Sourcing and category management training

For

People new to category management, those who contribute to it as part of their role, or anyone wanting a refresher.

Participants can

• Describe the category management framework and how value is created or lost.
• Explain the category manager's role and how it relates to other stakeholders.
• Identify the tools and resources that suit each phase of category management.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Spend and demand analysis, Understanding suppliers and market dynamics, Developing a category management plan, Contract management and supplier relationships, Key tools, tips and traps

For

Category and sourcing practitioners who carry out internal, market or total cost analysis as part of their role.

Participants can

• Use market analysis tools and relate market dynamics to category decisions.
• Build a total cost model and identify value levers to reduce cost.
• Use your analysis to support transparent, defensible category management plans.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Spend, demand and stakeholder analysis, SWOT, PESTLE and Porter's Five Forces, Supplier perception and value chain analysis, Building a total cost model, Examples of reducing total cost

For

Category managers and procurement practitioners who develop category plans and have some grounding in commercial and procurement principles.

Participants can

• Build a category strategy with rigour suited to the category's complexity.
• Use matrix tools such as Kraljic to match strategies to the category.
• Facilitate stakeholders to select strategies and present them for approval.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Category objectives from spend and opportunity analysis, Market risk, opportunity and balance of power, Demand and supply market strategy options, Tactical versus strategic initiatives, Kraljic and other matrix approaches

For

Category managers who want to strengthen how they implement category management plans.

Participants can

• Identify barriers and enablers for demand, sourcing and contract management strategies.
• Build implementation plans that stakeholders support, with a sponsor and project charter.
• Develop KPI dashboards to track progress in benefit realisation.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Kotter's approach to change management, Setting realistic targets and project charters, Barriers and enablers by strategy type, Measuring and reporting benefits, Supplier relationship management in practice

For

Practitioners who take part in sourcing projects and want to use the right tools at each stage.

Participants can

• Analyse spend, demand and stakeholders to define a sourcing opportunity.
• Choose a market approach, such as RFQ, RFP or RFT, that suits the category.
• Set up a transparent evaluation to select the offer that gives best value.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Spend, demand and stakeholder analysis, Reviewing the supply market, Choosing RFQ, RFP or RFT, Evaluation framework and probity, Awarding and notifying bidders

For

People who prepare specifications, requirements, scopes of work or go-to-market documents for a contract or procurement process.

Participants can

• Write outcome-focused specifications in language suppliers understand and engage with.
• Plan key sourcing events with timescales that suit the scale and complexity.
• Identify and treat risks during the sourcing phase.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Elements of the bid package, Defining outcomes and value levers, Engaging and briefing potential suppliers, Evaluation criteria and the evaluation plan, Capturing lessons learned

For

Practitioners who sit on or lead evaluation panels and need to select suppliers in a fair, defensible way.

Participants can

• Select evaluation criteria and a process, such as shortlisting or supplier presentations.
• Calibrate scoring and manage differing opinions within the evaluation panel.
• Write recommendations for governance groups based on the evaluation.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Reviewing potential suppliers, Developing the evaluation plan, Communicating with suppliers during evaluation, Calibrating the scoring process, Recommendations to governance groups

Learning on your own? This is also a self-paced online course: Supplier Evaluation and Selection, online.

For

Procurement professionals who plan or manage e-sourcing events and want to use reverse auctions well.

Participants can

• Assess whether an e-auction suits a purchase and build the business case.
• Set lots, sequencing, bid rules and other event parameters for an auction.
• Analyse auction results and manage supplier reactions after the event.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

English, Dutch and Yankee reverse auctions, Auction ethics and collusive behaviour, Lots, timing and bid parameters, Supplier psychology and tactics, Post-auction analysis and positioning

For

People who prepare tender evaluation reports or brief reviewers and senior decision makers on recommendations.

Participants can

• Anticipate the questions and concerns reviewers will raise about an evaluation.
• Write evaluation reports that follow your organisation's template, with rigour matched to risk.
• Present technical and numerical information in plain English for busy executives.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

What governance groups expect to see, Procurement risks to address in reports, Matching rigour to risk and complexity, Plain English for technical documents, Briefing senior managers before review

For

Experienced sourcing practitioners running complex, high value or high risk sourcing projects.

Participants can

• Link sourcing objectives to organisational goals with matching KPIs and benefit plans.
• Facilitate project teams to generate options, reach consensus and make decisions.
• Build bid and evaluation plans that suit the project and the category.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team, in person or live online.

Covers

Tactical versus strategic sourcing, From policy outcomes to KPIs, Defining value for money by category, Facilitating project teams to decisions, Business case and handover

For

Experienced category managers who develop category plans and are accountable for the outcomes their categories deliver.

Participants can

• Develop category plans with rigour matched to the complexity of each category.
• Explain to stakeholders how category management differs from purchasing and sourcing.
• Develop strategies to manage demand and supplier performance.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team: two days in person, or 4 x 4-hour live online sessions.

Covers

Role of the category manager and RASCI, Opportunity analysis and demand profiling, Market approach options and bid evaluation, Supplier performance standards and KPIs, Review, refresh and continuous improvement

For

Experienced strategic sourcing practitioners who want to add more value through better use of sourcing tools.

Participants can

• Analyse internal and external environments and interpret what the analysis means.
• Develop market approach strategies that reconcile business needs with market conditions.
• Design sourcing processes suited to simple, complicated or complex markets.

Format

Led by a facilitator for your team: two days in person, or 4 x 4-hour live online sessions.

Covers

How value is created or destroyed, Supply market structure and dynamics, Matrix-based market approach selection, Negotiation planning and persuasion, Weighted factor analysis and value for money