Professional Development

What works

Many companies think that by sending an employee to a training course, the individual will learn new skills, broaden his or her horizons and apply those new skills to the job. Many employees may learn new skills, but the work environment does not enable the employee to effectively use the skill set. There is little or no support within the business to encourage the application of something new. Change, for most companies, is difficult at all levels and time constraints force people to use time-tested habits. Furthermore, there is no accountability placed on the individual, little measurement between the old skill and newly acquired skill set.

For those reasons, ADR takes a development approach to building staff procurement skills. It is targeted on individual and team needs and provides long-term mentoring, coaching and measurement of progress. Detailed expectations and deliverables are understood in development programs. While development programs have a high cost, they also have a high return and deliver enhanced organizational capability.

Here is a side-by-side comparison.

ADR is commited to the long-term success of its clients, and it demonstrates that commitment by incorporating professional development into its work transforming procurement and supply management at companies. By transfering skills to internal staff as ADR completes its consulting work, improved processes are sustained and can be continuously improved.

ADR also offers development as a separate service in a number of styles and formats to meet its client’s needs. Our motivational approach is proven, effective and endorsed by our clients. It has both UK and US procurement institutes’ accreditation. At the core of all ADR's Learning programs is a knowledge base built up over 20 years at the leading edge of procurement practice. All our learning programs are aimed to transfer real-life working expertise into our client companies, to empower them with the knowledge they need to achieve their individual and business goals.

ADR can assess the purchasing skills of procurement staff with cost-effective, non-threatening Internet tools and deliver customized professional development that addresses the specific needs of each client company.

Skill Assessments 

• Defining competencies. ADR will analyze a client’s needs and define the job categories and competencies required to manage the client’s spend.
• Development Needs Assessment (DNA). Using a tested Web survey, ADR can assess the professional development needs of every individual involved in supply management. Based on each assessment ADR creates a custom professional development plan for each employee. Follow this link to learn more about DNA.

Professional Development

• Large group development. Using customized content, ADR consultants can deliver highly interactive and effective workshop sessions to groups of staff. ADR also delivers customized self-paced training modules that purchasing staff can use as their schedules permit it.
• Small group development. ADR is capable of coaching or mentoring individuals or a small group of high-level procurement managers. ADR consultants understand and can address the particular needs of C-level executives.

Follow this link to examples of professional development

Outsourced Talent Management

ADR is capable of developing and managing a sustained professional development and placement plan within a company, from entry-level buyers to the chief procurement officer.