10 Ways To Attract Top Procurement Talent

When asked to speak at this years Procurement Summit in Dublin, it didn’t take me long to decide on subject matter. Winning the war on talent is continually a burning issue within procurement and it was great to voice my thoughts on the subject last week. So, after a busy day on our stand at the event meeting new contacts and catching up with some familiar procurement faces I tackled the ever popular topic of winning the war on procurement talent.

Procurement Talent

Procurement talent is a key element in determining the success of a procurement function. According to the Deloitte Global CPO Survey 2017

87% of CPOs agreed that talent is the single greatest factor in driving procurement performance. However, 60% of CPOs surveyed still believe their teams lack sufficient capability to deliver the procurement strategy.

The Irish Market

All signs are pointing to a busy year “More jobs, more spending and higher wages” (thejournal.ie) which is great news if you are seeking a new role. However, it will make things tricky if you are looking to hire. A definite challenge for procurement talent in the Irish market is the number of Multinationals that have created Global or Regional procurement hubs here in Ireland. This has the positive impact of attracting foreign talent to the country, but it has resulted in “sucking” up Irish Procurement Talent. It remains to be a candidate led market with demand for procurement candidates outstripping supply, particularly at junior to mid management level.

All of this is great news if you are a procurement professional seeking a new role. However, perhaps not what you want to hear if you need to recruit!

So, what can you do to attract the best candidates? Hire a great recruiter! Yes, this will help but irrespective of whether you engage recruiters or hire directly there are a few things you can do to aid a successful result.

#1 Engage Your HR Function

Does your HR partner understand Procurement? Spend time to educate them and ensure they know what you are looking for. Give them all of the information they need – be clear on the vision and strategy of the function and career progression opportunities for the individual. Remain engaged and communicate throughout the process!

#2 Business Branding

The first thing that the candidate will see when they apply for a role or hear when approached is who the organisation is. They will then investigate further. Social media has a huge impact. Candidates will google to find out the good, the bad and the ugly about your business. You may be lucky enough to work in an organisation with a team dedicated to this and everything out there may be rosy. However, this is often not the case.

Corporate branding is a huge task and as a Procurement leader you are not expected to focus on this. However, I would advise you to be aware of what is out there on social media about your business and be ready to answer any awkward questions!

#3 Branding of Your Procurement Function

Many professionals will want to join a team because it is renowned for being a great place to be. Get the message out there around what a great function you have, your vision, strategy and shout about your successes.

Use social media – LinkedIn is a great tool! Post information about the benefits or innovations brought by your function. Write articles in trade journals or on-line forums such as Supply Management, Procurement Leaders, Spend Matters and Procurious

Enter awards – winning or being shortlisted for awards such as the National Procurement Awards in Ireland or further afield with CIPS Supply Management and Procurement Leaders will be great branding for your function and really raise your profile. It will also give the added benefit of giving your team members a great night out!

#4 Branding of you as a Procurement Leader

Excellent procurement professionals will often join a function purely on the reputation of its leader. Ensure you are known in the industry and get yourself out there! As mentioned above, write articles about your successes on social media or trade press and enter awards. A great way to raise your profile is to speak at events such as this Procurement Summit or Procurex Ireland.

#5 Offer The Right Benefits

• Offer a Competitive Salary & Benefits (Do Your Homework!)

I interview procurement professionals day in, day out and I always explore their motivation for seeking new a role. Career progression is usually a top answer along with broadening experience or taking on a new challenge. I often hear – “it’s not about the money, it’s about the role”. However, it is very rare for candidates to accept a role that is not at least an 8% increase on their overall package or to accept a role that is not paying market value. So, do your homework and ensure you are offering a competitive salary and package.

• Invest in Learning and Development

Investing in L&D will also be a key motivation for candidate. Educational support can make up for a shortfall in salary and it also shows commitment from you as an employer and a willingness to invest in their future. Unfortunately, procurement training budgets remain low by benchmark standards according to the Deloitte Global CPO Survey 2017;

25% Of Respondents Spent Less Than 1% Of Their Budgets, And A Further 40% Spend Less Than 2% On Training. 

#6 Be Flexible

Candidates who are seeking flexibility from their employer is on the rise. The recruitment website Indeed have reported that the number of Irish people searching for jobs using the term ‘remote’ increased by 171% last year.

Factors including increased traffic and the storms have all contributed to this but also there is a shift in attitude. Flexibility is not just for my fellow working mums or carers of elderly parents. Millennials are now a key driver in this, wanting the flexibility to work remotely that technology now allows.

?       Can you change the base location?

?       Can the candidate work from home?

?       Can you offer flexible hours?

#7 Conduct a 2-way interview process

Candidates need to leave the interview feeling comfortable that they understand the role, the team and your business. By all means challenge the candidate, fire tricky questions at them and dig into their background, but you can still engage them whilst doing this. You may need to add an extra 30 minutes to the interview process to cover this off, but it will be time well spent to ensure are engaging the right candidate.

#8 Never Forget You Are Hiring a Great Negotiator!

Negotiation is a key skill for a procurement professional. Therefore, don’t be surprised if they reject what you considered to be a reasonable offer. Prepare yourself for a couple of rounds of negotiation before you reach an agreement.

#9 Prepare for a Counter Offer

If your candidate is a top performer and achieving in their current role, it is unlikely that their current boss is going to let them go without a fight. Be prepared to manage a counter offer. It may also transpire that they receive more than one job offer at the same time. Remain engaged and communicate throughout – meet the candidate for an informal coffee if you feel it will help. Remember that all of the good work you did earlier in the process around engagement will stand you in good stead for the candidate to feel they are making the right choice in joining you.

 #10 Keep The Momentum Going!

All stages of the recruitment cycle are equally important. You can lose candidates at any point in the process.

Across the board you need to;

·       Keep to timescales

·       Communicate

Want to get in touch? Feel free to call me on +353 1 5079265 or email me on [email protected]