Procurement & Supply Chain

Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation; Manchester; On-site; GBP 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering company in Manchester offers a 12 Month Industrial Placement in Procurement with a competitive salary of £26,000. This opportunity allows students to gain insight into supply chain operations and develop problem-solving and analytical skills through practical experience on strategic projects. Ideal candidates are pursuing relevant degrees and are eager to embrace challenges in a collaborative environment. Placement starts on July 6, 2026.

Benefits

Share Scheme

Pension

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Applicants must pursue a degree relevant to the position.
• Strong analytical skills are required for data presentation.
• Ability to work in diverse teams and embrace change.

Responsibilities

• Participate in strategic projects as part of the procurement team.
• Assist in sending RFQs and liaising with suppliers.
• Present findings based on data analysis to procurement staff.
• Attend supplier audits and reviews.

Skills

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Teamwork

Effective communication

Education

Minimum 2:2 honours degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business and Economics, or Business Management

Job description

Overview

Career Area: Students and Graduates

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

12 Month Industrial Placement Scheme

Discipline: Procurement

Location: Birchwood, UK

Salary: £26,000, Share Scheme, Pension and 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays).

We currently have some exciting opportunities for industrial placement students to join Caterpillar across several of our sites. You will have the opportunity to work with others across our organisation and you will be directly involved, and at the heart of our business, participating on strategic projects.

Note: In order to be eligible to complete a 12 Month Industrial Placement commencing July 2026, you must be in your penultimate year of study unless enrolled in an integrated master’s program.

What do we do?

Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Since 1925, we’ve been driving sustainable progress and helping customers build a better world through innovative products and services. Throughout the product life cycle, we offer services built on cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise. These products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value to help our customers succeed.

We have a clear vision to be the global leader in providing customer value in the markets in which we operate. Our core values (Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, Commitment and Sustainability) are key to our success.

Diversity at Caterpillar

When we leverage our people's experiences, backgrounds, and cultures in an inclusive environment, we enable every individual to achieve their full potential, which drives business success. We are proud to be active partners with both the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) & Women's Engineering Society (WES). We also have numerous well supported employee resource groups. Caterpillar is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds.

What experiences can we offer you?

As an equal opportunity employer, we value diversity at Caterpillar and believe the more experience you can gain early in your career the further you can go. That’s why during our yearlong scheme we place an emphasis on multiple diverse projects. You will have the opportunity to work and collaborate with people in Caterpillar facilities worldwide and we are looking for you to bring fresh, innovative ideas to solve complex technical problems. You will be a fully involved team member with responsibility and accountability for key project deliverables. That said, you will be given all the support you require to be successful.

Our placement roles have the additional benefit of a workplace mentor; this could be your manager or a technical expert who will support you throughout your time at Caterpillar and help you gain the professional development and skills you need to be set up for success! Our placement students can expect to return to university with further developed technical skills and experience of how University learning is applied to the workplace.

We also operate a conditional offer process; our highest performing placement students are fast tracked to our graduate development scheme. This includes a financial incentive and the potential of a summer work placement. Offers will be made based on the condition that a graduate role is available at the time of your graduation and that you achieve a min of 2:2.

Job duties and responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

During this 12-month placement, you will have the opportunity to experience different aspects of procurement within the Aftermarket sector giving you an excellent insight into the requirements of working as part of a successful team.

• You will gain valuable exposure to our supply chain, sending out Requests for Quotations (RFQs) and obtaining the engineering drawing and specifications to enable you to liaise with internal departs and suppliers.
• You will be asked to take an analytical approach to the data you have gathered and present your findings to our buyer to ensure the best sourcing decisions are made.
• Opportunity to support buyers on supplier audits, supplier visits and supplier reviews.
• Investigating demand to identify the next step of activities to resolve supply. Presenting back your ideas for improvements and sharing the solutions that you have found.

To gain maximum exposure over the 12-month placement duration, you will be communicating and interacting with all disciplines of the business, including Suppliers, Commercial, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality and Operations, giving you a true understanding of our business.

Who are we looking for?

As the type of roles within our business are becoming more diverse, we are looking for people who are open minded, excellent problem solvers and who have an ability to learn quickly. You will be motivated, hard-working, and will embrace change. In return for your dedication and hard work, you will be provided with excellent career opportunities and strong support for your personal and career development to pursue a career within Caterpillar.

• Applicants will be on target to achieve a minimum of 2:2 honours degree level in a relevant discipline – Supply Chain, Logistics, Business and Economics, Business Management

Recruitment Process Guidelines

Here is a brief overview of what you can expect when applying to our Early Career roles…

Online Application: The first stage of the process is to complete the online application and attach your CV, this must be done before the closing date of the role that you're applying for. Once we reach the close date, we will begin reviewing all our applications, this may take a little while and we will contact you as soon as possible to let you know if you have been successful in moving forward to the next stage.

Stage one – Video Interview: If selected, you will be invited to complete a user-friendly video interview which will then be reviewed by the Hiring Team. At this stage, if you are successful, you will be invited to attend an online Microsoft Teams interview. We would also recommend that you check your spam emails and your Workday account for updates.

Stage two – Virtual Microsoft Teams interview: The interview will look at a range of behaviours such as teamwork, decision-making, communication, and problem-solving. You may also be asked to prepare and deliver a presentation.

Stage three – Offer: After the Microsoft Teams interview, the Caterpillar team will review the feedback and extend offers to our preferred candidates, we aim to do this as quickly as possible. Placement students will start on 6th July 2026. We look forward to receiving your application to join Caterpillar!

NOTE: Only one application is required, please do not apply for multiple roles. You may be given the opportunity of being considered for other roles/locations at a later stage.

The panel cannot make assumptions when shortlisting therefore please demonstrate your qualifications and experience on your CV relevant to the criteria outlined.

Pending the number of applications, the criteria for the position may be enhanced to facilitate shortlisting.

Please note that this position requires to be onsite five days a week.

Posting Dates: January 21, 2026 - February 18, 2026

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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