14 April 2010 | Helen Gilbert
The boundary between procurement and finance is beginning to blur as employers seek buyers with a background in finance, according to a report by recruitment consultants Badenoch & Clark.
Nicola Linkleter, executive director, procurement and supply chain said employers had begun requesting candidates with a history in finance as well as purchasing expertise because “companies are looking to control costs better with more of a focus on the cost of holding onto stock.”
Her comments are based on the company’s March 2010 Professional Talent Spotlight – an in-house analysis of recruitment trends in several sectors.
It also identified how central government is seeking more supplier relationship managers and revealed a higher demand for purchasers with good contract management skills.
Linkleter said: “As a number of contracts come up for renewal in transport and regulatory departments within central government, we’re seeing high levels of demand for supplier relationship managers.
“With re-tendering existing contracts drawing on resources, a number of public sector organisations are looking to squeeze more out of existing contracts. We’re seeing more demand for procurement candidates with good contract management skills as a result.”
Local government continued to seek interim procurement professionals, she added. Although the focus had switched from strategic procurement and long-term thinking to immediate savings and supply chain management, senior level experts with strong change and negotiation experience are still in demand.
