Purchasing- Intern

The Intern – Purchasing will support the Procurement and supply chain team with data analysis, supplier research, cost evaluations, and process improvement activities. This role provides hands-on exposure to manufacturing procurement and supply chain operations, RFQ processes, supplier management, material flow, and ERP systems. The intern will work closely with Procurement, Logistics, Production, and Finance to help optimize cost, delivery, and efficiency and assist in identifying cost-saving opportunities and process improvements within purchasing and supply chain operations.

Key Responsibilities

Purchasing Support

• Assist with Request for Quotes (RFQs), supplier comparisons, and cost analysis.
• Support evaluation of supplier pricing, delivery performance, and capability.
• Help maintain supplier records, contracts, and purchasing documentation.
• Coordinate with suppliers regarding lead times, order status, and delivery updates.
• Conduct market research on identifying alternate raw material and service suppliers and reach out for RFI/RFQ.
• Assist with routine data entry.
• Assist with supplier onboarding documentation and compliance requirements.
• Assist with basic should-cost or market price benchmarking where applicable
• Support bid comparison, preparation of purchase orders (POs) and supplier communication regarding order confirmations.

Supply Chain Development

• Assist in collecting and analyzing material flow and supply chain data.
• Support inventory optimization and shortage tracking efforts.
• Help identify supply chain risks and improvement opportunities.
• Help document supply chain processes and support continuous improvement initiatives (Lean / process improvement)
• Participate in long-term planning initiatives related to cost, quality, and delivery.
• Assist with safety stock analysis and reorder point evaluation.
• Support initiatives to improve supplier lead time reliability and inventory turnover

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Prepare purchasing and supply chain performance reports.
• Use Excel to analyze pricing trends, consumption patterns, and supplier KPIs.
• Assist with ERP/MRP updates, reporting, and data validation.
• Support data cleansing and validation to ensure ERP/MRP accuracy
• Assist in developing dashboards or visual reports using Excel, Power BI, or similar analytics tools.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Production and Logistics to resolve material availability issues.
• Interface with Finance to ensure pricing and invoicing accuracy.
• Support Quality and Engineering in supplier capability evaluations.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings related to supply planning, procurement, or operational performance.
• Document action items and follow up on supply chain improvement initiatives.

Support capex projects by following up on deliverables from cross-functional stakeholders.

Education

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field.
• Junior or Senior standing preferred (or recent graduate with internship requirements).

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, charts).
• Interest in purchasing, supply chain, logistics, or operational data analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Eagerness to learn and work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Project Management Skills
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) is a plus.
• Basic understanding of ERP/MRP systems is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Primarily office-based with occasional visits to production areas.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods.

Internship Benefits

• Hands-on experience in manufacturing supply chain and procurement operations.
• Exposure to ERP / MRP systems and purchasing workflow.
• Mentorship from experienced Supply Chain and Procurement leaders.
• Cross-functional collaboration across operations, finance, and engineering
• Gain Project Management Experience
• Opportunity for future full-time employment based on performance and business needs.

Schedule

• Full-time or part-time depending on academic commitments.
• Standard business hours; some flexibility available.