1. What is purchasing and supply?
Name of school /college/university
Your name and organisation

2. Buyer Purchasing Director Stores manager
A purchasing career
Buyer Purchasing Director Stores manager
Procurement Consultant Value chain manager
Supply Chain Analyst Relationship Manager
Warehousing controller Strategic Sourcing
There’s a role for everyone at all levels!
This slide is designed to show to variety of roles that procurement has to offer. It’s not just about getting a degree and climbing to the top, there is something for everyone of all abilities.
Expand on the types of things different roles can get involved in bringing in your own experiences of more junior and senior roles you have done.
Briefly discuss the different skills you would develop, negotiation, influencing, innovating and being creative, managing relationships both internally and externally, project management, risk management, managing sustainability etc

3. Every company needs buyers!
Who could I work for?
Every company needs buyers!
This slide is trying to demonstrate that every organisation needs buyers. You may not ever get to be a footballer or fashion designer but you can still work for these organisations working closely with all departments.

4. What does procurement do?
Some people think buying is easy – you just pick up the phone and order it.
Toilet rolls, stationery etc. – who could go wrong doing that?
Some people think its about this

5. Really? Who buys this then?
Well procurement also buy things like this…
Everything needed to build warships, to get clothes on the shelves, build football stadiums and airport terminals – even working with the local communities to consider their needs before building airports

6. Or these?

7. Where will a job like this take me?
The different roles can take you across the world, or if you’re not into travel you will no doubt have suppliers across the globe that you will be communicating with all the time

8. About me Insert your own slide or talk about your experiences
Share your experiences – suggestions only, please use personal experiences as this will have greater impact
How you got into the job
The varied activities in your role
What qualifications or training you pursued
Where the job has taken you internationally
Interesting anecdotes and case studies that make the profession exciting
Bring in sustainability issues if you can – today’s graduates are looking for jobs with a social conscious
Any risk management that has impacted your roles – e.g. Japanese Tsunami, 911, Icelandic Ash cloud

9. The Pizza Puzzle
You are a buyer working for a pizza manufacturer that produces a wide range of pizzas for all the leading supermarkets.
You have been given the task of finding new suppliers of tomato sauce, the base ingredient of all your customer’s pizzas.
Which supplier will you choose?

10. The Pizza Puzzle
Supplier A comes in with the lowest price but they’re based in Kenya and there could be problems with reliability of supply and there are questions over the pay and conditions for their workers.
Supplier B is East European, slightly more expensive but their sauce is organic and they have positive environmental credentials.
Supplier C is British and a local cooperative. They are most expensive but transport costs will be lower. They are also dependant on a good summer.
You are a buyer working for a pizza manufacturer that produces a wide range of pizzas for all the leading supermarkets. You have been given the task of finding new suppliers of tomato sauce, the base ingredient of all your customer’s pizzas.

11. The Pizza Puzzle
Working in teams take on the following roles to debate your answer.
You may have concerns about all of the suppliers so consider what checks and assurances you would need to be confident enough to buy from them.
Team roles - Purchasing Manager, Finance Director, Head of Quality Control, Head of Production, Marketing Manager. Think about what these people’s opinions and priorities would be within the organisation.
The Purchasing Manager should report back to the group giving reasons why your team chose that supplier.

12. Have I convinced you yet?
Develop and use a wide range of business skills
International travel
Work for any organisation across the world
Work alongside all business departments
Purchasing jobs are generally more highly paid than HR, marketing, finance, IT and sales
Average starting salary of £30k

13. So what next?
You can start a career in purchasing and supply straight from school and train on the job
There are also degrees and post graduate qualifications available
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS), the leading international body representing purchasing and supply chain professionals provides the only professional qualification in the field at a level equivalent to a university first degree.
Members of CIPS can expect to earn up to £5k more
To find out more visit