Being a procurement director at a ship management company is no easy task. As a maritime professionals, they are constantly challenged to stay on top of every aspect of vessel operations, from leveraging supplier contracts to onboarding orders & ensuring timely delivery of goods and services. It’s a job that requires skill, knowledge, and an understanding of the ever-changing maritime market. But it’s also one that can be incredibly rewarding. Recently, we have interviewed a handful of procurement directors that represent some of our buyer clients - Atlantska, NSB Ship Management, Polska Zagluga Molska. Let’s take a closer look at life of a procurement director and the challenges they face.
One of the biggest challenges facing procurement directors today is keeping up with the rapidly changing nature of the maritime industry. With advances in technology and new regulations being implemented all the time, staying informed on everything from regional laws to international shipping standards is essential for success. It also means having to do more with less – working smarter rather than harder to cut costs without sacrificing quality or service levels but also staying on top of company's sustainability goals & new product developments in this space. You will be surprised that importance of timing was mentioned by every single procurement director I spoke with!
Another major challenge (as well as opportunity) of a procurement director is managing contracts effectively. In order for any organization to succeed in this space, they need to have well-crafted contracts that cover both short-term and long-term needs – something that can often be difficult when dealing with global suppliers with varying levels of expertise and stock availability. Finally, there’s the challenge of dealing with manual processes such as retyping documents or manually entering data into various systems – tasks that take up valuable time but can be easily automated using modern tools and technologies such as ERP or ShipServ itself.
''As already discussed, one way we have been able to reduce some of this manual work is by creating contracts with suppliers for specific categories of items or services. By having a contract in place, we know exactly what we will pay for an item or service and do not have to worry about negotiating prices each time an order comes through. This also cuts down on processing time since orders can be placed more quickly - let's not forget it ensures timely delivery to the required Port-of-Call. ''
Despite these challenges, those willing to put in the effort will find themselves rewarded not only through cost savings but also through improved operational efficiency over time. By leveraging modern tools such as eProcurement software solutions, and working closely with suppliers, procurement directors can help their organizations achieve greater efficiency while reducing costs associated with manual processes. After all, it’s important not just to focus on cutting costs but also on improving overall performance - something any good procurement director should strive towards!