Procurement specialists are experts in finding goods or services for businesses at an acceptable price. They specialize in either traditional or electronic procurement and typically have completed the Procurement Association of America education program. Relevant work experience is crucial, and duties may include consultancy services, professional assessment, and project management. Business ethics are important in this field.
A procurement specialist is someone who has put significant time and effort into becoming a procurement subject matter expert. There are two types of procurement that a candidate can specialize in: electronic and traditional. Sourcing or purchasing is the process of finding goods or services for a business at an acceptable price that meets the business needs. All companies engage in procurement activities, but the total cost, efficiency and effectiveness of this aspect of the operation varies widely.
Nearly all procurement specialists have completed the Procurement Association of America (PAA) education program to become a Certified Procurement Professional (CPP). Admission to this program requires a specific combination of education and work experience. Most applicants have successfully completed undergraduate or graduate degrees in business administration, accounting, or finance. The difference between a degree or diploma is less important than relevant work experience, as both types of education are accepted by the PAA.
The work experience that is valuable to a procurement specialist is very focused on purchasing. For a specialist focusing on traditional procurement, experience in strategic sourcing, lead negotiation, tendering and related processes is very important. The expectation is that this experience is at the highest level. Someone who participated in the process but was not ultimately responsible will not have the experience required to be considered a specialist.
In e-procurement, the field is slightly more focused. The candidate may be expected to be very knowledgeable about the implementation, customization and support of a particular tool, but generally not expected to be familiar with multiple e-procurement packages. Experience should be at project manager or senior consultant level. Acting as an assistant or business analyst on an implementation project does not offer enough breadth of experience to become a procurement specialist.
Duties that can be expected of a procurement specialist include the provision of consultancy services, professional assessment and consultancy, and project management. This type of role has evolved over a long and successful career in procurement. Applicants who have less than 15 years of experience working in procurement at a senior level would not have the basis to meet client expectations.
Assessing the skills of a procurement specialist is quite complex, due to the very nature of the position. He is looking for someone who has a solid track record of procurement experience and check their references. There are several ways to achieve success in procurement and business ethics play a very important role in this field. Take the time to find out how they achieved their greatest successes and decide if that approach is right for your company.
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