Level 6 Business (Purchasing) Apprentice - BMW National Sales Company
We believe in creating an environment where our Apprentices really can learn and develop during their time with us. Our experts and mentors will treat you as part of the team from day one, encouraging you to bring your own ideas to the table and giving you the opportunity to really show what you can do.
Our Summit ONE campus in Farnborough is home to the National Sales Company for the BMW Group in the UK, as well as BMW Group Financial Services which offers retailers, corporate and private customers a range of customised financial services. Alphabet (GB) Ltd. as a leading provider of Business Mobility Services is also location in Farnborough.
Within our self-contained campus, we offer a modern way of working with an empowering office culture, some aspects of which include:
• Our work persona shift – being yourself is effortless and so increases efficiency. For this reason, we allow our employees to express themselves through our dress for your diary approach.
• Blended Working – a blended working approach improves mental perspective and increases sustained productivity. This means our leaders ensure our apprentices maintain balance, not burnout, by focusing on their output, not attendance.
• The opportunity to get involved with our house charity with a variety of fundraising events throughout the year. You will also have the opportunity to be involved in our DE&I network groups. • Throughout our offices, there are open creative spaces which hold facilities such as table tennis tables, darts, and football tables to encourage employee engagement and networking.
BMW UK, National Sales Company, Farnborough - 3.5-year Business Apprenticeship - Indirect Purchasing - Level 6 (degree) August 2025.
The UK Indirect Purchasing Team is the UK division of the BMW Group Munich-based M-Division, called the Purchasing and Supplier Network. There are two UK teams – one based in Farnborough and the other in Oxford. These two teams are responsible for all indirect purchasing for BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and the manufacturing plants (MINI Plant Oxford, Hams Hall Engine Plant, Swindon Pressings), as well as BMW Financial Services and Alphabet operations.
The task of indirect purchasing is to ensure that goods and services needed to support all these operations are sourced to the required quality, supplied by the required delivery time, and purchased at the best price.
The team was established to bring all the separate purchasing departments from across Europe together into a collective regional purchasing function. This broadened the scope of the UK Purchasing teams’ responsibilities to no longer just focus on the UK operations, but to now consider the growing need to collaborate with colleagues internationally.
This team provides an incredible platform for an apprentice to build their career within the function of Indirect Purchasing, including the opportunity to participate in international assignments.
What will you be doing?
The role of an apprentice will be to assist buyers across a diverse range of indirect purchasing commodities, gaining experience in such areas as the purchasing of Marketing and Media, Distribution and Logistics Services, HR Services and Consultancy, Production Equipment, Waste Management, IT, Print Management, Technical Services etc.
The apprentice will need to be enthusiastic and well-disciplined, as the apprenticeship is heavily focused on attitude and behaviour. In addition, it will be necessary to exhibit initiative and be reliable and conscientious. Excellent communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work both independently and as part of team.
Your Year-on-Year Progression -
The BMW Group offers an enhanced level 6 degree apprenticeship commencing August 2025. The three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship is designed to allow the apprentice to experience all aspects of the Purchasing function, in an exciting environment that is constantly developing. There will be the opportunity to build your networks, putting skills which are being continually learnt into practical use, working on projects alongside other members of the business and carrying out tasks independently.
The apprenticeship will provide several different opportunities to support individual career development and will provide the support and guidance necessary to ensure the training is successful.
Whilst developing specialist, on-the-job knowledge, the apprentice will also undertake a fully funded study toward the attainment of a BA (Hons) in Management and Business, through the attendance at Abingdon & Witney College (affiliated with Oxford Brookes University).
In the third year of the apprenticeship, there will also be the possibility of undertaking an international placement (c. 3 months duration). The placement country will be decided at the time, dependent on business need. This gives an opportunity to put into practise the knowledge and skills developed over the previous two years in one of the European indirect purchasing teams.
Personal development within the BMW Group never stops! Beginning with vocational courses and continuing with selective training throughout an individual’s career. The BMW Apprenticeship offers multiple career choices and enables an individual to make the most of their abilities.
Qualifications and Experience
- A minimum of 5 GCSE's (or equivalent) at Grade 6/B (or above), including Maths and English
- Plus a minimum of 2 A Levels (or equivalent) at Grade C (or above) or a BTEC Level 3 (60 credits plus) in a relevant discipline
- A full UK driver’s license and a willingness to commute are essential as this role will involve spending time at both our Oxford and Hams Hall plants and the BMW Vehicle Distribution Centre in Thorne, South Yorkshire.
- Strong numerical skills are highly advantageous.
- Being multi-lingual in a European language in addition to English (including any of the German, Spanish, French or Italian languages) would be hugely beneficial given the international focus of the Indirect Purchasing function.
When it comes to selecting the right apprentices, it’s as much about attitude and behaviours as it is about vocational and academic success. That’s why in addition to the qualifications we require from you, we’ll also look for you to have a range of skills, attributes, and behaviours. These include team working, the ability to work without close supervision, quality focus, good communication skills, enthusiasm, initiative, and the ability to take on responsibility and show accountability for your work.
Why choose us?
- Great Pay – A competitive salary enhanced every six months depending on individual progress and performance starting at circa £16,655 per annum, rising to over £30,500 at the end of the programme. You will also receive 27 days holiday (pro rata to your contract) and have access to an attractive pension scheme.
- Rewarding Work-Life Balance – You will have a 37.5-hour working week. Start and finish times will vary to meet the needs of your work-based placements and college hours.
- Exciting Additional Benefits – You will also have the opportunity to enjoy other employee benefits, including access to our Choices benefits scheme, a flexible benefits scheme where you can select benefits based on your individual needs and lifestyle. In addition, you will also have access to our subsidised on-site restaurants, and if aged 18 and over, you will also have the opportunity to participate in our Preferences Car Scheme (subject to an affordability check).
- Development Potential – In the UK, we invest around £3 million per year in vocational and professional training for our employees. This means we invest in you, giving you the relevant BMW specific training that you will require to be an active member of our team.
- Networking Opportunities – Throughout your apprenticeship, you will be supported by our experts and many fellow apprentices. With around 8,000 employees and all three of the BMW Groups brands being represented in the UK, there are an abundance of networking opportunities allowing you to create meaningful working relationships.
What do you need to do now?
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, then apply today using the link below:
https://www.bmwgroup.jobs/gb/en.html
Once you click apply, you’ll be asked to create a profile, complete the eligibility questions and upload evidence that you have or will have the required qualifications for the role for which you are applying. There is no need to provide a CV. When prompted to do so during the application process please upload a single sheet detailing your name, address and current/most recent school. You may only apply for one apprenticeship position but you may also express your interest to be considered for another position. If you meet the eligibility requirements, we will invite you through to the next stage of the process.
The next stage is a Video Interview. You can complete this at any time of day during your five-day invitation window and you will be recorded answering a set of questions. The first question is just for you to get used to recording yourself and is not assessed. Following completion of the Video Interview, successful applicants will be shortlisted and invited to a face-to-face Assessment Centre with BMW Group. Provisionally, the Assessment Centre is due to take place week commencing 10th March.
Please note:
To be eligible for this position, you must have lived in the UK for three years prior to the start of the apprenticeship and be able to provide proof of your legal right to work in the UK.
We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Closing date for applications: Sunday 23rd February 2025
