- INVERTO is a BCG company that specialises in procurement and supply chain. It runs its own projects and also works alongside BCG teams.
- According to INVERTO, full-time candidates usually have a phone or video call and then two to three rounds, completed in about four to eight weeks. Consulting interns in the EMESA region (Europe, the Middle East, South America and Africa) take an analytical test and two interview rounds.
- Interviews follow the BCG pattern: fit questions, a discussion of your past experience, then a case with a quantitative part. In Franco's experience as a BCG interviewer, the bar is the same as at BCG.
- The typical case asks you to reduce a cost. Strong candidates choose the relevant levers for the problem, then check whether the saving survives freight, quality, switching costs and supply risk.
- "Why procurement?" and "why INVERTO?" need personal reasons. A general interest in consulting is not enough for a firm specialising in procurement and supply chain.
An INVERTO interview looks like a BCG interview with a procurement lens. The structure is familiar to anyone who has prepared for consulting: fit, experience, case. What changes is the content. The cases are built around spend, suppliers and supply chains, and interviewers expect you to treat a saving as something to be proven, not announced.
This guide follows the process in order and then spends most of its time on the case, because that is where candidates who prepared only for generalist consulting interviews tend to struggle. Everything below comes from INVERTO's public career pages, candidate reports and the experience of CasePreparation's coach, Franco Borgonovo. Franco spent ten years at BCG, from intern to Principal, and as a global lead recruiter he interviewed many candidates for BCG's specialist units, INVERTO included. He still works with BCG as an official coach for new hires in BCG's Consulting Foundation Training. CasePreparation is independent and is not affiliated with INVERTO or BCG.
What INVERTO does
INVERTO describes itself as a global consultancy specialising in strategic procurement and supply chain management, and it is part of BCG. Its work covers procurement cost optimisation, negotiation, supplier and risk management, supply chain management, sustainable procurement, and digital and AI tools for buyers. Clients come from industries such as automotive, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare and technology.
In practice, INVERTO consultants work in two settings. Some projects are run by INVERTO on its own, for example a cost reduction across a client's packaging, logistics or IT spend. Others are larger BCG programmes where INVERTO brings the procurement expertise, working in the same team as BCG consultants. Either way, the job is to change what a company buys, from whom, at what price and under what terms, and to make sure the change shows up in the profit and loss account.
That is why the interview leans towards operational problems. A generalist BCG case might ask whether to enter a new market. An INVERTO case is more likely to ask how a client can spend 10% less on a category without hurting quality or supply.
The INVERTO interview process
INVERTO publishes its process in a career FAQ. The table below summarises it as read on 3 November 2026. Timings are the ones INVERTO gives and are indicative.
| Step | Full-time roles | Consulting internships (EMESA) |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Online only, through the regional career site; CV preferably in English; cover letter optional | Same; apply about six months before your preferred start |
| First contact | Talent Acquisition review, then usually a phone or video call | Talent Acquisition review |
| Assessment | Not described in the FAQ; ask your recruiter | An analytical test |
| Interviews | Usually two to three rounds, which may include case studies, technical exercises or presentations; senior roles may have more stages | Two rounds: team fit and case studies |
| Timing | About four to eight weeks | About two to three weeks |
A few other points from the same FAQ are useful. Interviews may be virtual or in person, depending on the role and location. INVERTO says fluency in English is essential in all offices, and the job advertisement states any other language requirement. Roles outside Europe are advertised on BCG's career site. If you are not successful, INVERTO suggests reapplying after 6 to 18 months, ideally with more experience.
Ask how many rounds you will have, how long each interview lasts, whether there is a test before the interviews, and whether a specialist role includes a technical exercise. The answer for your office and role is more reliable than any general description, including this one.
What the first round usually looks like
Candidates commonly describe a first-round interview of about 45 to 60 minutes. It opens with fit questions and a discussion of your CV, then moves to a case. The case prompt is short, for example a client that wants to reduce the cost of a purchased category, and the interviewer then asks a series of structured questions. One candidate interviewing in the United States reported being told that the case would take about 25 minutes, which leaves little room for a slow start.
In Franco's experience interviewing for INVERTO, the structure is very close to a traditional BCG interview: a fit section, a conversation about past project or work experience, and then the case. The case always has a quantitative component. The bar is the same as for BCG generalist roles, so a candidate should not expect a lighter case because the firm is specialised.
What changes in the second round
There is no public description of a special second-round format, and candidates sometimes over-prepare for one. In Franco's experience, the second round is not run in a fixed way: each interviewer decides how to conduct it. What usually changes is the depth. Interviewers test your past experience harder, ask more about skills that matter in procurement work, such as negotiation, working with data and influencing stakeholders, and expect a sharper case performance. The case part should be prepared in the same way as for the first round.
What INVERTO interviewers look for
INVERTO does not publish a scoring grid. The list below combines Franco's experience of BCG and INVERTO interviews with what candidates report. Treat it as guidance, not as an official checklist.
In the case
A clear objective before any analysis, levers chosen for the specific problem, correct and quick calculations, and a saving that has been tested against total cost and risk. A recommendation with a number, a risk and a next step.
In the fit part
Stories where you personally drove a result with data, persuaded someone who did not report to you, or took a decision with incomplete information. Real interest in procurement and supply chain work.
In your experience
For candidates with work experience, ownership: how you framed a problem, aligned the people involved and followed it through to implementation, not only the analysis you produced.
Throughout
Structured, concise communication. Procurement work happens in front of buyers, suppliers and plant managers, so interviewers notice whether you can explain a number simply.
How to structure a cost-reduction case
Most INVERTO cases start from a cost objective: reduce spend on a category, decide whether to change or consolidate suppliers, or prepare a renegotiation. A useful way to think about any cost is the structure Franco uses with candidates. It has four parts:
- Reduce the need. Can the client buy less? Remove activities or features that add no value, reduce scope or service levels, cut waste and damage.
- Meet the same need with fewer resources. Can the client get the same result with less input? Standardise specifications, improve productivity, bundle volumes.
- Lower the unit cost of what remains. Can the client pay less per unit? Renegotiate, run a tender, change supplier or sourcing country, change the pricing mechanism.
- Check sustainability and risk. Will the saving last, and what could it break? Separate one-off from recurring savings, and test quality, supply security and implementation.
The order matters. Many candidates jump straight to "negotiate with suppliers" because it sounds like procurement. Often the larger or cheaper saving sits in the first two parts: a box that is bigger than the product needs, or three hundred specifications where fifty would do.
The four parts help you avoid missing a lever, but they do not fit every problem. A case about a single supplier's price increase, or about choosing between two logistics providers, needs a structure built on that question. Interviewers notice quickly when a candidate forces a memorised framework onto a case. Choose the parts that matter and say why you are leaving others aside.
The numbers that matter in a procurement case
INVERTO cases rarely need heavy arithmetic. They need the right calculation and a careful reading of what it means. Four ideas come up again and again.
Price is not total cost. A supplier quoting a lower price may still be more expensive once freight, quality problems, payment terms or extra handling are included. For example, a box at €0.92 that needs €0.05 of extra freight costs €0.97 delivered, so against an incumbent's €1.00 the real saving is 3%, not 8%.
One-off and recurring savings are different. A recurring saving repeats every year, for example a lower contract price. A one-off effect happens once, for example a rebate. Reducing stock releases cash once; it is not itself a recurring operating-cost saving. Switching costs are also one-off: they reduce the first year's saving but not later years'.
Volume changes the answer. Bundling the volumes of several plants can earn a better price, and moving volume away from a supplier can weaken your position with them. Always ask which volume a quoted saving applies to.
Payback tells you if a change is worth the trouble. If switching costs €0.6 million and saves €1.5 million a year, it pays back in under half a year. A saving that takes three years to recover its switching cost is a much weaker proposal.
An INVERTO-style case, worked step by step
The case below is fictional and written for this guide. It uses a few figures in the calculations, because the difficulty of a procurement case lies in the interpretation, not the arithmetic. Try each step before reading the solution.
Larkmoor Foods, a European snack manufacturer with three plants, spends €40 million a year on cardboard boxes. The Chief Procurement Officer wants to cut that cost by 10% within a year. How would you help her?
Step 1: clarify the objective
The question
What do you need to know before you structure the problem?
Solution
Three questions shape the case. What counts as a saving: the CFO's €4m target is an annual recurring run rate once the changes are in place, so a one-off rebate would not help. Scope: all three plants and all box types, but not the plastic film or labels. Current supply: two suppliers, with the larger one holding most of the volume under a contract that ends in six months.
"How big is the European packaging market, and what are the main trends?"
"Three questions before I structure it. Does the 10% need to be recurring, or would one-off savings count? Is the scope all box types across the three plants? And how is supply organised today: how many suppliers, and when do the contracts end?"
The stronger questions change the analysis. Knowing that only recurring savings count rules out quick rebates, and a contract ending in six months means a tender is a realistic option.
Step 2: build the structure
The question
Present your approach and say where you would start.
Solution
A structure built on the four parts, adapted to boxes:
- Need fewer boxes or less material: box sizes compared with the products, damage rates, board weight that is higher than needed
- Same need with less complexity: the number of different box specifications, bundled volumes across plants
- Lower price per box: renegotiation, a tender with new suppliers, a price formula linked to paper prices
- Sustainability and risk: recurring against one-off savings, quality on the packing lines, security of supply, recycled-content commitments to retailers
- Start: "The contract ends in six months, so price is the obvious lever, but I would first look at how the spend splits across box types, to see whether complexity is driving cost."
"I would look at internal factors and external factors. Internally, costs and processes; externally, suppliers and the market."
"To cut €4 million of box cost, I'd look at four things: whether Larkmoor needs fewer boxes or less board, whether it can serve the same need with fewer specifications, whether it can pay less per box, and whether each saving is recurring and safe for supply. With the contract ending soon, my hypothesis is that a tender is the biggest lever, but I'd like to see how the spend splits by box type first."
The weaker structure could fit any case and leads to no specific analysis. The stronger one names the target in euros, covers the levers that matter for this category, states a hypothesis and asks for a specific piece of data.
Step 3: read the exhibit
The question
The interviewer hands you Exhibit 1. "What do you take from this?"
Solution
Read the two series against each other. Shipping cases are three quarters of the spend with only 40 specifications: a simple, high-volume category where the price per box matters most. Promotional packs are the opposite: a tenth of the spend but 270 of the 400 specifications. That complexity has a cost, because short print runs and frequent changeovers raise the price per box, but the spend at stake is small.
"Shipping cases are the largest category, and promotional packs have the most specifications."
"Two different problems. Shipping cases are €30 million with few specifications, so that's where a better price moves the total, and where I'd focus the tender. Promotional packs have two thirds of the specifications for a tenth of the spend; standardising them would make the plants simpler to run, but on €4 million it can't deliver a large part of the target, so I'd treat it as a second lever."
The weaker answer describes the chart. The stronger one turns each observation into a decision about where to work, and sizes the opportunity against the €4 million target before spending time on it.
Step 4: test a supplier's offer
The question
A new supplier offers to supply all shipping cases at a price 8% below the current one. Its plant is further away, so freight would add the equivalent of 3% of the shipping-case spend. Qualifying the new boxes on Larkmoor's packing lines (trials, new printing plates, internal time) would cost about €0.6 million once. What is the offer worth?
Solution
Say what you are calculating before the numbers: the price saving, minus the extra freight, gives the recurring saving; the one-off cost then gives the payback.
Price saving: 8% × €30m = €2.4m a year
Extra freight: 3% × €30m = €0.9m a year
Recurring saving: €2.4m − €0.9m = €1.5m a year (5% of shipping-case spend)
Payback on the one-off cost: €0.6m ÷ €1.5m = 0.4 years, about five months
Then say what the numbers mean: "The 8% headline is really 5% once freight is included, and the switching cost is recovered within the first year. But €1.5 million is well short of the €4 million target, so price alone will not get there."
"Eight per cent of €30 million is €2.4 million, so that's 60% of the target. We should switch."
"The offer is worth €1.5 million a year after freight, about five months to pay back the €0.6 million switching cost. It's a good offer, but it covers less than 40% of the €4 million target, and it puts most of our box supply with a supplier that has never run on our lines. Before switching, I'd want to know about quality on high-speed packing lines and whether the supplier can cover all three plants."
The weaker answer stops at the price. The stronger one converts the price into a total cost, separates the one-off from the recurring effect, compares the result with the target and raises the two risks that could wipe out the saving.
Step 5: give the recommendation
The question
"So what should we do?"
Solution
Lead with the decision, support it with the key numbers, then give the risk and the next step.
"We analysed the spend and the supplier offer. There are savings on price and on specifications, and some risks around quality, so we need to consider several options."
"Use the new offer to run a tender for shipping cases now, rather than switching everything. The offer is worth about €1.5 million a year after freight, so it gives us a strong alternative to put in front of the current supplier when the contract is renegotiated. Qualify the new supplier on one plant first, so we have a second source if quality holds. Price alone won't reach €4 million, so in parallel I'd review board weights and box sizes on shipping cases, and cut the number of promotional specifications. The main risk is a quality problem on the packing lines, so the trial should run before any volume moves."
The stronger answer starts with a decision, uses the offer as negotiating power rather than taking it at face value, combines price with the need and complexity levers to close the gap, and makes the risk testable.
Across the five steps, knowledge of cardboard was never the difference. What mattered was defining a saving the client would accept, choosing the levers for this category, reading a chart as two separate problems, turning a price into a total cost and recommending a sequence of actions that protects supply.
If you want to practise cases like this one with someone who has interviewed for INVERTO, 1:1 coaching with Franco runs a realistic procurement case and fit interview, followed by a written report with your priorities.
Procurement vocabulary to know
You do not need procurement experience to pass an INVERTO interview, but a few terms come up in almost every case. Using them correctly, and explaining them simply, saves time and shows interest in the work.
| Term | Meaning | Simple example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct spend | What goes into the product | Flour, packaging, components |
| Indirect spend | What the company needs to operate | IT, travel, facility services, marketing agencies |
| Total cost of ownership (TCO) | Price plus every other cost of buying and using | Price, freight, quality losses, stock, maintenance |
| Category management | Managing similar purchases as one group with one strategy | All corrugated boxes across all plants |
| Tender (RFQ or RFP) | A formal request for quotes from several suppliers | Inviting five box makers to bid on next year's volume |
| Should-cost | An estimate of what a product ought to cost, built from its components | Board, energy, labour and margin for one box |
| BATNA | Your best alternative if a negotiation fails | A qualified second supplier |
| Dual sourcing | Buying the same item from two suppliers | 70% from one box maker, 30% from another |
| One-off vs recurring saving | A saving that happens once vs one that repeats every year | A rebate vs a lower contract price |
Preparing the fit part
The fit part at INVERTO follows the BCG pattern: an introduction, motivation questions and one or two experiences discussed in depth. Interviewers often stay on one story for several minutes and ask what you decided, why and what changed as a result.
Prepare six to eight real stories from your studies, work and life, and make sure some of them touch the skills procurement work relies on:
- Working with numbers: a time you used data to change a decision.
- Negotiation or persuasion: a time you convinced someone who had no reason to agree.
- Working with operations: a time you understood how something was actually done before trying to improve it.
- Delivery: a time you made sure an agreed change was really implemented.
If you have work experience, expect a discussion of a past project. Explain the problem, your personal responsibility, the alternatives you considered, the decision and the result. Interviewers in the second round often probe here: what you would do differently, what the data really showed, how you handled someone who disagreed.
How to answer "why procurement?" and "why INVERTO?"
INVERTO does one kind of consulting, so interviewers want to see that you chose it rather than settled for it. Candidates and coaches consistently report that a generic motivation is a common weakness. A strong answer has two or three reasons, each linked to something you did, saw or learned.
Useful sources of reasons are an experience where you saw how much a company's results depend on what it buys, an interest in supply chains that you can show, a conversation with an INVERTO consultant, or the appeal of work where results are measured in euros saved and contracts signed.
"I want to work in consulting, and INVERTO is part of BCG, which is a top firm. Procurement is a very important function, and I would learn a lot."
"Procurement first: during my internship at a food manufacturer, I worked on a supplier change for one ingredient, and I was surprised how much of the plant's margin depended on a few contracts. I liked that the result was measurable and that the work went from data to negotiation to the shop floor. INVERTO, because that is the whole job there, not a side topic. When I spoke with a consultant from this office, she described running a tender from analysis to the final negotiation in her first year, and that is the experience I want."
The weaker answer is about BCG's brand and could apply to any consultancy. The stronger one gives a personal reason for procurement, a specific reason for INVERTO and a conversation the interviewer can ask about.
If you are applying to INVERTO and to BCG at the same time, say so openly when asked, and explain what attracts you to each. Interviewers accept that candidates have several applications; what weakens an answer is pretending INVERTO is a back-up or hiding the other process.
Common mistakes in INVERTO interviews
- Bringing the same procurement framework to every case, even when the question is about one supplier or one decision.
- Jumping to "negotiate harder" before checking whether the client could need less or simplify what it buys.
- Treating a lower price as a saving without checking freight, quality and switching costs.
- Mixing one-off and recurring savings in one number.
- Running out of time and giving no recommendation. In a short case, keep about two minutes for the answer.
- A "why INVERTO" that is really "why BCG", or a "why procurement" with no personal reason behind it.
- Preparing a special format for the second round instead of strengthening your case and your stories.
A preparation plan for INVERTO interviews
The plan below assumes about four weeks before your first round. If you already practise cases, shorten the first week. If your invitation includes an analytical test, practise that format first.
| Week | Focus | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn the process; daily mental maths; learn the vocabulary; draft your stories | You can explain TCO and one-off savings in one sentence |
| 1 to 2 | Short drills: cost structures, total-cost calculations, chart reading | Your structures fit the question, not a template |
| 2 to 4 | Two to four full procurement cases a week, with a partner or coach | You test every saving against total cost and risk |
| 2 to 4 | Stories told aloud and tested with follow-up questions; "why INVERTO" drafted | Each story survives "why?" three times |
| 4 | Two full mock interviews under time pressure; rest before the day | You always reach a recommendation |
Confirm the format with your recruiter. Practise two or three full cost-reduction cases, focusing on the opening (objective and structure) and the recommendation. Learn the vocabulary table above, rehearse your introduction and "why INVERTO" aloud, and prepare two stories about working with data and persuading others.
Practising with other candidates is useful for fluency, but procurement cases are scarce in case books, and a partner rarely knows which saving an interviewer would challenge. A session with someone who has interviewed for INVERTO shows you where your case would be questioned before the real interview does.
Preparing with a former BCG interviewer
Coaching helps most at three moments: at the start, to get a diagnosis and a plan; when you are practising but no longer know what to change; and before an important round, to rehearse under realistic conditions. For INVERTO, it also gives you access to procurement and cost cases, which are hard to find in public case collections.
Franco interviewed candidates for INVERTO as a BCG Principal and global lead recruiter, and he has since helped several candidates obtain INVERTO offers. Sessions use original cases written in the style candidates report, never real interview material.
1:1 coaching for INVERTO interviews
Practise procurement cases with a former BCG Principal
Franco Borgonovo spent ten years at BCG and has conducted more than 1,500 interviews, over 800 of them for MBB firms. Every session is with him, and is followed by a written report with your scores and priorities.
- Cost-reduction and supplier cases, fit questions and "why INVERTO", adapted to your round
- Start with one session for a diagnosis and a plan; packages of 3, 5 or 10 sessions add a progress dashboard, practice materials and email support
- Money-back guarantee if the coaching does not meet your expectations
Not sure what you need? Use the free call to tell Franco your role, office, interview dates and where you feel stuck.
Frequently asked questions
How many interviews does INVERTO have?
INVERTO says full-time roles usually have two to three rounds after a first call, and that senior roles may have more stages. Consulting internships in the EMESA region have an analytical test and two interview rounds. Ask your recruiter how many interviews each round includes.
Is the INVERTO case easier than a BCG case?
No. In Franco's experience the bar is the same as for BCG. The content is more focused on procurement and operations, but the case still tests structure, calculations, judgement and a clear recommendation.
Do I need procurement experience?
Not for every entry-level role. Specialist or experienced positions may require relevant experience; check the job posting. Graduates are hired from many backgrounds, and INVERTO says many consultants studied business or engineering. You do need to understand the basic ideas, such as total cost and one-off against recurring savings, and to show a real interest in the work.
How long does the process take?
INVERTO aims to complete full-time processes in about four to eight weeks and internship processes in about two to three weeks. Treat these as indications; timing depends on the office and on interview availability.
What language are the interviews in?
INVERTO says fluency in English is essential in all offices. Check the job advertisement for any other language requirement, and ask the recruiter if you are unsure which language your interviews will be in.
Can I reapply if I am rejected?
INVERTO suggests reapplying after 6 to 18 months, ideally with more experience. Use the time to work on the weaknesses you noticed or were told about.
Final checklist
Your next step
Confirm your process with the recruiter, then run one full cost-reduction case this week and note where you hesitated: the objective, the structure, the total-cost calculation or the recommendation. If you want an interviewer's view of where you stand and what to fix first, one session gives you a realistic procurement case, a debrief and a written plan.
Coaching with Franco
Get a precise diagnosis before your INVERTO round
A realistic interview, a debrief and a written report with your priorities. Start with one session, or talk it through for free first.
About Franco
Franco Borgonovo
Former BCG Principal · 10-year tenure · Official BCG coachFranco spent ten years at BCG, from intern to Principal, interviewing and selecting candidates as a global lead recruiter. He is still an official BCG coach for new hires, and today works one to one with candidates on applications, McKinsey Solve and interviews.
More about Franco →- INVERTO: Career FAQs · application, rounds, timelines, internships, languages, reapplication; read 3 November 2026
- BCG: Interview process (careers page) · BCG's general interview steps and qualities; read 2 November 2026