Public Sector Commercial Procurement & Supply Apprenticeship (Level 4)

Programme information

November 2017

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Public Sector Commercial Procurement & Supply Apprenticeship (Level 4) Is this programme suitable for my job role?

The Commercial Procurement & Supply Apprenticeship is an integrated programme of learning and support that will give you the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work within the procurement industry.

Roles this programme prepares you for include:

• Procurement Officer

What qualifications are included?

The great thing about an apprenticeship is that you will gain valuable qualifications which demonstrate the new skills you have developed whilst on programme.

Qualifications for this programme include:

• Level 4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply

Entry requirements

Core entry requirements

• Have a valid passport / birth certificate / residence permit and NI Number

• Must have lived in the UK and/or EU for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date

• The apprenticeship offers substantive new skills and knowledge in your existing new role

• Must not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time.

Role requirements

Must be in a role such as: • Procurement Officer

A link to this Apprenticeship Standard can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-standard-public-sector-commercial-professional

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Functional skills requirements

You will need to provide a certificate showing GCSE’s achieved in English and Maths at grade C or above.

If you completed O levels instead of GCSE’s or do not have your GCSE certificates, you will need to take a Functional Skills Level 2 exam before you take your end point assessment for this apprenticeship.

This is a requirement of the apprenticeship standards.

For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships English and Maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3 and British Sign Language qualification are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.

If you are unsure if you are eligible, you can submit an enquiry to your department’s single point of contact for apprenticeships.

Funding eligibility

A full list of SFA eligibility criteria can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-funding-and-performance-management-rules-2017-to-2018

How is the programme structured?

The Commercial Apprenticeship consists of four key components, the achievement of which will put you on the right path to become a high achieving Professional:

• CIPS Level 4 Diploma • Knowledge • Skills • Behaviours

The four components are: 1. Level 4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply Qualification Learning for the 5 modules within the L4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply will be delivered through a blend of face to face and digital learning. You will also have access to an online resource from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), MyCIPS; this will give you the opportunity to complete self-directed learning and undertake past papers. These qualifications are mapped to the Knowledge requirements of the Standard and so achievement of these will ensure that you have the requisite knowledge to achieve the Standard.

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2. On-programme support Key to the apprenticeship will be your ability to apply and embed knowledge into your day-to-day work. A Talent Coach will support your progress and help identify evidence of where you have demonstrated the required knowledge, skills and behaviour in the workplace. It is important that you keep a record of what you do so that you are able to draw on your best experiences and build up a portfolio to be assessed at the end. The Talent Coach will contact you on a monthly basis and there will be regular reviews involving you, your Talent Coach and line manager to check progress and agree a plan to address any gaps. You will also have access to our online apprenticeship platform which will support your learning journey and provide all the resources needed to take you through to completion.

3. Personal Development Throughout the programme you will also learn about topics that will support your work, welfare and development. For example you will learn about Fundamental British Values; Prevent; and how to write a personal development plan.

4. End point assessment The end point assessment is carried out by an independent assessment organisation. It includes a portfolio to showcase your skills, a presentation and an interview. The assessment determines whether you have successfully met the learning requirements of the programme.

How long will the programme take me to complete?

This apprenticeship is typically delivered over 21 months but the time it takes you will depend on your prior knowledge/experience. The structure and duration of the programme ensures that learning can be delivered flexibly around other responsibilities – both at work and at home. Below is an example learner journey

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What will I learn?

This programme consists of five mandatory CIPS modules and exams. There is a further module for AD4; you must complete the learning but the exam is optional. Each module is assessed via a test taken in exam conditions. You will also have the opportunity to apply your learning on-the-job.

The qualifications consist of the following units:

Level 4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply

D1: Context of Procurement & Supply You will learn to:

• Understand the added value that can be achieved through procurement and supply chain management

• Understand the stages of sources processes in creating added value outcomes that can be achieved with suppliers

• Understand the main aspects of organisational infrastructure that shape the scope of the procurement or supply chain function

• Understand the need for compliance with requirements when undertaking procurement activities in different sectors

D2: Business needs in procurement & supply

You will learn to:

• Understand how to develop a business case for requirements to be sourced from external suppliers

• Understand the fundamentals of specifications and key performance indicators that are included in contractual arrangements made with suppliers

• Understand the main clauses that are included in formal contracts • Understand the main implications of outsourced work or outsourced services

for procurement

D3: Sourcing in procurement & supply You will learn to:

• Understand the main options for sourcing of requirements from suppliers • Be able to develop a plan for sourcing goods or services from external

suppliers • Be able to assess the financial stability of suppliers • Understand the main processes that can be applied to the sourcing of

requirements from external suppliers • Understand compliance issues when sourcing from suppliers

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D4: Negotiating & contracting in procurement & supply

You will learn to:

• Understand the legal issues that relate to the formation of contracts • Understand the main approaches in the negotiation of commercial agreements

with external organisations • Understand how to prepare for negotiations with external organisations • Understand how commercial negotiations should be undertaken

D5: Managing contracts & relationships in procurement & supply

You will learn to: • Understand the dynamics of relationships in supply chains • Understand the legal aspects of relating to the performance of contracts • Understand the main approaches to the management of contracts • Understand the main techniques for the management of contracts and

suppliers AD4: Category Management

You will learn to: • Understand the approaches that can be adopted to develop strategic sourcing

and category management for a mix of procurement expenditures • Be able to create a plan for a strategic sourcing or category management

process • Be able to develop an implementation plan for strategic sourcing or category

management process • Understand the main aspects of performance improvement for strategic souring

or category management processes

Where will my training take place?

Your training will be delivered in a variety of ways to ensure that you get the best learner experience.

You will attend group delivery workshops, participate in remote revision sessions and complete online learning sessions via MyCIPS. It should be noted that you may have to travel to the group delivery workshops, but any travel should be minimal.

Programme materials, relevant policies and additional learning activities will be available via our online learning platform.

You will also meet with your dedicated Procurement Talent Coach on a regular basis throughout the programme. These visits may be face-to-face at your workplace or via Web-ex/Skype/Phone to make the best use of your time.

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How will the programme be assessed?

Once you have completed the L4 Diploma in Procurement & Supply and we are satisfied that you have covered all the requirements of the Standard; you will be put forward for End Point Assessment, where you will be assessed against industry set criteria by an independent Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation. This will consist of a holistic assessment including:

• Showcase of portfolio evidence

• Presentation

• Interview

Each component will be assessed discretely and the results will be aggregated to achieve a final mark, according to the weightings across the different assessment methodologies:

Element of Assessment

Marks Available Percentages

Formal qualifications (Level 2 and Level 3)

Achieved (Pass or Fail); pass is a pre-requisite to taking the end-point assessment

N/A

Showcase Portfolio Distinction; Pass; or Fail Presentation Distinction; Pass; or Fail Interview Distinction; Pass; or Fail Overall outcome: Distinction; Pass; or Fail 100%

The use of a variety of assessment methods in the final summative assessment ensures that the assessment is based on your performance and accurately reflects the quality of your work.

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When can I start?

Cohorts of programmes are scheduled to start in January and at multiple points during the year.

Register your interest by contacting your department’s single point of contact for apprenticeships.