International Business Procurement Manager

How would you describe the post of International Business Purchasing Manager?

My role is to guide, directly or on a cross-cutting basis, the international CA Consumer Finance purchasing community composed of 13 buyers located in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands and the Corporate Centre in France.

In order to carry out this mission, I am responsible for:

• developing a purchasing strategy, by identifying purchasing needs shared by the various countries and by validating local purchasing projects,
• providing support and expertise to teams in their projects and operating methods,
• conducting multi-country tender procedures for all purchasing categories,
• sharing good practices with the international purchasing community,
• ensuring the monitoring and deployment of the Ivalua purchasing tool in the various countries.

What are some of the yearly highlights of your job?

Purchasing is a very intense activity throughout the year because it is driven by business.
To enable the company to innovate on its market, several multi-country tender procedures are conducted simultaneously for the procurement of digital solutions or consultancy services.

In terms of highlights, every 6 months I organise the International Purchasing Committee meeting, which brings together all the buyers from the various countries. We have been lucky enough to organise the most recent committee meetings in the new Village by CA Milan and in the premises of the new branch in Madrid to discuss the purchasing roadmap, identify possible synergies between countries and share innovative practices to become a Business Partner of the business lines.

I am also a member of the Innovation Lab, which has enabled me to get to grips with innovation, in forums such as Vivatech, and ensure market intelligence.
In normal times, I go and meet the buyers in the various countries depending on the projects.
On an exceptional basis, I contributed to the launch of the new joint venture in Spain by issuing some 15 calls for tenders over 6 months to cover needs connected with the construction of the company. Following the work carried out and thanks to the added value we provided, as acknowledged by our purchasing advisers, we were able to recruit a business buyer for our joint venture in Madrid.

Could you describe a typical day?

In this particular health crisis context, I usually start my day with a virtual coffee with my team and regularly with overseas teams. This is a friendly event where we can discuss ongoing projects and the latest news.
Day to day, I liaise with the business lines for multi-country projects, supporting them in expressing their needs. The tender procedures are conducted either by me or by a Buyer. We negotiate the technical and commercial bids with the suppliers and implement framework agreements with the assistance of the Legal Department.
I also provide support and backing to buyers with regard to their projects.

What is your academic and professional experience? / What studies and experience do you need to do your job and what career development prospects are there?

Having graduated with an International Master’s in Purchasing from the EM Strasbourg Business School, I started my career in Paris as a Contacts and Software Centres Buyer for the Orange Group (worldwide), then as an IT Services and Marketing Buyer under the VIE (international company volunteering) scheme in London for 2 years.
I then joined a Purchasing Consultancy firm as a Purchasing Consultant, supporting companies in various business sectors. I then carried out two missions at L’Oréal and AXA.
After 6 years’ experience in purchasing, I had the chance to take a management position as International Business Purchasing Manager for Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance.

The classic route is to study at a business school, specialising in Purchasing, and gain significant experience in purchasing in an international context. The standard progression is to obtain a management position and then become Purchasing Director.
Sometimes, business advisers switch to purchasing after a retraining course leading to a qualification.
With a background in purchasing, it is also possible to consider a career as a Sales Representative or Project Manager connected with the business line of the purchasing category.

What advice would you like to give to anyone seeking a post similar to yours?

Historically, the role of the purchasing department concerned financial challenges and reducing costs.
Nowadays, while Buyers still contribute to a company’s economic performance, they are also creators of value by introducing innovation. By proposing suppliers and innovative solutions, they help the company become smarter. 
In order to ensure respect for the environment, they also focus particularly on CSR risks and supplier relations. These challenges are even more significant in the context of the current COVID crisis, and purchasing is becoming one of the key agents for change.

I find the post of International Purchasing Manager highly rewarding because it entails contributing to reaching targets of efficiency, money saving and social and environmental responsibility, while dealing with different business lines and corporate cultures.