Advanced Procurement Excellence and Supply Chain Strategy

Advanced Procurement Excellence and Supply Chain Strategy

Procurement Excellence is more than just operating a process. Skills in managing colleagues, potential suppliers and higher management are all necessary. But perhaps the most important ingredient is exercising judgement. Procurement involves making decisions, and that can be difficult. A good procurement manager needs to be able to set aside personal preferences for particular suppliers and operate transparently but in such a way that the organization for whom he works makes the right choices. These choices are based on a proper definition of needs and an assessment of how those needs can be met and by whom. This course explores these issues comprehensively.

The management of the procurement function itself – as opposed to the management by procurement staff of contractors and suppliers – can make the difference between having a purely administrative, internal service provider team that operates in the background, or a strategically important function that can help shape the success of the enterprise. If the head of procurement is a mid-ranking manager he or she may not have the ear of the chief executive. But if the company has a Chief Procurement Officer in the "C Suite", working alongside his or her peers from Finance, Operations and Technology, then it's fair to assume procurement is seen as key to delivering the corporate strategy. This course looks at aspects of procurement at its most influential and value-adding.

This course provides participants with an in-depth review of the critical success factors within Supply Chain Strategy from the Value Chain concept, through to establishing effective process and informational flows, and concludes with improving supply chain resilience in the face of global change and threats both current and future.

The course will wrap with a summary of the key learning points, followed by an action planning exercise with a view to apply the acquired knowledge and skills immediately upon your return to work. Post-course support is also available in relation to the implementation of your action plan, up to six (6) months following course completion.