Introduction

This course is aimed at improving the skills of the Procurement Professional and Senior Buyers in organizations. Advanced negotiation and procurement techniques, business continuity and contingency planning for procurement are discussed and practiced in simulations. The course examines the strategic importance of procurement departments by using concepts and ideas in order to maximize the procurement department’s effectiveness and thereby reducing costs throughout the supply chain.

The program is an opportunity to develop leadership skills that will assist in working better together, learning to handle conflict situations, implementing time management techniques and understanding the need to have an attitude that is accepting of the change. This program is furthermore designed to provide Purchasing Professionals with not only the best practices generally viewed as leading to World-Class performance in procurement activities, but also to provide practical tools and guidance. It is an essential course for the Purchasing Manager and Senior Buyer, and delegates will return to their organization with actual realistic plans on how to make considerable cost savings. Senior managers will also benefit from attending this course as they will be able to make savings in their organizations by ensuring that the tools are implemented.

Course Objectives of Advanced Procurement Skills

The goals of the program are to allow the participants to:

• Review critical supply strategies
• Be provided the concepts of activity-based costing
• Discuss current forces of change
• Learn how to create rapport, build trust and establish credibility in a workgroup
• Understand that communication is vital to successful, productive workgroups
• Learn the skills required for good supplier relationships
• Study business continuity and contingency planning for procurement
• Be taught a category segmentation process
• Learn how to plan in successful negotiations
• Study different approaches in negotiations
• Examine standards of ethics
• Learn how to rate a supplier
• Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of suppliers

Course Benefits of Advanced Procurement Skills

The organization will benefit by:

• Better forward planning to accomplish the organization’s objectives
• Better outcomes in transactions with contractors and suppliers
• The reduced total cost of materials & services
• Higher productivity of personnel involved in procurement activities
• Improved contractor/supplier relationships that bring higher performance
• Learn to develop others as leaders
• Learn leadership techniques to develop ownership and establish priorities
• Develop skills in interpersonal interaction to better teamwork
• Acquire useful interpersonal and communication leadership skills

Participants will gain by participation in this program as a result of:

• Better knowledge of how procurement can impact the organization’s finances
• A greater sense of professionalism and being able to contribute to the organization’s strategic objective
• Greater ability to protect the organization from supply disruptions
• Increased recognition by the organization due to improved performance
• Increased skill sets in advanced phases of strategic procurement
• Develop skills in procurement professionals which will raise capability, skill, and morale.  

Course Outlines of Advanced Procurement Skills

Performance Purchasing

• introduction to Purchasing and its contribution to the organization
• The Supply Chain and its influence
• Influence of the External Environment
• Purchasing Organisations
• The Procurement Cycle
• Purchasing Systems
• Critical Supply Strategies
• Category Segmentation Process

The Supplier Relationship

• Transforming the Supplier Relationship
• Specifications
• Working with End-users
• Supplier Evaluation Criteria
• Appropriate Supplier Methodologies
• Total Cost Approach
• Defining the Organization’s Mission In Building Supplier Relationship
• How to be A Good Customer
• Communication, Trust, and Credibility as Key Elements
• Shrinking the Supplier Base

Advanced Negotiation Skills

• Avoiding Confrontational Negotiating
• Developing Active Listening Skills
• Negotiating with an Angry Person
• Dealing with Back Door Selling
• Power Closes that are used on the Buyer
• Understanding the other Negotiator’s Power
• Negotiating Pressure Points
• Negotiating with Untrustworthy Counterpart
• Negotiation Tactics and Countermeasures

Leadership Skills for Procurement Personnel

• Communication techniques of verbal, non-verbal and written
• Methods of communication lead to more productive work and minimize stress
• Communication and interaction openness develops trust
• Identification of interpersonal interaction methods
• Recognizing response to and perceptions of change
• Analyzing and preparing for the human reaction to change

Advancing Procurement Contribution

• Attract And Retain Supply Management Talent
• Supplier Measurement
• Vendor Rating
• Steps In Developing Performance-Based Contracts
• Action Planning
• Business Continuity and Contingency Planning for Procurement
• What Is Activity-Based Costing?
• Price Cost and Value
• Ways that Advanced Procurement can Improve  the Organisation’s Finances
• Course Review and Evaluation