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11 August 2011 | Angeline
Albert
Demand for the right procurement
candidates is high with no sign of a slowdown in the summer but not enough
talent is entering the profession, a recruitment firm reports.
Duncan Ward, operations director
of procurement and supply chain at Badenoch& Clark, said
there has been growth in procurement headcounts in recent months with a lot of
demand for graduates and mid-level supply chain professionals but said finding
the right candidates is a problem.
Speaking to SM following publication of the
company’s Professional talent spotlight –
July 2011 report, Ward said: “There are not enough candidates coming into
the industry. Procurement plays such an important role in a business. Its
profile has been raised with businesses’ need to make efficiencies but
professionals still need to raise the profile of what the industry can offer to
graduates.”
Ward said that
despite a move in recent years for more technical, analytical skills to meet
forecasting needs and demand management as well as good communication skills,
other competencies such as practical understanding of business in terms of
product flow and distribution were also requested by employers.
“There’s plenty of
demand out there but because of the level of confidence in the economy, clients
are being very careful about their criteria and who they select. They want
candidates with a wide range of competencies. I tell candidates to be very
clear about the skills they have and the impact they’ve had on businesses,” he
said.
He added: “In response to a desire
to make efficiencies, a lot of organisations have transformed their procurement
operations and have hired senior-level procurement candidates. Now, we are
seeing more mid-level professionals and below being hired.”
Information for the survey was gathered over the past six months through discussions with senior procurement professionals looking to hire buyers.
