Launch Of The ANZ Public Sector Procurement Profession

The public sector procurement profession is the dedicated workforce that has primary responsibility for championing government outcomes through agency procurement spend and contract management in collaboration with service providers.

On Wednesday 23 June 2021, the Australasian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) and partnering peak associations are launching the Campaign to professionalise public sector procurement through the release of the Public Sector Procurement Profession Role Statement and Procurement Capability Framework. As is the case across other well-established professions, procurement practitioners in the Australian and New Zealand public sector will be supported through a set of standards. The standards will identify core procurement and related business skills necessary to deliver compliant value for money procurement outcomes through contemporary, efficient and responsive processes.

APCC Council Chair Mr Glenn Bain said “This will be the first time procurement has been defined with a professional standard for the Australian and New Zealand public sector”

“The release of the Procurement Role Statement and the Procurement Capability Framework is timely as governments strive to leverage their spend through procurement to deliver a range of economic, environmental and social outcomes as well as stimulating the economy and supporting fiscal repair. Recognition and investment in core capabilities to support the procurement workforce will also help strengthen Australia’s economic productivity over the longer term. With the current under-supply of procurement professionals, there is an urgent need to expand the pool of talent” said Mr Bain.

The Procurement Role Statement will establish the value proposition represented by the procurement profession and will act to encourage that workforce to attain, and maintain, core procurement capabilities and related business skills. This will not only provide certainty regarding the critical skills required, but it will also provide a basis for targeted investment in workforce professionalisation to raise the bar for the entire profession.

The aim is to establish baseline procurement proficiencies in every public sector jurisdiction. This standard will, in turn, assist in shaping vocational training, university education and professional body certification, which will work to provide an expanded talent pool for jurisdictions to employ qualified procurement officers.

The Campaign, to commence following a webinar Launch on 23 June 2021, is designed to encourage new entrants into the procurement profession through promotion of the wide and varied opportunities it affords practitioners, such as:

• A rewarding career with opportunities to make a lasting social, economic, and environmental impact to the wellbeing of local communities.

• A chance to be part of a growing professional community with mobility between the public and private sector, and international employment opportunities.

• Public and private sector, and international employment opportunities.

• Opportunities to strengthen specialist knowledge and interpersonal skills, and acquire transferrable and highly sought after skills that open doors to employment in many related professions.

Mr Bain suggests that “those who have strong commercial and interpersonal skills and are interested in seeking to start their career in procurement, whether in the public or private sectors, or moving laterally into it from another profession, should attend the Launch webinar to learn more about this growing and high profile profession.”

“The Launch of the Procurement Role Statement is only the beginning of the journey to professionalise procurement and the APCC will continue to work with a range of stakeholders to deliver on the promise to uplift public sector procurement capability.”

A webinar to launch the public sector procurement profession standard, will be held on 23 June 2021. You can register for free here.

Those interested in working with the APCC to professionalise the procurement profession should contact Tamara at tamara@apcc.gov.au.