PROCUREMENT MANAGER
JOB DESCRIPTION
1- What’s a Procurement Manager ?
Also called a Purchasing Manager, the Procurement Manager’s main missions are the sourcing of new products for his/her company and the optimization of the purchasing’s process. His or her final goal is to find new suppliers who insure the company the best balance between quality and costs to increase benefits. Procurements can be about raw materials for a product that the company sells, final goods as well as services for the use of the company.
Depending on the size of the business, a Procurement Manager reports to a Chief Procurement Officer and leads a team of procurement agents ; or if the company is smaller, the Procurement Manager works alone, reporting to a COO or a CFO.
2- What are his/her missions ?
Please note that the missions can be different according to the company. Still, here are the core missions :
Build and apply efficient sourcing strategies
Develop strong partnerships with qualitative suppliers for the business
Deal with salers and negotiate the best terms and contracts for the company
Perform on risk management
Analyze existing metrics in order to adjust the strategy and reduce expenses
Report previous purchases to determine suppliers’ effectiveness, compliance but also the ROI
3- What are the required competencies ?
In charge of a team, he/she needs management and leadership skills but also hard skills. Here is a not exhaustive list :
Negotiation and Networking
Knowledge on suppliers and third-parties relations
Mastering the sourcing techniques according to the market
Knowledge of the supply chain
Understanding and Analysis of data, trends and metrics
4- How to become a Procurement Manager in the F&B industry ?
To become a Purchasing Manager in Food and Beverage, you can obtain a generalist BSC or Master Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Import/Export.
But you can also get specialized with an MSc or MBA to reinforce your knowledge in the industry.
Here are some examples of degrees you can find in the world :
“Master Pro. Production Management, Logistics and Purchasing, Agri-food and Process Company Management” in IAE Rennes,
“Master’s degree in Agri-Food Markets”, UFR FMA Alsace
“MSc Operations, Project and Supply Chain Management”, Manchester Business School
“MSc Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and Management”, Loughborough
Please note that on average, Procurement Managers are more senior profiles. You can start your career with a Buyer position then a Purchasing Officer and with strong experiences, you can even access a Chief Procurement Officer position.
5- What are his/her main challenges nowadays ?
CSR and Sustainable Development are definitely the main challenges for a Procurement Manager. With new legislations such as the Duty of Vigilance adopted by the EU on the French model, Procurement Managers are challenged on new aspects that differ from the only pursuit of financial benefits.
They have to find concrete solutions in order to :
Improve dialog with stakeholders
Align the procurement strategy with the CSR strategy of the company
Master the costs in a sustainable way
Protect the environment and people (biodiversity, local communities, workers etc.)
This is why companies are more and more looking for Sustainable Sourcing and Procurement Managers.
6- If you are a Procurement Manager, why should you be on uF ?
To select the best suppliers for your Business
To buy products on our marketplace, easily and safely without travelling the world
To keep an eye on the sector’s trends
To develop your company’s network
