Firstly, what is procurement?
What is procurement? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, procurement is ‘the process by which an organization buys the products or services it needs from other organizations.’
However, when done correctly, procurement consultancy goes beyond simply helping organizations save money and spend wisely. Procurement can help an organization achieve its business goals by buying goods and services profitably and ethically while also building reliable supply chains and accelerating digital transformation.
Read on to discover the makings of a great procurement consultancy and the role they play in driving amazing work for clients and society as a whole.
The makings of a great procurement consultant
From mitigating risk and creating a competitive advantage to driving business growth, a great procurement consultancy is equipped to help clients achieve their strategic, operational, and financial goals.
One of the biggest responsibilities of a procurement consultant is to have a deep understanding of client business requirements. However, it also means identifying opportunities where procurement can add further value — buying products or services from the right source at the right price.
Through leadership, teamwork, open communication, and accountability of sourcing processes, procurement consultants help organizations achieve their objectives and enable optimum business performance.
In addition to ensuring purchases go through the appropriate procurement processes, there are a number of other responsibilities involved in the role of a great procurement consultant:
- Evaluating and identifying new suppliers and developing strong relationships
- Recommending alternative and creative solutions to help save organizations money
- Acting as the primary point of contact with suppliers
- Managing the supply base and mitigating risk
- Defining and following the procurement strategy, making sure that it supports the strategies within the organization
- Monitoring supply markets and trends, including price increases and shortages
- Identifying materials, products, and services that support company strategies
Related Read: ‘5 Qualities to Adopt as a Professional Procurement Consultant’
What can you offer as a procurement consultant?
For procurement consultants, it is vital to their role to achieve business success and remain profitable. When their procurement strategy is aligned with the goals of the businesses they serve, they can expect to:
- Win market share
- Evolve to meet new customer, economic, societal, and operational norms
- Reduce external supplier spend
- Simplify the supply chain
- Improve supplier relationships
- And more
To discover everything you need to know about procurement consultants, procurement strategy, and procurement services, read our comprehensive guide.
Why join Proxima?
At Proxima, we bring a wealth of capability and supply market knowledge to every challenge. With numerous different procurement service lines available for all business sectors, we’re always ready to provide a truly tailored procurement solution.
As such, we’re always looking for new talent to join our team and help businesses optimize their processes, reduce costs, and increase profitability. We believe that growth is driven not only by revenue but also through the pursuit of excellence and hiring stellar procurement consultants.
Sound like something you’re interested in? Reach out to our team today for more information.