Buyer, Supply Chain​/Logistics

Main area Procurement Grade NHS AfC:
Band 4 Contract Fixed term: 9 months (Temporary cover for Maternity Leave) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job  

Employer South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Trust Headquarters Town Exeter Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 20/10/2026 23:59

Are you an organised and customer-focused individual looking to develop a career in Procurement within the NHS?

We are seeking a Buyer to join our friendly and supportive Procurement Team for up to 9 months to cover maternity leave.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience across a wide range of procurement activities while helping to support services that contribute to patient care across the South West.

Working with colleagues, suppliers and stakeholders across the Trust, you will support the procurement of goods and services, raise and process purchase orders, assist with quotation and tender exercises, maintain procurement and contract records, and help ensure compliance with Trust policies and procedures. You will also support supplier onboarding, manage procurement enquiries, undertake spend analysis, and contribute to continuous improvement within the procurement function.

This role would suit someone with strong administrative, organisational and communication skills who enjoys problem-solving, working with data, and building effective working relationships. Whether you already have procurement experience or are looking to start a career in the profession, we offer training, development opportunities and support towards professional procurement qualifications.

The team operates a hybrid working arrangement, with home working and attendance at Trust Headquarters in Exeter once every fortnight on a Wednesday.

Interviews will take place in person in Exeter.

• Raising and processing purchase orders, ensuring requisitions are complete, appropriately authorised, and compliant with Trust policies and procedures
• Supporting quotation, tendering, and contract award activities, including the preparation, collation, and administration of procurement documentation
• Acting as a first point of contact for procurement enquiries, providing advice and guidance to Trust staff and suppliers
• Supporting supplier onboarding and registration processes, ensuring appropriate due diligence checks are completed
• Maintaining procurement records, contract information, supplier data, and filing systems to ensure information is accurate, secure, and accessible
• Assisting with spend analysis, reporting, and the production of management information to support procurement planning and decision making
• Supporting contract management activities, including supplier performance monitoring, contract reviews, and contract renewals
• Challenging non-contracted spend where appropriate and supporting initiatives that promote value for money and compliance with Standing Financial Instructions
• Developing effective working relationships with stakeholders across the Trust to promote good procurement practice and ensure business needs are met
• Contributing to continuous improvement initiatives, helping to enhance procurement processes, systems, and ways of working
• Developing procurement knowledge and skills through training, learning, and professional development opportunities

Working for us is an experience like no other. We provide emergency and urgent care, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, operating across the largest ambulance region in England and responding to an average of 2,650 incidents every day.

We remain committed to ensuring that we provide the best possible care for all our patients, which is…