Procurement analyst: a hot job in a cold economy
There’s growing demand for procurement and contracting analysts – so much so that the job title popped up in a list of the top 10 jobs that are still in demand by employers. Boston-based Northeastern University’s College of Business Administration compiled the list, which is based on hiring trends and feedback from recruiters who visit the college.
As organizations cut costs, executives are recruiting more procurement and contracting analysts to review and negotiate the purchase of supplies, equipment and services, according to Northeastern’s report.
“For a lot of organizations, it’s an area to better control costs or reduce costs, and so getting folks that are really good at managing that procurement process can make a big difference on the bottom line,” Lynne Sarikas, director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern, told GovPro.com. Procurement analysts are being hotly recruited by both industry and defense contractors, Sarikas added.
Another factor contributing to the demand is the coming wave of baby boomer retirements.
“Replacing baby boomers is a huge issue for a lot of organizations, and I would suspect that it’s a particular concern in the government,” Sarikas said. “I have a number of companies that we are working with who are very consciously – even in lean times – hiring what they term ‘the management of the future,’ because they know that they’ve got some pretty significant waves of retirements on the brink, and if they are not planning for that, they are going to be in trouble.”
Northeastern’s full-time MBA program, which usually takes 24 months to complete, includes an Operations and Supply Chain Management career track.
“Our supply chain program is pretty unique,” Sarikas said. “We are actually preparing students for careers in procurement and distribution and logistics – areas that are pretty critical in this economy.”
The program, she noted, is suited for individuals contemplating careers in industry, defense contracting or governments at all levels.