A procurement professional is someone who has completed post-secondary training in procurement, obtained a professional designation from a certification association, and is working in procurement services. The process required to become a procurement professional takes between four to six years, and is comprised of a combination of education and experience. Procurement is also known as purchasing and is a term used to describe the process of finding the best combination of price and service for a specific good or service.
People who are naturally outgoing and work well with numbers have the greatest success and satisfaction in this career. It is important to note that people who have difficulty with conflict may find the negotiations aspect of this career difficult. However, there are a range of training programs to help procurement professionals overcome this issue.
The first requirement to become a procurement professional is successfully complete a degree or diploma from an accredited post-secondary educational institute. This is essential, and may be in business, accounting, or economics. Some colleges offer a training program specifically for procurement, but these are often post-graduate certificate programs. In order to qualify for admissions, candidates must have completed a university degree or college diploma.
The next step to become a procurement professional is to obtain a professional designation. The American Purchasing Society is the primary procurement certification agency in the United States. A professional certification is valuable for job seekers, as it provides some assurance to potential employers about the candidates training, experience, and knowledge.
The Certified Procurement Professional (CPP) requires at least three years working experience in procurement, in addition to a minimum college diploma in business or a related field. Additional courses are required and are available from the procurement association. There is a final examination that each candidate must pass to obtain the professional designation of CPP.
Contact law is very important and forms the basis for almost all the processes in procurement. Many of the courses offered by the procurement association are focused on this aspect of procurement. Review the details of the courses and see if there are any similarities in courses that you have already completed. Many associations will grant transfer credits in recognition of similar course work, provided it was completed at an accredited school.
Working experience in procurement may include processing purchase requisitions, reviewing of quotations, managing of a bidding process, and other related activity. Although negotiations form a main component of a procurement professional’s job, very few people are able to gain experience using this skill without certification and education. This working experience is essential to help you become a procurement professional.