Procurement Career Paths

Job Title: Strategic Procurement Manager

Location: [Insert location]

Reports to: [Insert name and title of supervisor]

A strategic procurement manager is responsible for the management of strategic procurement. They lead a team dedicated to making effective procurement strategies that inform company decision-making.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Create and execute effective sourcing strategies.
• Find profitable and quality suppliers to partner up or do business with.
• Negotiate contracts for the most advantageous terms.
• Review and approve the ordering of necessary goods and services.
• Finalize the purchase details of orders and deliveries.
• Examine and maintain existing contracts.
• Track and report KPIs and use them to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness.
• Coordinate and collaborate with key persons for clarity of specifications and expectations.
• Anticipate various negotiation strategies from suppliers and clients.
• Foresee unfavorable events and possible risks and prepare strategies to avoid or minimize them.
• Have proper risk management for supply contracts and agreements.
• Integrate a culture of long-term savings on procurement costs and closely manage procurement spend.

KPIs for this role

• Number of suppliers: Number of suppliers available and number of possible suppliers in case current suppliers no longer meet company requirements.
• Supplier diversity: Diversity of suppliers, knowledge of what they can offer to the organization, and knowledge of which ones are comparatively better than others.
• Price competitiveness: Knowing how to navigate prices keeps the organization paying fair prices for products and services even when a supplier holds a monopoly of needed goods or services.
• Headcount and spend-per-employee: Management of employees through tracking and measurement of full-time employees.
• Cost savings and avoidance: Ability to find cost-saving opportunities and being able to reduce procurement costs.
• Training and development time: The efficient training and development of procurement employees and the procurement team.
• Purchases on time and within budget: Being able to stick to the budget while knowing how to manage time when it comes to orders like ensuring there is stock and having enough time for shipping.
• Inventory accuracy: The accuracy of digital inventory data to physical inventory.

Key Skills and Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in supply chain management, logistics, business administration, or other related fields.
• Proven 2-5 years of working experience as a Procurement Manager, Procurement Officer, or similar position.
• Up-to-date knowledge of sourcing and procurement techniques and strategies.
• Well-versed in negotiations and networking.
• Has working knowledge of supplier or third-party management software.
• Good with decision-making and finances.
• Experienced in the collection and analysis of data.
• Has excellent leadership skills.

• Create and execute effective sourcing strategies.
• Find profitable and quality suppliers to partner up or do business with.
• Negotiate contracts for the most advantageous terms.
• Review and approve the ordering of necessary goods and services.
• Finalize the purchase details of orders and deliveries.
• Examine and maintain existing contracts.
• Track and report KPIs and use them to reduce expenses and improve effectiveness.
• Coordinate and collaborate with key persons for clarity of specifications and expectations.
• Anticipate various negotiation strategies from suppliers and clients.
• Foresee unfavorable events and possible risks and prepare strategies to avoid or minimize them.
• Have proper risk management for supply contracts and agreements.
• Integrate a culture of long-term savings on procurement costs and closely manage procurement spend.

• Research: Gain market information, cost and risk management assessment, and other relevant data for strategic procurement.
• Data analysis: Analyzing available data to get data-driven conclusions that help in strategic decision-making.
• Relationship management: Maintaining and managing relationships with various persons and parties, especially suppliers and clients.
• Purchase forecasting: Procuring items strategically according to market forecasts.
• Strategy skills: Knowing how to make beneficial decisions and purchases because of data analysis.
• Risk management: Predicting possible risks and being able to manage, minimize, or avoid them.
• Leadership: Ability to lead a group of people efficiently and effectively.
• Financial skills: Knowing how to use a budget efficiently, effectively, and strategically.
• Innovation: Find better ways to go about supplier development, procurement strategies, and anything that can be improved upon when it comes to procurement.

• Number of suppliers: Number of suppliers available and number of possible suppliers in case current suppliers no longer meet company requirements.
• Supplier diversity: Diversity of suppliers, knowledge of what they can offer to the organization, and knowledge of which ones are comparatively better than others.
• Price competitiveness: Knowing how to navigate prices keeps the organization paying fair prices for products and services even when a supplier holds a monopoly of needed goods or services.
• Headcount and spend-per-employee: Management of employees through tracking and measurement of full-time employees.
• Cost savings and avoidance: Ability to find cost-saving opportunities and being able to reduce procurement costs.
• Training and development time: The efficient training and development of procurement employees and the procurement team.
• Purchases on time and within budget: Being able to stick to the budget while knowing how to manage time when it comes to orders like ensuring there is stock and having enough time for shipping.
• Inventory accuracy: The accuracy of digital inventory data to physical inventory.