8 December 2011 | Russell Soam

Russell Soan, associate director of procurement and supply chain at recruitment firm Barclay Meade said good stakeholder engagement requires good soft skills:

• Effective and persuasive communication is a vital skill procurement professionals should have to get ahead when it comes to stakeholder engagement. 
• The industry must meet the challenge to recognise the importance of these softer skills alongside the more technical knowledge they expect procurement professionals to have.
• Professionals must ensure they continue to develop this skill set in order to adapt.
• The board and internal stakeholders must buy into the cost savings and efficiencies a world class procurement and supply chain function can bring. If they are not engaged, rogue spend increases and cost efficiencies diminish.