Indirect Purchasing Placement - BMW UK, National Sales Company, Farnborough

Job Details

Indirect Purchasing Placement - BMW UK, National Sales Company, Farnborough

TRUE QUALITY IS THE PRODUCT OF WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

SHARE YOUR PASSION. 

Product quality always begins at source – with procurement. That’s why it takes people with an uncompromising sense of standards, an exceptional mindset and a real feeling for quality to procure the most suitable materials for each and every part of our vehicles. But the job doesn’t just end there. In their pursuit of uncompromising quality, our teams are tasked with ensuring all the materials they source continue to drive more sustainable and efficient production methods too. 

Summit ONE 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 located 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.
• Flexible working hours - working flexibly improves mental perspective and increases sustained productivity. This means our leaders maintain balance, not burnout, through focusing on output, not attendance.
• The opportunity to get involved with our continued support to our house charity with a variety of fundraising events throughout the year.
• Throughout our offices there are open creative spaces which hold facilities such as table-tennis tables to encourage innovation and employee engagement.

BMW UK, National Sales Company, Farnborough - Indirect Purchasing - 13 Month Placement (July 2025)

The Purchasing Team is based at Farnborough and is responsible for all UK Indirect Purchasing from construction through to IT Services, Marketing, Events, Temporary Labour, Logistics and much more. The team work cohesively with other buying departments across Europe to ensure delivery of a robust range of service back to the business. Brands that we support include BMW, MINI, Motorrad, Alphabet, BMW Financial Services and Rolls-Royce across our various UK locations at Farnborough, Oxford, Swindon, Goodwood, Hams-Hall & Thorne.

What awaits you?

In this busy Purchasing department no two days are ever the same. The Indirect Purchasing team is responsible for supporting the business to find the best cost effective solution in the market, which includes activities such as the following:

• Supplier sourcing and competition
• Supporting the business with formulation of detailed specifications
• Supplier due diligence – including compliance checks and Supplier assessments
• Management of the full end-to-end tendering process
• Negotiation of pricing and contract terms & conditions
• Contract Award
• Supplier and contract management

What could a typical day look like?

• Management of small-scale purchasing requests, including commercial negotiations.
• Supporting other purchasers with more significant projects and tender processes.
• Assisting the department with supplier onboarding process.
• Supporting with commodity strategy planning (including data collection and analysis)
• Managing internal business stakeholders, especially regarding Purchasing best practice and processes.
• Leading small projects at a local market level, potentially internationally.
• Helping with the department tasks and administration, e.g. reporting.
• Providing purchasing system training and support.
• Participation in departmental activities such as teambuilding and workshops

What should you take away from the Internship?

• An enhanced workplace skill-set, including but not limited to:
• Communication skills.
• Teamwork and collaboration skills.
• Prioritisation, organisation, and time management skills.
• Negotiation and influencing skills.
• Development of a wide network within the BMW Group and also the supplier network.
• Development of core workplace skills including preparation of presentations and organisation of events/meetings
• Concrete experience of indirect purchasing environment such as: systems, processes, basic commercial contract laws.
• The ability to articulate the role that Purchasing plays in the wider business objectives of an organisation and how it contributes to its overall success.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Studying towards a Bachelor's degree in any discipline, but ideally with a business focus and on course to achieve (2:2 or above).
• Experience of MS Suite, in particular Excel, Word and Powerpoint
• Self-motivated and able to take responsibility for tasks and projects
• Willingness to work flexibly
• Good communication and teamworking skills
• A European language to A level is an advantage, although not essential

Why choose us?

• Great Pay – A competitive annual salary of £23,700, 27 days holiday per annum (pro rata to your contract) and an attractive pension scheme.
• Rewarding Work-Life Balance – Contracted working hours are 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday, helping you develop a fulfilling work-life balance.
• Exciting Additional Benefits – You will have the opportunity to enjoy other employee benefits, including a subsidised on-site restaurant and access to our Advantages scheme which gives you a range of offers and discounts.

What do you need to do now?

If this sounds like the opportunity for you then apply today using the link below.

The next stages of the recruiting process could include: online testing, video interview and then a face to face, telephone or virtual interview with the hiring manager. This may be in the form of an assessment centre.

About BMW Group UK

If you’re passionate about changing the way the world moves for good then there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the BMW Group. Our brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW Motorrad have made us the world’s leading premium manufacturer of cars and motorcycles as well as provider of premium financial and mobility services. 

We’re home to a lot of people. People from all walks of life, with a variety of backgrounds that make them who they are. Whose stories and unique life experiences shape the company we are. Because as diverse as our customers, suppliers and investors are worldwide, so too are our teams.

We are always looking for new talent to help us keep pushing the limits of what’s possible in a broad variety of roles, so why not explore our opportunities and take your next career step with us today.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button.

Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.

5 days remaining to apply for this job