The role of a Procurement Manager is to manage the sourcing and purchasing of products and services for an organisation.
As a core part of the Procurement function, Procurement Manager roles are often in demand across the industry and are sought-after by experienced Procurement professionals.
If you’re a Procurement expert looking for your next role, a Procurement Manager job might be perfect for you. But what does the role involve?
Read on to learn more about this exciting role and get in touch with our Procurement Recruitment Consultants to land your next exciting opportunity. Looking to to hire into your organisation? Get in touch today
What is a Procurement Manager?
As a Procurement Manager, you’ll be responsible for the development and delivery of a company’s procurement strategies.
This means you’ll be involved with the acquisition of goods and services for your company, and ensuring that the Procurement team operates in line with best practices and standards of excellence.
This often features a commercial approach to managing an organisation’s procurement activities. You’ll also work closely with both internal and external stakeholders to meet the organisation’s objectives. This includes advice and guidance on commercial models, forms of contracts, social value, route to market and technical specifications.
However, Procurement Managers are not simply a purchasing function. They are pivotal in supporting the revenue of a business. Their decision on Supply Chain and sourcing can contribute towards a more sustainable approach for their business. They also look at cost-savings, risk management, and quality control which means the Procurement Manager must be well-rounded and able to analyse data, costs, and operations across a variety of areas within an organisation.
You’ll also be involved in delivering high-value and complex procurement processes and ensuring all operations are compliant with statutory guidelines such as Public Contract Regulations. This can include creating and quality-assuring tender documents, for example.
Another part of the role includes providing commercial, regulatory, legal and corporate governance advice related to the procurement process and contract and specification development.
As it’s a Management position, you’ll also be required to direct and oversee the day-to-day management of your team of Procurement professionals. This means you’ll have to be a confident leader and able to communicate effectively with your team. Other soft skills, such as attention to detail, time management, and the ability to solve problems, will also help you succeed in this role.
To become a Procurement Manager, you’ll usually start your career journey as a Procurement Specialist. With this route, you’ll be able to gain hands-on experience in the field and work as part of a team to develop your knowledge and skills. Following success in this role, you can then develop your people management skills to progress into a senior management role. Take a look at our CPO Spotlight series to learn more about the range of career routes that can lead to a Procurement Manager role.
You’ll also need a range of technical skills and qualifications to help you succeed in this role. Typically, employers will be looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a related field. This can include Business, Economics, logistics, Supply Chain Management or Purchasing.
Additionally, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) qualifications are highly regarded by employers, and most Senior Procurement Managers will have their CIPS Level 4/5 or above. Here at Procurement Heads, we work closely with CIPS to understand their frameworks and provide CPD opportunities to support our network. So, if you’re considering Professional Development in this area, please speak to one of our specialists.
Procurement is a constantly changing and ever-growing industry, packed with opportunities to succeed.
As an award-winning Procurement Recruitment agency, our team of Procurement Recruitment specialists connect top talent with the best roles to match their skills and ambition.
If you’re looking for a new role as a Procurement Manager, or ready to start a career in Procurement and Supply, get in touch with our team today. Our Procurement Recruitment Experts will be happy to provide consultation without obligation.
