opportunities for people who need this facility.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you are a disabled person, you have the choice to apply under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme so long as you demonstrate that you meet the essential requirements for the job.
We feel it is essential that we recruit a talented workforce that is as diverse as the community we work for.
Please let us know of any individual requirements or reasonable adjustments you may have during the application, interview, or onboarding process and we’ll do all we can to help. We strongly believe in social understanding of disability and for us it’s all about removing barriers to equality.
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy or are having difficulty applying, please contact our Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK - 18001 01332 640 844) or at
[email protected]https://www.derby.gov.uk/signing-service/
