Professional Buying Skills Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Buyer, Procurement Officer and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-128

Before you join: Participants should have some exposure to purchasing, procurement administration, supplier contact, requisitioning or purchase-order processes.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Professional buyers are expected to secure the right goods and services at the required quality, quantity, time and total cost while protecting supply continuity, commercial integrity and organisational reputation. That requires more than obtaining quotations. Buyers must translate internal requirements into clear specifications, understand supplier markets, assess commercial and operational risk, negotiate workable agreements and manage supplier performance after award.

This course develops the practical buying skills needed to manage that end-to-end process. Participants examine procure-to-pay controls, stakeholder requirements, spend and supply-market analysis, sourcing strategies, supplier prequalification, request-for-quotation documentation, bid evaluation, total cost of ownership, negotiation planning, contract fundamentals and supplier relationship management. They learn to distinguish routine buying from strategic sourcing, apply appropriate competition methods and make defensible purchasing recommendations supported by evidence.

Teaching combines focused tutor briefings with procurement cases, document reviews, group analysis, negotiation simulations and individual application planning. Participants build a category purchasing plan progressively through the course, using their own purchasing category where appropriate. They leave with a structured sourcing and buying pack containing a requirement brief, supply-market analysis, supplier evaluation criteria, negotiation plan, award recommendation and supplier performance measures.

The course suits buyers who already place orders, obtain quotations, work with suppliers or support purchasing decisions and now need a more disciplined commercial approach. It is relevant to procurement teams in government, banking, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, NGOs, construction, retail and professional services.

What you will be able to do

  • Apply procure-to-pay controls to manage compliant purchasing transactions
  • Develop clear purchase specifications and stakeholder requirement briefs
  • Analyse spend, supply markets and category risk using recognised frameworks
  • Prepare RFQ and RFP documents with weighted supplier evaluation criteria
  • Calculate total cost of ownership for purchasing and sourcing decisions
  • Conduct structured supplier negotiations using objectives, concessions and BATNA
  • Draft an award recommendation supported by commercial, risk and evaluation evidence
  • Produce a complete category buying plan and supplier management framework

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Make defensible buying decisions using documented commercial and risk evidence
  • Run supplier discussions with clear objectives, concessions and negotiation limits
  • Write stronger specifications, RFQs and supplier evaluation scorecards
  • Identify hidden cost drivers beyond quoted unit prices
  • Build a portfolio of reusable procurement documents for current responsibilities

For your organisation

  • Improved competition quality through clearer requirements and evaluation criteria
  • Lower purchasing risk through consistent supplier due diligence and controls
  • Reduced total acquisition cost through lifecycle cost analysis
  • More defensible supplier awards supported by documented evidence
  • Stronger supplier service through agreed measures, reviews and corrective actions

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain the buyer’s commercial responsibilities and apply core purchasing controls.

  • Buyer responsibilities for value, continuity, governance and supplier relationships
  • Procure-to-pay stages, decision rights and stakeholder handoffs
  • Three-way match controls for orders, receipts and invoices
  • Spend categories distinguished by demand patterns, markets and risk
  • Authority limits, approval routes and delegated financial powers
  • Conduct rules covering conflicts, gifts, confidentiality and audit trails

Participants can convert stakeholder needs into clear, testable purchasing requirements.

  • Stakeholder mapping by influence, interest, technical knowledge and decision authority
  • Requirement interviews separating needs, preferences, assumptions and constraints
  • SMART acceptance criteria for goods, services and works
  • Output specifications compared with prescriptive technical specifications
  • Service-level requirements covering availability, response times and quality measures
  • Change-control procedures for requirements after sourcing begins

Participants can prepare specifications that invite comparable and compliant supplier responses.

  • Statement of work structure: scope, deliverables, milestones and exclusions
  • Functional specifications focused on outcomes rather than supplier methods
  • Bill of quantities used for measurable construction requirements
  • Quality standards, tolerances and inspection requirements stated precisely
  • Mandatory requirements separated from desirable supplier capabilities
  • Ambiguity checks using supplier questions and internal technical review

Participants can analyse purchasing demand and identify priority buying opportunities.

  • Spend cubes segmented by supplier, category, business unit and location
  • Pareto analysis identifying high-value suppliers and purchasing categories
  • Demand challenge techniques testing volume, frequency, specification and timing
  • Maverick spend identified through purchase-order and invoice data
  • Price variance analysis separating volume, mix and market effects
  • Baseline definition for savings, cost avoidance and budget reduction

Participants can assess supplier-market conditions before selecting a sourcing approach.

  • Porter’s Five Forces applied to supplier-market attractiveness
  • Market structure assessed through concentration, capacity and entry barriers
  • Supply-market intelligence from trade data, reports and supplier financials
  • Cost-driver analysis covering materials, labour, energy and logistics
  • Supplier positioning based on capability, capacity and geographic footprint
  • Market risks recorded for inflation, scarcity, regulation and disruption

Participants can select a sourcing strategy aligned with category value and supply risk.

  • Kraljic Matrix positioning categories by profit impact and supply risk
  • Sourcing options compared: single, dual, multiple and framework supply
  • Make-or-buy analysis using capability, cost, control and capacity criteria
  • Aggregation opportunities across departments, locations and contract requirements
  • Category strategy objectives linked to cost, quality, service and resilience
  • Sourcing timetable aligned with approvals, competition and implementation milestones

Participants can identify suitable suppliers and conduct proportionate prequalification checks.

  • Supplier longlists developed from market research and approved sources
  • Prequalification questionnaires testing capability, capacity and relevant experience
  • Financial due diligence using liquidity, profitability and debt indicators
  • Reference checks structured around delivery, quality and relationship performance
  • Modern slavery, sanctions and adverse-media screening requirements
  • Supplier site visits planned around process capability and quality controls

Participants can prepare competitive sourcing documents that produce comparable supplier bids.

  • RFQ selection for defined requirements and price-led competition
  • RFP structure for solutions requiring supplier design and methodology
  • Instructions to bidders covering timetable, submission format and clarifications
  • Pricing schedules designed for transparent comparison and auditability
  • Terms and conditions issued with invitation documentation
  • Bid validity, confidentiality and communication protocols established clearly

Participants can evaluate supplier submissions objectively and prepare a defensible award recommendation.

  • Weighted evaluation criteria aligned with specification and sourcing objectives
  • Scoring descriptors defining evidence for high, medium and low ratings
  • Consensus evaluation methods controlling bias and undocumented assumptions
  • Commercial evaluation comparing prices, payment terms and cost exposure
  • Clarification questions distinguished from post-bid negotiation matters
  • Award reports documenting scores, risks, approvals and recommendation rationale

Participants can compare purchasing options using lifecycle cost and supplier cost analysis.

  • Total cost of ownership covering acquisition, operation, maintenance and disposal
  • Should-cost models built from materials, labour, overhead and margin
  • Cost breakdown requests used to test supplier price movements
  • Whole-life cost comparisons incorporating reliability, energy and replacement cycles
  • Incoterms 2020 allocation of transport, insurance and customs responsibilities
  • Currency exposure assessed through payment terms and pricing mechanisms

Participants can identify essential contractual protections and escalate legal issues appropriately.

  • Contract formation through offer, acceptance, consideration and authority
  • Scope, price, term and deliverables defined as contract essentials
  • Service levels, remedies and credits linked to measurable performance
  • Warranties, indemnities and liability caps allocated between parties
  • Termination rights covering breach, insolvency, convenience and force majeure
  • Contract change notices controlled through authorised written variation procedures

Participants can prepare a disciplined negotiation plan grounded in evidence and authority limits.

  • Negotiation objectives ranked as target, acceptable and walk-away positions
  • BATNA analysis establishing alternatives before supplier discussions begin
  • Concession planning exchanges value rather than granting unilateral reductions
  • Supplier motivations identified from market position and commercial pressures
  • Negotiation teams assigned lead, observer, technical and financial roles
  • Authority limits documented for price, terms and contractual commitments

Participants can conduct structured supplier negotiations and record clear commercial agreements.

  • Opening statements establish agenda, objectives, authority and meeting rules
  • Questioning techniques uncover supplier constraints, priorities and trade-offs
  • Anchoring used carefully with credible market and cost evidence
  • Silence, summarising and reframing techniques manage difficult discussions
  • Package deals trade price against service, risk and payment terms
  • Negotiation minutes record commitments, owners, deadlines and unresolved points

Participants can recognise procurement integrity risks and incorporate responsible purchasing requirements.

  • Conflict-of-interest declarations completed before supplier evaluation and award
  • Segregation of duties reduces fraud and unauthorised purchasing risk
  • Anti-bribery controls address gifts, hospitality and facilitation payments
  • ISO 20400 principles applied to sustainable procurement decisions
  • Environmental criteria cover emissions, waste, packaging and resource efficiency
  • Human-rights due diligence considers labour practices and supply-chain visibility

Participants can plan supplier onboarding activities that protect service continuity and contract compliance.

  • Mobilisation plans assign actions, owners, dates and acceptance milestones
  • Supplier master-data checks validate legal entity, banking and tax details
  • Kick-off meetings confirm scope, contacts, escalation and reporting arrangements
  • Implementation risks tracked through actions, contingencies and decision logs
  • Training and communication plans prepare users for new supply arrangements
  • Go-live acceptance confirms readiness against agreed service requirements

Participants can establish supplier performance measures, review routines and improvement actions.

  • Supplier scorecards combine quality, delivery, cost, service and compliance measures
  • KPIs defined with formulas, data sources, targets and review frequency
  • Service review meetings distinguish operational issues from strategic improvements
  • Root-cause analysis uses five whys and fishbone diagrams
  • Corrective action plans assign owners, deadlines and verification evidence
  • Performance trends inform renewal, development, competition and exit decisions

Participants can manage supplier relationships according to value, dependency and risk exposure.

  • Supplier segmentation differentiates transactional, preferred, strategic and critical relationships
  • Risk registers record probability, impact, controls, owners and review dates
  • Business continuity plans address single-source failure and logistics disruption
  • Financial health monitoring identifies early warning indicators among suppliers
  • Supplier development plans target capability, quality and process improvements
  • Escalation paths resolve recurring disputes before service deterioration

Participants can coordinate ordering and expediting decisions with inventory and service requirements.

  • Reorder points calculated from demand, lead time and safety stock
  • Economic order quantity balances ordering costs and inventory holding costs
  • Purchase-order acknowledgements confirm price, quantity and delivery commitments
  • Expediting priorities based on production impact, customer need and stock position
  • Late-delivery management records causes, recovery dates and supplier actions
  • Goods-receipt discrepancies resolved through inspection, claims and corrective action

Participants can communicate purchasing performance and decisions using clear commercial evidence.

  • Procurement dashboards report savings, compliance, cycle time and supplier performance
  • Purchase-price variance separates negotiated savings from market-driven changes
  • Management reports distinguish forecast benefits from realised financial benefits
  • Stakeholder updates communicate sourcing progress, decisions and dependencies
  • Exception reports highlight expired contracts, noncompliance and supplier risks
  • Document retention schedules support audit, dispute resolution and knowledge transfer

Participants can build, review and present a complete category buying plan and supplier award recommendation.

  • Requirement brief defines scope, stakeholders, acceptance criteria and constraints
  • Spend and market analysis identify sourcing opportunities and supply risks
  • Category strategy selects competition method, timetable and supplier approach
  • Evaluation model combines technical, commercial, risk and sustainability criteria
  • Negotiation plan sets objectives, BATNA, concessions and approval limits
  • Award recommendation presents evidence, total cost, risks and implementation actions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Category buying plan template
  2. Supplier prequalification questionnaire
  3. Weighted bid evaluation scorecard
  4. Total cost of ownership model
  5. Supplier negotiation planning sheet
  6. Supplier performance scorecard

Who should attend

  • Buyer — builds stronger sourcing, negotiation and supplier-management discipline
  • Procurement Officer — improves tender documentation, evaluation and award recommendations
  • Purchasing Officer — strengthens compliant buying and purchase-to-pay controls
  • Category Assistant — develops analytical skills for category and supplier decisions
  • Supply Chain Coordinator — improves supplier continuity and service-level management
  • Technical Requisitioner — writes clearer requirements and works effectively with procurement

Skills and tools covered

Strategic sourcingSupplier evaluationCommercial negotiationTotal cost analysisContract administrationSupplier performance management

Tools and standards

Kraljic Matrix, Porter’s Five Forces, Total Cost of Ownership, ISO 20400

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short tutor briefings to introduce methods, followed by procurement case work, document analysis, group exercises and structured simulations. Participants review specifications, supplier submissions, pricing models and contract clauses, then apply the methods to a purchasing category relevant to their work. Negotiation simulations develop preparation, questioning, concession management and agreement recording. Each module adds material to an individual sourcing pack, with tutor feedback and peer review before the final capstone presentation.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have some exposure to purchasing, procurement administration, supplier contact, requisitioning or purchase-order processes. They should understand basic commercial terms such as quotation, purchase order, invoice, delivery date and supplier. Experience of buying goods, services or works is useful, whether in a private, public or nonprofit organisation. The course does not require prior formal procurement qualifications, accounting training, legal training or advanced spreadsheet skills. It is not designed as an introductory course for participants with no workplace experience of purchasing activity.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have some exposure to purchasing, supplier contact, requisitioning, purchase orders or procurement administration. No formal procurement qualification, legal training or advanced financial modelling experience is required.

Bring a laptop if possible and, where permitted, a current purchasing category, supplier issue or sourcing requirement. Participants can use anonymised information rather than confidential supplier or pricing data.

It is designed for buyers, procurement officers, purchasing officers, category assistants and supply chain staff with practical buying responsibilities. It also benefits technical staff who define requirements or work closely with procurement.

This course concentrates on the buyer’s end-to-end work: requirements, sourcing, evaluation, negotiation, ordering and supplier performance. Strategic procurement courses typically focus more heavily on enterprise category strategy, while contract management courses focus on administration after signature.

You will build reusable documents for a purchasing category, including a requirement brief, market analysis, evaluation model and negotiation plan. These can be adapted for live sourcing work after the course, subject to your organisation’s policies and approval rules.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first part develops core buying and sourcing methods, while the later modules focus on negotiation, contracts, supplier management and the final category buying plan.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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