Professional Purchasing Skills (Certified Purchasing Professional)

This practical and highly popular workshop rapidly develops the key skills and knowledge that enables new and developing office professionals to maximize their contribution to the workplace. The workshop shows you how to plan and organize efficiently, develop confident communication skills and proactively contribute to the successful achievement of the organization's goals.

Course Objectives 
By the end of this workshop delegates will be able to:

• Develop the skills and attributes of a first-class office professional and make a greater contribution in their workplace.
• Become more confident
• Become more proactive
• Communicate more confidently and effectively with your manager, colleagues, and other departments
• Deal with the difficulties and pressures of working in a modern office.
• Prioritize between urgent and important tasks
• Plan, organize and manage time more effectively
• Present yourself more confidently and efficiently
• Write, email and use the phone more professionally and effectively.

Training Methodology

• This particular program is structured using a combination of interactive activities, group, and individual exercises, role-plays and discussion interspersed with formal inputs supported by PowerPoint presentations.
• Inter-group discussions to share working experiences are also an important ingredient in the process. Skills are introduced and revisited at regular intervals throughout the program to facilitate reinforcement and to help delegates remember them. -
• The tutors are always on hand for one-to-one discussions with delegates regarding any problems or confidential matters that they may wish to discuss. On offer, each day following lunch will be an open session for 1 hour, by request, for individual or group discussion(s) on any additional subjects required or problems or issues that delegates may have or wish to discuss.

Organizational Impact 

• Delegates attending this program will better appreciate the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to fulfill their current and future job/role requirements more effectively. They will be exposed to and will have the opportunity to practice, sets of competencies that are an essential contribution towards achieving business objectives in a cost-effective manner. They will have a better understanding of other people’s needs, perspectives, and how they may support and work with them to the benefit of all. The organization will see the benefits of integrating such fundamental behaviors towards the provision of enhanced service and support to their line managers, colleagues, and customers.
• Our underlying philosophy is simple and is based upon the notion that people are an employer’s greatest and most expensive asset therefore our aim is to provide maximum return on investment. Often what differentiates the successful executive administrator is a deep understanding of people and human behavior coupled to an ability to respond and react appropriately. The aim is to enable people to provide the first-class service both within the organization and with external customers.

Personal Impact 

• Attendance on this high-level program will result in individuals being exposed to senior support staff from a wide range of organizations thereby creating a network of contacts. They will be introduced to a range of interpersonal and organizational competencies required to achieve superior performance in their support roles.
• The well-tried and tested approaches adopted in this innovative program will benefit individuals whilst working and managing the pressure, tensions and demands of their respective workplaces.
• Delegates will be exposed to a range of different proven techniques which the individual can tailor and modify to suit their own styles and organizational behaviors. They will have ample opportunity to practice many of these skills and competencies in a friendly atmosphere where maximum learning can take place.

Course Outlines of Professional Purchasing Skills
Day 1
Setting the scene, assessing existing skills, Time Management

• General introduction
• Assessing prior skills and knowledge
• Competencies required
• Perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs
• Learning Styles/Thinking Styles
• Time management skills
• Time Management Group Activity 1
• Video on time management
• Time Management Group Activity 2

Day 2
Organizing and Planning

• Managing workflow
• Techniques for organizing and planning – brainstorming, SWOT analysis, Goal setting, setting SMART objectives
• Group Activity
• Mind Mapping
• Video
• Group Activity – mind mapping exercise
• Managing meetings

Day 3
Communication Skills

• Understanding Assertiveness
• Group Activity on assertiveness
• Listening and questioning skills
• Group activity on listening effectively
• Body Language
• Group activity on body language
• Video

Day 4
Team working

• Conflict management
• Dealing with difficult people
• Managing upwards
• Stress management
• Group Team building activity to demonstrate leading, sharing information, understanding the brief, listening skills, teamwork, creative thinking, time management

Day 5
Presentation skills

• Telephone skills
• Writing skills
• Email etiquette
• Presentation skills
• Group Exercise – delegates to prepare and present a 4-minute presentation on a topic to be agreed upon.
• Review of the week