CATEGORY MANAGEMENT FOR PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS
Strategically Managing Spend Categories to Maximize Value and Supplier Performance
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 – 15 May 2025 | Kuwait | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
Category management is a strategic procurement approach that enables organizations to group similar goods or services to drive efficiencies, control costs, and strengthen supplier performance. Unlike traditional sourcing, it provides a long-term, structured framework that aligns procurement goals with organizational objectives.
This advanced training course empowers procurement professionals to master the tools, techniques, and skills needed to implement and sustain effective category management practices. It provides practical insights into spend analysis, stakeholder engagement, market intelligence, sourcing strategies, and supplier collaboration to deliver measurable value across categories.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Define and apply the category management process across spend areas
• Conduct spend segmentation and opportunity analysis
• Develop and implement category strategies using real data
• Engage stakeholders to ensure adoption and alignment
• Apply sourcing levers and supplier strategies to reduce risk and cost
• Monitor category performance using KPIs and dashboards
Key Benefits of Attending
• Move beyond tactical sourcing to deliver sustained category value
• Gain hands-on experience in category planning and strategy development
• Understand how to link procurement to corporate goals and stakeholder needs
• Learn to use market intelligence and supplier data effectively
• Increase your influence as a strategic partner in the organization
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
• Procurement and Strategic Sourcing Managers
• Category Managers and Buyers
• Contract and Supply Chain Professionals
• Commercial, Finance, and Project Support Staff
• Anyone involved in planning, buying, or managing supplier categories
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
• Spend segmentation and opportunity assessment
• Category planning and strategy formulation
• Stakeholder management and communication
• Supplier evaluation and relationship management
• Data-driven procurement decision-making
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• More strategic, value-driven sourcing decisions
• Improved supplier alignment and performance monitoring
• Enhanced stakeholder engagement and internal collaboration
• Stronger cost control and risk mitigation across categories
• Procurement’s increased contribution to organizational success
Instructional Methdology
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• More strategic, value-driven sourcing decisions
• Improved supplier alignment and performance monitoring
• Enhanced stakeholder engagement and internal collaboration
• Stronger cost control and risk mitigation across categories
• Procurement’s increased contribution to organizational success
Course Outline
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Foundations of Category Management
Module 1: Introduction to Category Management (07:30 – 09:30)
• Definitions, benefits, and key differences from traditional sourcing
Module 2: Procurement Maturity and Strategic Alignment (09:45 – 11:15)
• Maturity models and aligning category goals with business priorities
Module 3: Spend Analysis and Segmentation (11:30 – 01:00)
• Spend cube creation, Pareto analysis, and portfolio matrices
Module 4: Workshop – Map Spend to Categories (02:00 – 03:30)
• Use sample data to identify priority areas for focus
Day 2: Strategy Development and Market Intelligence
Module 5: Category Planning Framework (07:30 – 09:30)
• Objectives, scope, stakeholder alignment, and timelines
Module 6: Internal Needs and Demand Analysis (09:45 – 11:15)
• Usage patterns, business requirements, and volume forecasts
Module 7: External Market and Supply Risk Assessment (11:30 – 01:00)
• Porter’s Five Forces, supply risk mapping, PESTLE
Module 8: Workshop – Build a Category Strategy Draft (02:00 – 03:30)
• Teams outline a strategic plan for a selected category
Day 3: Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Management
Module 9: Sourcing Levers and Options (07:30 – 09:30)
• Aggregation, standardization, substitution, negotiation
Module 10: Total Cost of Ownership and Lifecycle Costs (09:45 – 11:15)
• Comparing offers beyond price – risk, service, sustainability
Module 11: Supplier Relationship Management (11:30 – 01:00)
• Supplier segmentation, development, and collaboration
Module 12: Workshop – Source a High-Impact Category (02:00 – 03:30)
• Build sourcing strategies and risk-response plans
Day 4: Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement
Module 13: Engaging Internal Stakeholders (07:30 – 09:30)
• Managing resistance, alignment meetings, and adoption
Module 14: Implementation Planning and Governance (09:45 – 11:15)
• Transition planning, performance monitoring, change control
Module 15: Category Action Plans and Roadmaps (11:30 – 01:00)
• Execution timelines and accountability models
Module 16: Workshop – Stakeholder Engagement Simulation (02:00 – 03:30)
• Roleplay-based scenario for stakeholder negotiation
Day 5: Performance Management and Continuous Improvement
Module 17: KPIs and Performance Measurement (07:30 – 09:30)
• Savings tracking, service levels, risk indicators
Module 18: Category Review and Improvement Cycles (09:45 – 11:15)
• Annual reviews, lessons learned, continuous updates
Module 19: Case Study – End-to-End Category Lifecycle (11:30 – 01:00)
• From planning to execution to evaluation
Module 20: Final Workshop – Present a Full Category Strategy (02:00 – 03:30)
• Participants deliver their comprehensive strategy presentations
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Category Management for Procurement Professionals, validating their capability to drive category-based sourcing initiatives that improve value, reduce risk, and align procurement with business strategy.