3 December 2010 | Terry Metcalfe
Buyers should not sit on the fence, says Terry Metcalfe, head of procurement at Kingston University
Spreading the word
Procurement is a few years behind at Kingston University; we have just finished a procurement guide and then there will be a strategy to advise managers how to deal with purchasing. The university has 15 departments and seven faculties spread over a number of sites. We have to go out and make sure everybody knows how we do things.
Procurement mechanics
I began in engineering, which was very good for my procurement career. From the start of a project you have to carry out tests and audits and if it’s not exactly right and grounded in the basics it won’t work. That focus has been useful.
Don’t sit on the fence
My philosophy is to have no regrets – it’s worse to regret something you didn’t have the courage to do. It can lead to mistakes, but it makes you wiser and better the next time. It’s easy to sit on the fence, but you need to go in and look for the right deals, get the best contracts and take the organisation forward. Career of choice I hope we’ll soon see people choosing procurement as a career and coming straight out of university with purchasing related degrees. The greater the profile of the profession the more people will realise it’s a strategic department. We are starting to make big decisions on major contracts.
Achievements and ambitions
My biggest achievement is having a succession of high-profile posts. I enjoy going into an organisation and changing its purchasing department into a strategic procurement unit. I like to be involved in the major projects and to occupy true strategic procurement posts. I would like to end up in a boardroom as a director of purchasing.
CV: TERRY METCALFE
Career history:
2009-present: Head of procurement, Kingston University
2007-2009: Head of procurement and financial process improvement, Nottingham City Council
2005-2007: Corporate procurement manager, London South Bank University
2004-2004: Procurement manager, Barts and the London NHS Trust
Education: Masters in Procurement, University of Glamorgan
Hobbies: Playing golf, swimming, painting
Song that sums up procurement: Meat Loaf’s Bat out of Hell
Favourite TV show: Fawlty Towers
Most treasured possession: Family home
Favourite film: Indiana Jones
