There has been a noticeable shift in how procurement talent is sourced and assessed. What was once a function genuinely open to transferable skills and fresh commercial perspectives has, in many cases, become a search for near-identical profiles.
When I started recruiting in the procurement market over eight years ago, transferable skills were genuinely valued. Hiring managers were open to meeting strong candidates from different sectors, people who could bring fresh thinking, different ways of working, and proven commercial capability. Today, that openness has narrowed considerably.
In many cases, the market has shifted towards a far more risk-averse approach. Too often, businesses are looking for someone who has done the exact same role, in the exact same industry, at a broadly similar organisation.
On paper, that can feel like the prudent option. In practice, it can be significantly limiting.
The Case for Capability Over Category Match
If you only hire from the same talent pool, you miss out on new ideas, broader perspectives, and different approaches that create genuine commercial value. Some of the strongest procurement leaders we have worked with built their careers precisely by taking what worked in one environment and applying it to improve another.
The ability to transfer commercial capability across categories and sectors is not a weakness in a candidate profile. In many cases, it is a strength.
This is especially relevant as procurement and supply chain functions face growing pressure to drive sustainable value, navigate complex risk environments, and lead on ESG and digital transformation. These challenges reward adaptability and strategic thinking qualities that are not sector-specific.
The Time Cost That Is Often Overlooked
There is also a practical hiring reality that businesses frequently underestimate. The more specific and narrow the brief, the smaller the available talent pool and the longer it takes to find someone who meets every requirement.
Extended hiring processes carry a real cost: missed opportunities, added pressure on existing teams, and delayed progress on critical procurement initiatives. All of this in pursuit of a “perfect” candidate who may not exist, or who has no compelling reason to move.
That last point matters. Procurement professionals already doing the same role elsewhere are being asked to move company to do more of what they are already doing. Without a clear step up, a stronger package, or a genuinely compelling opportunity, motivation to make that move is limited. Narrow briefs can inadvertently produce a weaker shortlist, not a stronger one.
Something Worth Reflecting On
It is worth noting that some of the same hiring managers who insist on sector-specific experience when building their teams are often the first to emphasise how transferable their own skills are when they are exploring their next move.
If you expect the market to recognise the value of what you bring beyond a category or sector match should you not be prepared to offer the same consideration to the candidates sitting across from you? Would you want your own hiring process to reflect the standard you would hope to experience as a candidate?
Hiring for Capability in a Competitive Market
Procurement has always been a function built on adaptability, stakeholder management, problem solving, and commercial impact. Those qualities are transferable and the organisations willing to recognise that and hire for capability rather than a precise sector or category match will access stronger talent, introduce fresh thinking, as well as gain a meaningful advantage over competitors still fishing in the same pool.
Every hire carries an element of risk but narrowing your options too far is often the biggest risk of all.
Key Takeaways for Procurement and Supply Chain Hiring Managers
- Risk-averse hiring briefs are shrinking the available talent pool and extending time-to-hire.
- Transferable skills, commercial acumen, stakeholder influence, adaptability, are core procurement competencies, not compromises.
- Candidates already performing the same role elsewhere need a compelling reason to move. Lateral same-sector moves can limit motivation and shortlist quality.
- Organisations that hire for capability and potential, not just category match, consistently access a stronger, more diverse pipeline.
- Specialist procurement recruitment guidance helps businesses strike the right balance between specific experience and broader commercial capability.
If you are looking to build your procurement or supply chain team and want to think differently about how you approach talent, get in touch. We would be happy to help.
