We all know that good category management is a critical success factor for Procurement organizations. However, it is also imperative to communicate to stakeholders in their own language if we are to be considered as trusted advisors when it comes to managing their costs. What if you could generate more opportunities and savings by tailoring your team and approach based on a profit improvement view? This panel will discuss how to shift your mindset.

The only way to get your stakeholders and internal customers to buy in to procurement is to stop ruling with an iron fist and help them think as strategically as you. This panel will deep dive into client engagement to help you make the most of your internal relationships.
• Investing in big data and developing processes that helps stakeholders make more informed decisions
• Talking about planned projects and savings together to create transparency
• Identifying the right levers to pull to determine where procurement can best deliver – price, cost, demand, and value
• The importance of having outside experience to build credibility

You’ve all seen them. You might even have them. The acronyms after the names of your peers- CPSM, CSCP, etc. Do they still mean anything? Are they worth the cost of certification? Does the curriculum of external training and still offer useful skills to improve your job? Do managers still require certification to get hired? Are they still an indicator of knowledge, or job performance? In this no-holds-barred debate, we will discuss the merits and drawbacks of certification programs offered by associations such as ISM and APICS, university certificate programs, and internal custom coursework. After all, talent development is crucial to developing tomorrow’s leaders, and ensuring they have the right skills to succeed is at the top of the list.