AUSTRALIA with people , making sure they understood what was happening and the escalation procedures in place if there was an issue ,” she says .

“ We had to sell ourselves to the business and a big part of it was also ensuring they could see the benefits of the changes and how we were adding value , which we supported by developing some really good reporting tools to improve visibility into the procurement process .”

For such a transformation to succeed , it is important to engage with the wider business to prove your worth , Irwin says .

“ That means truly understanding the business – understanding what all the stakeholders need from your team and also how you can proactively add value , streamline processes and deliver synergies ,” she says .

“ You need to establish and maintain your credibility and integrity within

Number of employees

the business , which requires getting out of the office and talking to people , even if it means acknowledging your mistakes and learning from them . If you ’ re just trying to put a positive spin on things and pretend everything is perfect then you lose that credibility .”

To help establish the procurement department ’ s credibility within the business , Irwin vowed there was no problem that was too small for the team to address . One of the first issues it tackled was complaints regarding work pants being too hot for some outdoor projects . “ It might seem like a little thing but I knew we needed to show that we could get things done and it was a stepping stone in strengthening our relationship with the wider business ,” she says .

To take things to the next level Irwin recruited staff strategically , looking for people who had specific experience in the area they ’ d be working with

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