Flexible Training Options for Today’s Busy Supply Management Professional

As the supply management profession grows into a position of strategic influence, it is apparent that every action within the supply chain has consequences. Given that, supply management professionals have the opportunity and obligation to model and communicate ethical behavior across the entire supply chain. Managing the supply chain can be fraught with obstacles and challenges, this course is intended to provide guidance – a map, if you will – for supply management ethics.

It is part of the mission of Institute for Supply Management® to foster and drive sustainability and social responsibility through the development and communication of principles and guidance, information and best practices. This course will present an overview of topics related to this mission and provide tools to empower supply professionals in their front-line roles to lead, drive and influence sustainability and social responsibility initiatives within the organization and throughout the entire supply chain.

In many companies, procurement has an image problem. It’s often seen as a “clerical” function relegated to processing POs after the contract has been negotiated and signed. This ISM procurement course will help you to overcome this challenge and position procurement as a strategic partner within your organization. As companies seek additional sources of value, procurement has an opportunity to position itself as a strategic enabler of success. In this course, you’ll learn how to raise procurement’s profile by understanding shared goals, securing leadership buy-in and communicating successes.

Sourcing becomes a strategic advantage when requirements are clear and supplier selection is calculated. When it comes to sourcing, your organization must differentiate needs versus wants to be successful. This ISM supply management sourcing course will show you how using a defined RFx strategy will give you an edge over the competition. In your role as a supply management professional, it is critical to have a plan to align specifications with supplier capabilities. You need to know how purchase timing can play a unique strategic role. This course will provide you with new sourcing skills to set the foundation for success and advancement in your career.

Your role in supply chain and procurement projects is vital to helping your company meet its business goals. The job of managing stakeholders is often overlooked. However, every successful business imperative requires strong alignment with internal and external stakeholders. In this ISM supply management course designed to increase your business acumen, you will learn and apply key concepts to increase engagement and improve results among stakeholders. This leadership-building supply management course will teach you how to identify and engage stakeholders to influence the way projects are structured and managed for optimal outcomes.

Automation continues to influence supply management and drive changes in the profession. With a critical need to focus on strategic priorities, tactical work can leverage technology to free resources. Repeatable, rule driven tasks that require significant headcount can adapt robotic process automation, (RPA BOTS). In this ISM supply management course, you will learn how RPA BOTS continue to evolve with cognitive capabilities and how this impacts the face of supply management. You’ll complete this course with a strong understanding of how RPA BOTS are and will continue to impact your profession.

Supply and demand signals are always changing, and supply management professionals must strive to keep pace. Learn the balancing act between cash outlay and the availability of inventory in this ISM supply management course. You will learn how to factor in production schedules and cyclical usage patterns to ensure suppliers are prepared. In this course, you will also gain understanding that with proper planning and forecasting, the process can be optimized. Finally, you will learn how to use analysis strategy to enable your goals to align with the overall organization.

Effective use of sales and operations planning, sometimes called integrated business planning (IBP), can help you drive increasing value and optimal business communication. Supply managers are critical partners in this process. Alignment between sales, operations and supply management can be achieved with routine forecast reviews and structured meetings. In this ISM supply management course, you’ll learn a systems-thinking approach to enable organizational success in a dynamic world.

Sourcing of services can add a degree of ambiguity and complexity to supply management. Discover how to engage with suppliers and stakeholders to maximize value and reduce costs. In this ISM supply management course, you’ll learn how through appropriate strategies, you can leverage price information. This course will show you how applying appropriate contractual terms and indicators can make suppliers more receptive to improving services that benefit the organization.

In this ISM supply management course, you’ll learn how to prioritize and manage different types of relationships. Upon completing this foundational supplier management course, you will understand how alignment between organizational strategy and supplier performance provides a critical path to success. You’ll discover how the value of strong relationships will greatly enhance your intended expectations as well as how this newfound skill will help you advance in your career.

Spend analysis can refer to several different types of business analysis, all using spend data or data collected based on the money a company spends with suppliers. This course will introduce you to the categorization of the data, classification and determination of addressable and non-addressable spend. You will also review the Pareto analysis and the process of data cleaning. Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped with new skills and knowledge in financial analysis as a supply management professional.

Inventory exists because the lead time to provide products to customers is longer than many customers are willing to wait. Inventory can be expensive; therefore, an organization must determine the correct levels to maintain. There are several approaches to balance this challenge. With dynamic business environments, ongoing demand changes can create problems. In this ISM supply management course, you will use forecasting and planning tools that comprehend such variables and ensure the needs of the customer, business and suppliers are met.

Contracting within supply management continues to be the basis for aligned expectations and performance. An organization must properly define expected outcomes to draft the best contract. This ISM supply management course will ensure you understand the basics, such as key terms and conditions, and enable your organization to legally receive the prescribed goods and services.

Our supply management courses are created in collaboration with the industry’s leading subject matter experts, resulting in the most relevant education available in supply management.

Enjoy self-paced courses that allow you to access materials anytime, anywhere and take your learning at a pace that fits your busy lifestyle and schedule.

Gaining new skills and knowledge on-the-go has never been easier. ISM’s advanced, modern course design is delivered on our interactive, easy-to-use mobile friendly platform. Print options are also available.