Thinking of getting a job in procurement?
Think you might enjoy a procurement job or have the skills and experience to make a successful career in procurement?
One of the challenges procurement still has is the distinct lack of career pathways to recruit people into a job for procurement opportunities. However, over the last few years further education institutes are now realising this opportunity as more are choosing a career in procurement.
Lean Procurement’s owner, Colin McIntyre, found himself in the career profession by being invited to interview for an expeditor when he was working in a restaurant after graduating with a Business Studies degree. He didn’t even know at the time what an expeditor was before doing this research before the interview!
These types of stories are common for those that already have a procurement career.
But what do jobs for procurement look like and why work in procurement?
Procurement has come a long way over the last few decades where it is now much more strategic and value driven to what it used to be. Previously a purchasing job used to involve waiting for the purchasing request to arrive to the purchasers desk, often with the supplier selected, and the buyer created the purchase order identical to the request.
Now procurement will receive the specification from the requestor, assess the market, involve themselves in complex tendering exercises, negotiate, create contracts and then build relationships and manage the supply base performance to ensure products and services are available to the organisation and satisfy their own customer requirements.
See the difference? A career in purchasing was very different back then compared to a career in procurement today.
Jobs in procurement involve a whole range of skillsets which include analysis of supplier spend, contract and legal interpretation, risk management, warehouse and inventory management, relationship development, problem solving and conflict resolution, customer service, negotiation, eye for detail, the list really goes on!
This is one of the reasons why so many ‘drop in’ to careers in procurement.
The type of job procurement professionals work in vary tremendously and can include expeditor, junior buyer, buyer, materials coordinator, materials supervisor, contracts analyst, contracts engineer, procurement systems and supplier performance coordinator. Working in procurement can also provide successions plans which can lead to supervisory, management and director level positions. There really are multiple options if you choose a career in procurement and purchasing.
But is procurement a good career and what can you get out of it? Depending on the procurement role and location salaries range from around £20,000 to £25,000 for assistance buyer positions through to £40,000 to £60,000 for Procurement Manager positions and £80,000 to £120,000 for Procurement Director.
If this sounds good the next question would be how to get a procurement job and start working in the function. Because of the many varied roles in procurement and the varied skills that are much needed, there is a good chance that you already have skills that will make your procurement job a success.
Check what those transferable skills are and link them to job vacancies that are advertised or speak to someone that is already in the profession.
Each year CIPS and Hays Recruitment undertake an Insights and Salary survey exercise, in 2020 the survey founds that 64% of employers will request MCIPS, or studying towards, as a preference when recruiting. It also stated that MCIPS members can command a 17% increase in salary compared to non-MCIPS members. So definitely getting on the CIPS ladder will improve your chances from day one.
For career advice and direction in procurement or our CIPS courses please feel free to contact ourselves on info@leanprocurement.net or call directly on 01224 531073 or 07342 953230
Registration
Lean Procurement offers flexible payment plans across each CIPS level to assist those that are passionate to learning and develop their competences in procurement and supply chain management.
Course Overview
The CIPS Graduate DIploma is a challenging qualification to obtain, but the results are worth it!
Virtual Classroom
Lean Procurement Ltd has been conducting virtual learning internationally since Summer 2019, offering students the opportunity to attend live CIPS classes from the comfort of their own home.