Industrial Placement - Procurement

Salary: £25,500

Start Date: Monday 16th August 2027 - Friday 4th August 2028
Location: Based in Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 3PL.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Entry Requirements: See ‘What we’re looking for’ section

Our Industrial Placement Programme:

As part of Bentley’s annual Early Careers intake, you’ll join a community of around 93 trainees including Industrial Placements, Graduates, and Apprentices.

During your placement, you’ll be based at our Bentley Campus "Dream Factory". Click here to visit our virtual tour. Alongside hands-on work experience, you’ll also benefit from:

• CSR and outreach activities
• Opportunities to participate in charity events, community projects, and social committees
• Masterclasses, development workshops, and social events
• Inclusivity networks and peer support groups
• Placements and rotations across different areas of the business that interest you

About the role:

As a Procurement Specialist Industrial Placement, you will help shape how AI and automation are used across Procurement while building valuable commercial experience. You will spend approximately half of your placement supporting Procurement activities across the function and half identifying inefficiencies, exploring improvements and developing intelligent solutions using the suite of Microsoft technologies including CoPilot.

You will be encouraged to challenge existing ways of working, engage with stakeholders across the wider business and turn ideas into measurable improvements. From creating proof-of-concept automation workflows and AI agents to supporting live procurement and strategic initiatives, this is a unique opportunity to combine technology, process improvement and business transformation. You do not need previous procurement or technical experience; what matters most is your curiosity, willingness to learn and motivation to improve how work gets done.

Your main responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Work across Projects, Commodities, General Procurement, Supplier Management, and Systems & Process, supporting procurement activities and strategic initiatives while developing a broad understanding of Bentley’s business.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, reduce manual effort and improve how Procurement teams operate by analysing business challenges and engaging with stakeholders.
• Design and implement automation workflows, applications, AI agents and Microsoft Copilot-based solutions, progressing strong ideas from proof of concept into practical business solutions.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Procurement and the wider business to test new approaches, support adoption and deliver measurable improvements.

About the Department:

Bentley Procurement is a forward-thinking function combining commercial excellence with digital transformation and innovation. We work with teams and suppliers to support the delivery of extraordinary products and services while continuously improving the processes, tools and decisions behind them. This placement offers broad exposure to procurement, technology, business processes, supplier management, project activity and continuous improvement—giving you the opportunity to see how ideas move from challenge to implemented solution.

What we are looking for:

You will be on track to achieve a 2:1 in Business Management, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Economics, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Digital Technology, or a similar discipline. Procurement knowledge is not required.

What you will bring: We are looking for potential rather than a finished technical skill set. An interest in AI, automation and digital innovation is important; previous experience is advantageous, not essential.

• Natural curiosity and a willingness to question, learn and explore better ways of working.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking and creativity when approaching unfamiliar challenges.
• Clear communication and the confidence to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• A continuous improvement mindset and motivation to turn ideas into practical, user-focused solutions.

What we offer:

As an Industrial Placement you will have access to the following benefits:

• A starting salary of £25,500
• Support from our Early Careers team and 121 manager mentorship
• 35 days’ holiday inclusive of bank holidays
• 10% pension contribution with life assurance benefits
• Learning and development opportunities

Right To Work:

To be eligible for an Early Careers programme you must have a legal right to work in the UK for the duration of the placement or graduate scheme. We welcome students who have Settled Status, a Tier 4 Visa, or a Graduate Visa. We are unable to offer sponsorship for our Early Careers positions. 

#BelongingAtBentley
Motivated to be the most diverse, inclusive luxury car company, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals are respected, valued, and empowered. 

We firmly believe in equal opportunities for all, helping all colleagues thrive as their authentic selves and reach their highest potential. We believe that everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs, belongs at Bentley. Everyone is entitled to respect and dignity and we positively celebrate the differences between people.

Working at Bentley

To learn more about what life is like working at Bentley, and our assessment process view our Candidate Pack here.

The application process:

• Submit your application, including your CV and Cover letter
• Applications will be screened by our HR team and the Hiring Manager
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by our recruitment team and invited to attend an online Assessment between 9th – 27th November
• Candidates successful at assessment stage will receive an offer shortly afterwards.
• All applicants will be kept informed throughout the recruitment process

Closing date: Friday 23rd October 2026

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