Interpreting exactly what a company wants from an advertised job description can be a difficult task – especially in Procurement. From Strategic Sourcing to Category Management, the range of skills and requirements will differ from company to company, even if the job title remains the same.
In this blog, we’ll address how you can determine if an advertised Procurement Manager job is the right role for you.
Larger organisations tend to break down the components of Procurement Manager roles, such as SRM and Contracts Management, to allow the Procurement Manager to focus on the sourcing or buying element of the role. Your primary task should be to establish exactly what is included as part of the role when you apply for it.
Typically, the preference for Buyers looking to take the next step in their careers, or indeed current Procurement Managers, is to take ownership of the ‘cradle to grave’ process; from initial RFI / RFP to execution, and the ongoing supplier relationship management ensuring cost and value is sustained.
Speaking of cost vs value – this factor is critical when considering if a role is right for you. When reading advertised job descriptions, you’ll find that there are two distinct types of businesses;
1. businesses that are purely focused on driving cost down and finding savings no matter what,
2. businesses that are purely focused on finding value from the suppliers they engage with, irrespective of the cost implications to the business.
Sometimes it’s hard to identify the businesses core focus, so it’s always worth having a conversation with the recruiter or hiring manager. When it comes to preference here, there is no right or wrong answer – it depends entirely on what you enjoy and want to be part of. But, if the company is focused around cost and you want a role where you can really invest in innovative ways to drive value, then it’s not a good idea to apply.
As Procurement Manager, you should have a clear remit over portfolio of spend. Procurement Manager roles will typically have a set remit, whether that’s within specific indirect or direct categories (or both!). It’s important that you fully understand the specific categories the role you’re applying for covers, and the spend remit associated. It might also be worth asking what spend isn’t addressable under Procurement. Often candidates get a nasty surprise upon joining, to find an unexpected category is being outsourced – so never presume, always ask.
So – you’ve followed the advice above, and you’ve been offered an interview! What now?
Procurement Manager level roles are generally entry level management roles, and hiring managers will be looking for 2 things;
1. The ability to run a tender process,
2. Experience of strong stakeholder management.
Within reason, your years of experience are less relevant here, it’s more important to clearly demonstrate you have been capable of delivering in your career to date. If you are a Buyer or a Senior Buyer with a few years of category management experience, don’t be put off by the step up to Procurement Manager – it is likely that businesses will see the ROI in investing in your experience, and you could have an advantage over your competition!
We’ve all scrolled through countless job advertisements online and got a little lost – and often the vast array of requirements can be very off-putting. In a lot of instances, it can knock your confidence too.
It’s important to keep focused on the role you want and how your personal skills and experience to date make you the right candidate for the role. Don’t be put off what could be the perfect role for you – be brave enough to ask questions if the job description isn’t clear enough.
As recruiters, we appreciate candidates taking the time to establish whether the role is right for them before stepping into the application process.
