The first response to an economic downturn by many organisations is to conduct an examination of costs with a view to seeing how much can be squeezed out of them. This can often result in a dramatic reduction in headcount, which doesn’t necessarily lead to cost-efficient improvements. Rather, longer-term benefits can be obtained by focusing on the procurement and supply chain functions of an organisation where both cost savings and productivity gains and efficiencies can be achieved. This is where our clients come into their own.
Procurement
'Procurement is the process of acquiring goods, works and services, covering both acquisitions from third parties and from in-house providers. The process spans the whole life cycle from identification of needs, through to the end of a services contract or the end of the useful life of an asset. It involves options appraisal and the critical 'make or buy' decision.'
Our clients' Sourcing and Procurement teams work with CEOs, COOs and CFOs of leading global organisations to analyse, design and implement sourcing solutions to drive efficiencies from the bottom up.
Examples of Procurement categories are:
Spend Analysis
Before implementing any sourcing & procurement initiatives, it is very important to analyse past, current & projected spending patterns. The analysis must span the entire enterprise and include data that is often collected from various departments and locations. Such an analysis of direct and indirect spend gives the company the information and decision-support required to develop supply strategies that are aligned with the objectives of the organisation and to identify and prioritise sourcing & procurement improvement initiatives.
Procurement Optimisation
In procurement optimisation, the main focus is on transactional efficiency and on squeezing process-related costs and inefficiencies throughout the purchasing cycle that begins with the identification of the need for the material or service and ends with its implementation.
Supplier Management
Active supplier management is an integral part of strategic sourcing. Organisations are increasingly moving away from the traditional approach of selecting the “lowest cost supplier” to a “total cost of ownership” approach. This approach presupposes extensive knowledge of supplier performance and its impact on enterprise operations.
At MWN, we work with the largest global consultancies and advisory firms within this space and demand has been growing rapidly for high calibre candidates with proven experience of identifying and implementing innovative ways of working within Procurement. We have opportunities available across several levels, from Analyst to Director, all with top-tier firms.
Areas of particular interest to our clients include:
Strategic Sourcing
eProcurement
Category Management
Supplier Management And Evaluation
Private and/or Public Experience (key industries are Retail/FMCG, Financial Services and Resources/Energy)
Programme and Project Management Skills within Procurement Transformation
Direct and Indirect Expenditure
The work is varied and is complimented by the professional development required to stretch and grow your skills. The career pathways, opportunity to work with unrivalled peer-groups and some of the UK’s and the world’s largest businesses are superb. Our clients allow you the opportunity to travel overseas to broaden your experience and advise the world’s most demanding businesses.
Supply Chain
The movement of materials as they flow from their source to the end customer. Supply Chain includes purchasing, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, customer service, demand planning, supply planning and Supply Chain management. It is made up of the people, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product from its supplier to customer.
The issues our clients face daily at the strategic, management and operational level are becoming increasingly complex. The supply chain, and the impact it can have on an organisation’s performance and cost base, is chief amongst these concerns.
Our clients' Supply Chain & Operations teams works with CEOs, COOs and CFOs of leading global organisations to analyse, design and implement supply chain-based solutions to solve their most complex business challenges.
Supply Chain Management and Assurance
Our clients transform enterprises from a collection of local and regional operations, facilities and networks into a coherent, optimised global supply chain.
Operational Strategy and Performance Improvement
Our clients connect operational performance to strategy to ensure alignment to the future direction of their clients’ businesses. They perform supply chain and operational due diligence and assessment services to support business decisions.
Tax Effective Supply Chain Management
Our clients bring a multi-disciplinary approach to helping clients reshape their supply functions, unlocking benefits by reducing operating costs and optimising the tax rates.
We are keen to introduce our clients to candidates with the following skill set:
Demand/Supply Planning
Fulfilment
Transport and Logistics
Inventory Planning
Warehousing
Supply Chain ERP Transformation
We have a particular demand for Senior Consultants, Managers and Directors in this space, who can demonstrate strong consultancy experience coupled with an in-depth knowledge of one of more of these areas. Preferably candidates will have had exposure to the Retail/Consumer Goods, Financial Services, Telecom or Energy industries.
If you are a client looking for an experienced recruitment team to represent your company and secure the best possible candidates, please contact Peter Nicholls on 07770 915407 or pete@mwn.co.uk