Procurement People of Tomorrow: Higher and Further Education pack

What Is Procurement?

What is it?
Procurement and supply chain management involves buying the goods and services that enable an organisation to operate in a profitable and ethical manner; including managing the network of manufacturers, suppliers and logistics providers needed to obtain goods and/or services for your business.

Why is it important?
Procurement can be responsible for up to 70 per cent of a company’s expenditure, so small reductions in cost can have a huge impact on profits. It is vital to protecting the continuity of production, distribution or public services during supply chain interruptions. It is important to use innovative and sustainable procurement approaches to ensure we award contracts to ethical companies, who support fair working practices within their organisation and who proactively address risks related to human rights or exploitation within their own supply chains.

Benefits of a Career in Procurement

• An interesting and varied job with career prospects
• Influence locally and globally
• Transferable skills and personal development
• Good pay and rewards packages
• Defined salary banding aligned to your role and responsibilities
• A variety of career progression routes
• Influencing the procurement of sustainable products and services that support the protection of our environment

A role in procurement allows you to develop a number of transferable skills. Procurement professionals work on a variety of different projects from buying services and equipment to the construction of a building.

You can get involved in all areas of supply chain projects working to improve quality, reduce cost, support and enable innovation. You can source more environmentally sustainable or low carbon solutions for your projects and encourage investment in training programmes and apprenticeships.