Most Important Skills for a Global Procurement Manager at Commonwealth Fusion Systems and SpaceX
Nihitha, a Global Procurement Manager, emphasizes negotiation skills as paramount, recommending workshops to "make the pie bigger" for mutually beneficial outcomes. Further, a strong understanding of supply chain dynamics and meticulous planning, including proactive communication with engineering and planning teams, are crucial for success in this role, which Nihitha highlights as a central function touching "all different areas of the value chain."
Negotiation, Supply Chain Management, Planning, Project Management, Communication
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nihitha Kishore
Global Procurement Manager
Commonwealth Fusion Systems & SpaceX
Rutgers University
UCLA-Anderson MBA
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Negotiation skills are crucial, not just for procurement but also in various life situations. Improving these skills through workshops or courses provides a significant advantage.
2. A high-level understanding of the supply chain is essential for procurement roles. Taking a basic supply chain course or independently researching the topic helps understand how different functions within the chain interconnect.
3. Strong planning skills are vital to ensure timely delivery of parts. This involves understanding organizational needs, asking relevant questions to engineering and planning teams, and collaborating with suppliers to meet deadlines effectively.
Transcript
So, what skills are most important for a job like yours?
An important skill for any procurement role is negotiation. I would recommend going through workshops. There are many workshops offered online or face-to-face that have been beneficial throughout my career.
I'm still looking forward to taking more through school as well. I think that will go a long way, not only as a buyer, but you can also apply it if you're buying a house or in other non-work-related negotiations. It's important to understand how negotiations work and how to "make the pie bigger."
It's not always about what your company is looking for, whether it's cost reduction or faster delivery. There needs to be something that the other party also benefits from. That's one top skill.
Another skill is to really understand how the supply chain works at a high level. Even reading up on basic supply chain 101, from the beginning all the way until delivery, will be helpful when entering a buyer role or any role within supply chain.
This way, you can understand how different functions interconnect. A buyer role is like a nucleus, touching all different areas of the value chain. A basic supply chain course is probably helpful, or even just doing research on the topic.
Another important skill set is planning. This involves understanding what your organization needs and by when. It's also about knowing what questions to ask the engineering and planning teams.
As a buyer, you need to work with your suppliers to bring in parts on time. Asking the right questions ensures the supplier has enough time to deliver. This avoids pushing for expedites towards the end and helps bring everyone on the same page.
These three skills—negotiation, supply chain understanding, and planning—have been consistent throughout my experience. Looking back, I want to continue developing these skill sets and taking courses to relearn them.