AI & ML
Procurement is evolving from a purely tactical function to a strategic business partner, with professionals facing new challenges and opportunities across multiple fronts. From extracting maximum value from consulting partnerships to managing tariff disruptions and preparing for significant role transformations, today’ s procurement leaders must navigate an increasingly complex landscape.
Natasha Gurevich, Founder and CEO of Candor Procurement, explores how teams can drive greater value, build resilience and prepare for the function’ s rapidly changing future.
Building truly collaborative consulting relationships According to Natasha, one of procurement’ s most common challenges when working with consultants stems from unclear expectations and misaligned objectives at the outset of engagements.
“ There is a lack of clarity around the scope and vision of what they’ re seeking. Entering an engagement without a clear definition of success often leads to misaligned expectations and disappointing outcomes,” she explains.
This challenge is often compounded by consultant behaviour that can undermine trust before work begins.“ On the consulting side, firms sometimes offer templated solutions that feel generic and impersonal, which can be interpreted as a lack of genuine investment in the client’ s needs,” Natasha notes.
She also identifies a crucial disconnect that frequently occurs:“ There’ s often a gap between who sells the engagement – typically seasoned partners – and who delivers the work, which is more often than not less experienced talent. That mismatch can create skepticism and erode trust before the work even begins.”
To overcome these barriers and establish genuinely collaborative partnerships, Natasha recommends procurement leaders take specific actions.
“ To get full value from a consulting engagement, procurement leaders must clearly articulate the vision and expected deliverables, share relevant information more openly – procurement often holds back too much – and be explicit in signalling that innovation and creativity are expected, not just a repackaging of what’ s already known.”
She emphasises the importance of transparent communication:“ Consultants respond to clear direction and strategic challenges. Communicate with them honestly and openly and you’ ll get far more than a standard slide deck.”
Moving beyond cost-cutting to strategic advisory While cost optimisation remains a core procurement function, Natasha suggests that leveraging consultants purely for cost-cutting misses significant opportunities for broader business impact.
“ That mindset shift must start with understanding your actual needs and how you frame the engagement,” she advises.
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