Governments must be proactive to attractive best procurement talent

Public sector procurement professionals face a number of challenges in 2011 and government organisations can be proactive in attracting the best procurement talent.

According to René Kling, general manager of Supply Chain Management Education Australia, government are generally the last choice employer for procurement professionals.

Consequently, the public sector should look at providing a market loading on top of existing salaries to attract the best talent, as well as offering opportunities for real change, including higher levels of delegation and decision making for procurement professionals to make a real difference to current processes and outcomes.

“The main attractiveness to work for government is employment stability, but this does not attract young professionals, who are typically better qualified and keen to make a difference,” he sais.

Governments also need to change the way they allow procurement professionals to operate within the public sector environment.

“Procurement professionals are generally not attracted by bureaucratic systems, where change and new ideas are often frowned upon,” Kling said.

“Perhaps exploring the opportunity to reward cost savings and efficiencies, such as happens in the private sector, should be considered. “There is often a feeling that ‘you do it for the love of the job’, but that does perhaps not attract the best talent,” he said.

To attract the best talent, all government organisations should review their understanding of strategic procurement and its contemporary challenges, Guy Callender, chair in leadership of strategic procurement said.

Attracting the best talent requires a number of issues to be considered, including salary, flexible conditions, progressive procurement policies and practices, educational opportunities and actively supporting the developing status of procurement.

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