The role transition from a procurement buyer to a procurement consultant is one taken by many in our industry. Often, the role as a buyer opens up the world of procurement and provides essential and valuable skills that are transferrable to the role of a procurement consultant.
One of our consultants, Guan, describes his experience and journey from a buyer to a consultant.
How my experience as a buyer contributed to my success in consulting
Transitioning from a buyer to a consultant has been a hugely transformative experience. This journey has expanded my professional horizons and has enriched my understanding of the complexities within the business world.
Life as a buyer
As a buyer, I worked closely with the procurement regional manager to lead end-to-end procurement projects. My responsibilities were diverse, including overseeing the Procure-to-Pay (P2P) process, engaging in RFPs (Request For Proposal), strategic negotiations, handling contract renewals, sourcing new suppliers, and managing supplier relationships.
Building long-term relationships and ensuring compliance were central to my duties. Negotiating favourable terms and managing vendor relationships, to ensure timely and efficient delivery were some of my priorities. My focus was on establishing a reliable workflow that consistently delivered high-quality goods and services. With this role, I’ve learnt the foundations of procurement and understood the central role it has in delivering value for the business, ensuring a constant alignment between internal key stakeholders and suppliers.
The transition to consulting
Driven by a desire for new challenges and personal growth, I decided to move from the buyer role to a consultant position. This shift was more than a career change and a significant step towards expanding my professional capabilities.
In consulting, my work is project-based, which means I engage with different clients across various industries. This requires quick adaptation and flexibility to new environments and teams, strategic thinking, and crafting suitable solutions and recommendations to complex business problems.
New challenges and opportunities
Life as a consultant is dynamic, diverse, and intellectually stimulating, making it both challenging and rewarding. Each new project presents unique challenges that require fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.
A significant aspect of my consulting role involves analysing clients’ data, understanding each client’s specific challenges and crafting presentations that clearly convey insights and recommendations. Initially, this was a challenge, but it has sharpened my skills in data analysis and strategic thinking. The project-based nature of consulting also provides continuous opportunities to drive change and improvement for clients.
One key insight I’ve gained is that the most effective recommendations are those specifically tailored to each client’s unique situation. It’s essential to actively listen to clients and fully understand their needs to provide solutions that are truly relevant and impactful. From my previous experience as a buyer, I feel that I can more easily relate to key stakeholders, understanding their priorities and challenges. I have a deep understanding of end-to-end procurement processes that facilitates my capacity to identify opportunities for our clients and can easily interact with key stakeholders to become an extension of their team.
Conclusion
Reflecting on my journey from buyer to consultant, there are clear distinctions between the two roles. As a buyer, the structured environment and focus on procurement efficiency offered stability, opportunities for long-term relationship building, and deep category experience.
Consulting provides opportunities for strategic problem-solving across various industries. It demands adaptability and operating in a fast-paced environment, bringing intellectual stimulation and diverse experiences.
Consulting has been a rewarding evolution, broadening my perspective and enriching my professional journey. The experiences and learnings I had as a buyer have contributed to my success in consulting.
Author: Guanliang Pan
EXPLORE A CAREER AS AN ARGON & CO CONSULTANT
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