The Gift that Keeps on Giving — Procurement Education

It’s the holiday season and I’m sure we all feel the same way as we approach the New Year — relieved that the four numbers “2020” will soon no longer show up in our calendar.

With the joy that comes with the holidays and the thought of putting this year behind us, I know many of you that lead the procurement, supplier management and/or risk management functions of your organization are wondering how to reward your team to set them and your organization up for success in 2021.

The Gift of Procurement Education

Many of your organizations likely cut budgets this year, while some of your organizations may have extra spend sitting in the training budget since many in-person training and events were canceled this year. While we all love cool gadgets and gift cards and hope not to receive a dried up fruitcake, the best gift for your team should be special, meaningful and continue to reward year after year.

The perfect gift would show your team how much you appreciate them, while providing an opportunity to develop their skills.  At the same time, it would be ideal if that gift could boost your team’s performance as well as their credibility with stakeholders and management while in turn contributing to the overall success of your organization. That sure seems like it’d be proving to your superiors that you have a strategic mind to make it a win-win-win for all parties.

Procurement education certifications in strategic sourcing, supplier management, third-party risk management and intelligent process automation can bring you that win. Earning skills in these areas bring many benefits not only to the individuals who attain them, but also to the organizations that employ them. It also advances the profession in general along with the respect for those in that profession.

For individuals, earning a certification provides a sense of personal affirmation and accomplishment and brings them a greater sense of worth through professional growth and specialized knowledge.  It not only strengthens their commitment to the profession but also to their organization.

Certifications in general bring an increased respect from peers and superiors as well as an increased likelihood of both financial and non-financial incentives and recognition including promotions, raises and bonuses. For organizations, it inspires ethical behavior, boots productivity, generates increased organizational efficiencies and effectiveness, encourages leadership, aides in retaining skilled talent, and gives your clients and partners a greater confidence in your business. For the profession, it helps define responsibilities, provides a more capable workforce and enables it to advance strategically.

SIG University was founded on the ideals of elevating the sourcing and risk professions in order to strategically deliver value to organizations across the globe. It provides a common language for sourcing and risk professionals, developed by experts in the areas of sourcing, supplier relationship management, third-party risk management and intelligent process automation.

Here’s the Deal

We know everyone likes a deal, and let’s face it, after a year like 2020, we all deserve a good deal. To celebrate a new you and a new year, SIG is offering 21% off their Certified Sourcing Professional (CSP) program for a limited time (expires Jan. 4, 2021).

Our CSP (Certified Sourcing Professional) program is a 10-week dynamic program for those who are looking for a good foundation in general business concepts as they related to sourcing, an in depth look into strategic sourcing methodologies, as well as negotiation and outsourcing best practices.

Our CSMP (Certified Supplier Management Professional) program is a five-week program for those who wish to learn how to put effective governance programs in place by exposing students to leading-edge training on contract administration, compliance, risk mitigation, supplier performance, governance operating models, talent management support, transformation and more.

Our C3PRMP (Certified Third-Party Risk Management Professional) program is a 10-week program for risk management professionals, vendor/relationship managers, auditors, finance professionals, consultants, executives responsible for governance and oversight of critical third parties, and those seeking to add value with risk-informed decisions that drive enterprise value. It provides students best and emerging practices in third-party risk management throughout the lifecycle of critical relationships and the tools for effective governance. SIG is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. Students who complete the CPE-track of C3PRMP can earn 66 CPE credits.

Our CIAP (Certified Intelligent Automation Professional) program is a six-week program for those who fully appreciates the need to transform operations through automation and is interested in running a successful, scalable and efficient automation program. Students will be introduced to automation technologies, learn how to identify the correct opportunities to build, run and sustain a successful automation program, and will understand the true potential of IPA technologies.

All SIG University certification programs are built for the time-constrained professional (see our curriculum guide on our website). The procurement education programs are hosted on our online Learning Management System where students have the flexibility to log in and complete weekly assignments at times that are convenient for each’s individual schedule. Each program is offered online in three delivery models: open-cohort semesters offered at regular intervals throughout the year, closed-cohort semesters offered privately for teams of 20 or more, and self- or fast-paced for those needing a more relaxed or accelerated pace to complete the program.

In applicable programs, discussion forums are facilitated by expert faculty and provide an opportunity for students to interact and engage with other students and faculty in providing more context with real-life scenarios and how to apply best practices. As a student of SIG University, students are also granted access to the members-only SIG Resource Center (SRC), which provides a one-stop repository of additional tools, templates, thought leadership and other resources applicable to each week’s procurement education lessons.

When you have so much to gain, why not give the gift of learning this holiday season? Show your team you care about their personal development and show your leadership the importance of investing in the sourcing, supplier management and risk functions in your organization.