Communication has always been one of the most important soft skills for procurement to master; it’s vital for everything from stakeholder engagement, negotiations and even presentations. Communication, specifically exceptional active listening skills, will help drive your team’s success.

Procurement leaders and managers should consider these five factors when hiring and retaining future procurement employees.

Procurement is a complex field that requires professionals to think responsibly yet inventively about internal structures and external relationships. In order to have strong external relationships with vendors and stakeholders, companies must first prioritize sourcing and retaining quality personnel.

Credibility is something we all strive for in our professional lives. We want to be trusted by our peers and have our expertise respected by management. If you feel like your organization doesn’t value your department or your role as much as it should, download this white paper to discover actionable ideas and useful tools to start building your credibility now.

Through embracing innovation, new technology and progressive business practices, millennials could be the next dominant force in procurement.

Looking to grow your network and learn from the movers and shakers in the procurement arena? You can gain a lot by following and connecting with professionals who have a wide variety of experience, roles, responsibilities and activities.

What characteristics do you think a successful purchasing professional should have? First determine if your department is expected be to clerical or strategic. From there, you can decide which characteristics will bring your department and organization the most success.

A great procurement manager should focus on identifying and capitalizing on the untapped talent on the team. By doing so, these hidden talents can catapult your team into a strategic powerhouse. Take a look at your team and see if you can identify these three types of personalities.