The procurement landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and one of the most pressing challenges procurement leaders are facing today is finding and securing the right talent. According to a recent report, only 14% of procurement leaders are confident about the future of procurement talent availability. As industry demands grow and challenges evolve, traditional recruitment practices will no longer suffice in attracting skilled procurement and supply chain professionals. Industry leaders must transform their approach so that it aligns with the evolving needs of the workforce landscape. This article examines essential strategies procurement leaders can implement to identify and recruit top talent in the field.

Mapping out critical future skills

The modernization of procurement processes hinges on digital transformation and the adoption of new technologies. While traditional procurement skills and expertise remain essential, the demand for skills in digital tools, data analytics, automation, and emerging technologies is greater than ever.

Embracing new technology is pivotal in expanding the talent pipeline to candidates that have various transferable skills to a procurement role. Procurement leaders must implement forward-thinking recruitment strategies to match their needs. A key priority is forecasting skill needs for procurement roles three to five years ahead. An important first step is to conduct routine skill-gap assessments to evaluate technical and hard skills as well as soft skills to determine talent needs. This process helps identify valuable insights into a workforce’s strengths and weaknesses, which can then be addressed either by training or more strategic hiring methods. Human resources also benefit by using the data from the skill-gap assessments to understand role-specific skill requirements, leading to more precise job descriptions, better hiring decisions, more equitable compensation, and higher quality candidates.

To enhance these workforce development efforts, many states now offer programs through the National Governor’s Association’s skills-based hiring initiative, which supports skills-based hiring, work-based learning, and other policies that create new talent pipelines. Leaders can leverage government and industry initiatives to attract top candidates with diverse, yet relevant, skill sets to help broaden the selection of talent. These efforts will support a more proactive, future-focused approach to the way procurement leaders can enhance their strategy to attract and retain top talent.

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