PASA celebrated International Women’s Day on 7 March with a free two-hour webinar, attended by 128 procurement professionals who heard from several high-profile female speakers.
‘Women in Procurement’ saw a record number of registrations, with Imelda Walsh, Director of the Birmont Group, acting as MC for the second year running.
Kicking off the event, PASA’s MD Lesley Wardropper delivered a warm welcome and informative introduction.
“I’m particularly proud that all of our employees at PASA are female. Yes, that’s correct. We are 100 percent run by females, which is something that not many businesses can lay claim to these days,” said Lesley.
“But, of course, we do have male contractors to balance things out, which enables us to provide procurement insights from all perspectives.”
Attendees also heard from:
Fiona Nissen FCIPS, Director – New Zealand at ArcBlue, on why procurement is a good place for professional women to work, including how women can play on their true strengths to take their procurement skills to the next level.
“Whether you are interested in supply chain management, contract negotiation or supply relationship management, there’s a place for you in procurement,” said Fiona.
“And this diversity means we can continually grow and develop our skills as women, and keep our careers exciting and fulfilling.”
Fiona explained that as good observers, natural communicators and collaborators who understand the importance of building trust and fostering long-term partnerships, women are well suited to a career in procurement.
“Procurement is an excellent career choice for professional women. I do believe it’s a place where women can thrive, we can support each other and drive positive change,” she added.
Merilyn Speiser, Managing Principal, Catalina Consultants & HR Advisor, Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) on managing the transition from working from home to being back in the office in 2025.
Merilyn explained the pros of remote working, shared tips on how to negotiate flexibility with employers, explored the challenges of transitioning people back into the office, and delved into the reasons behind ‘return to the office’ mandates.
“What could we say is best practice for a smooth transition? What I would say is, and it comes as no surprise, it’s about communication,” said Merilyn.
“I would implore business owners and leaders to be really honest about the why. Don’t sugarcoat it as something that it’s not. If you’ve got a clear reason why you are mandating bringing people back in any capacity, be honest about why.”
Sumi Oetomo, Strategic Sourcing Advisor at BLOCK, on managing the reality of returning from maternity leave to the challenging world of full-time professional procurement, including is working from home essential or a distraction?
Sumi explained why returning from maternity leave is a universal challenge for working mothers, explored procurement’s unique challenges for working mothers, shared why working from home can be a lifeline but also has its cons, and talked about finding the all important balance.
“For International Women’s Day, I want all of us to look forward,” said Sumi.
“As employers, we can take the lead, whether it’s offering flexible arrangements or embracing remote working options for mums in procurement.
“It does take courage but we need to advocate for ourselves. We need to secure the support we need and set ourselves up for success. Procurement is tough, but being a mother is actually tougher. We shouldn’t have to choose between family and career.”
Sue-Ella Prodonovich, Principal at Prodonovich Advisory, on the five ways women can best use professional networking groups, including the potential, the real benefits and how to do it properly.
Sue-Ella shared the results of her recent survey with PASA, saying that the overwhelming outcome was that women find it more difficult to build business networks than their male colleagues, yet this is extremely important within their careers.
Explaining why this occurs, Sue-Ella also delved into why the ‘affinity effect’ matters and why overthinking or overinvesting is detrimental, while busting the extrovert myth.
“Watch out for the ‘exhausted heroes’ particularly among women,” said Sue-Ella.
“The exhausted hero is one that can overemphasise looking better or being perceived as being better, doing more, achieving more. Women leaders tend to step in and carry more of the load.
“Help someone else out in your crew, in your tribe, someone in this room.”
Imelda Walsh on advancing your career as a woman in procurement today.
Imelda explored the procurement landscape and considered lifelong learning, what leadership looks like today, how to career plan strategically and overcome challenges, as well as sharing some key words of wisdom.
“I think we all know in procurement leadership, it is still quite male dominant in many industries. The tip I would give you is to build a support network of allies and mentors,” said Imelda.
“Also, it’s really important as a woman in procurement, whether you’re in leadership or not, to really promote diversity and inclusion within your organisation.
“But remember, things are improving and they’re getting better. I feel like year-on-year that gap is closing, which is really fantastic to see.”
