Job Description

Join us as a Procurement Assistant and make an invaluable contribution to our Food Safety & Biosecurity!
As a Procurement Assistant, you will play a key role in supporting the Procurement Manager and the wider business as we work towards our 5-year growth plan. You will be responsible for conducting transactional procurement activities and assisting with broader procurement exercises to acquire a range of goods, works, and services in an efficient, compliant, and timely manner. You'll liaise closely with operational teams to ensure Planned Preventative Maintenance is carried out at the right time, and work collaboratively with the business, landlords, and third-party contractors to resolve any arising issues.
What you'll be doing:

• Supporting procurement exercises across the business to deliver value for money and meet project timelines.
• Assisting with capex cases, maintenance contracts, and the procurement of goods and services.
• Collaborating with the Commercial Team to ensure compliance with contractual policies.
• Liaising with suppliers and internal stakeholders to provide timely updates and coordinate standing orders and price lists.
• Monitoring supplier performance and supporting issue resolution.
• Maintaining Planned Preventative Maintenance schedules in collaboration with third-party contractors.
• Escalating issues to the Procurement Manager or leadership team when necessary.

What we're looking for:

• Educated to or studying towards CIPS qualification is desirable, plus any previous experience in a similar admin role or experience within procurement/ supply chain/ facilities management would be advantageous.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• Self-motivated with a keen eye for detail.

What's in it for you?

• ?25 days' holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy extra leave.
• Flexible working hours, on-site gym, restaurant, and free parking
• The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
• Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks' fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks...and plenty more.
• Voluntary benefits designed to suit your lifestyle - from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
• Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform
• Fera operates a LTIP ( Long Term Incentive Plan) under which all employees are awarded points towards shares in the Employee Benefits Trust on an annual basis. The Employee Benefits Trust holds shares on behalf of our employee, at the point of an equity event the shares will realise a cash value.

What we hope you'll do next:
Choose 'Apply now' to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. If you have any questions you'd like to ask before applying, you can contact
We're an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We're committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you'd like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at and we'll get back to you.
At Fera, we're making the world a better, healthier and safer place. We're a joint venture partnership between Bridgepoint and Defra and we're working proactively to protect the world we live in and the food we eat. Our teams are investigating plant and bee health, crop protection and sustainable agriculture. Join us and discover better as you deliver world-class science for the future.

Skills Required