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We dive deep into what procurement professionals actually do day-to-day, breaking down misconceptions and revealing the strategic value behind the function. Sharing personal experiences, we explore how procurement is about far more than simply blocking progress or finding the cheapest price.

• Procurement isn't about delaying projects out of spite but conducting essential due diligence to protect companies financially and reputationally
• Supplier selection often involves working with stakeholders' preferred suppliers rather than always running formal tenders from scratch
• Contract negotiation requires commercial and legal understanding despite most procurement professionals not having formal legal training
• Best value doesn't mean lowest price - procurement aims to find the right quality at the right price without compromising what's important
• Stakeholder management and education takes up a significant portion of a procurement professional's time, often more than supplier engagement
• Typical daily activities include reviewing contracts, attending meetings, processing requisitions, and maintaining supplier relationships
• Public and private sector procurement differ significantly in approach to supplier selection and contractual terms

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Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

It would also mean the world if you can drop us a cheeky 5* rating on your platform of choice,

Cya Later

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Our hosts discuss practical strategies for progressing in a procurement career, covering everything from education pathways to handling imposter syndrome and building influential stakeholder relationships.

• Multiple pathways into procurement including degrees, apprenticeships, qualifications, or transferring from adjacent roles
• Exposure to senior stakeholders is a key benefit of procurement roles, requiring preparation and solution-oriented approaches
• CIPS qualifications valuable for career progression, but pursue them to genuinely improve skills rather than just for promotion
• Networking through CIPS branches, online forums, and LinkedIn groups creates learning opportunities and potential job connections
• Finding mentors who excel in areas you wish to develop can accelerate growth in specific procurement competencies
• Overcome imposter syndrome by acknowledging the learning curve in new roles and remembering you earned your position
• Document achievements and successful negotiations to track your growth and provide evidence of impact
• Career paths aren't always linear – procurement knowledge creates opportunities for specialization in various areas
• Stay current with emerging trends like AI in procurement to position yourself ahead of the market
• Building relationships with stakeholders is crucial as they often determine your opportunities for growth

Join our community by following us on Instagram at lets_talk_procurement or email us at 2lukes1cip@gmail.com

Support the show

Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

It would also mean the world if you can drop us a cheeky 5* rating on your platform of choice,

Cya Later

Send us a text

We discuss the challenges and unexpected triumphs of tackling the CIPS Commercial Management in Procurement module, revealing Luke 10's results to you listeners and Luke live on this recording.

• Deep dive into the content of the Commercial Management module focusing on organisational strategy
• Exploring the connections between corporate strategy and supply chain management
• Challenges of linking theoretical strategy frameworks to practical procurement applications
• Explaining how financial considerations affect supplier relationships and pricing models
• Live reveal of exam results
• Discussion of study approaches and applying feedback between modules
• Celebration of reaching the one-third milestone toward completing MCIPS qualification

Thanks to our listeners for helping us reach 5,000 downloads! We appreciate your support and feedback. Special thanks to Jim for his encouraging message about how the podcast has helped him continue his CIPS studies.

Support the show

Please get in touch as we love to hear from you listeners! You can use the "text" function above or drop us on email: 2lukes1cip@gmail.com or visit our website www.letstalkprocurement.co.uk

It would also mean the world if you can drop us a cheeky 5* rating on your platform of choice,

Cya Later