Strategic Procurement in Practice
| Executive Development and Leadership
DURATION One Full Day. 9.30am - 4pm
EU FEES €400
START DATE Aug 20th 2026
APPLICATION Open
Strategic Procurement in Practice (Thurs Aug 20th 2026)
In today’s volatile global market, procurement is no longer just an administrative function; it is a critical driver of organisational value. The Strategic Procurement in Practice course is a high impact, one day programme designed to help professionals shift from tactical buying to strategic value creation. By aligning procurement decisions with long term organisational goals, you can move beyond the lowest cost trap to build resilient, outcome focused supply chains.
Overview:
- One Day Course | 6.5 Contact Hours
- Date: Thurs Aug 20th 2026
- Time: 9.30am-4pm
What do we cover in this programme?
This programme provides a comprehensive journey through the modern procurement lifecycle. We cover the transition from reactive, transactional purchasing to a proactive, relational model. The curriculum is built around five practical toolsets designed for immediate “Monday morning” application:
5 Sessions covered over One Day. See session outline and topics covered below:
| Session 1: From Tactical to Strategic Procurement | Shifting from price to value and decisions that last |
| Session 2: Risk Management in Procurement | From cost control to risk control |
| Session 3: Kraljic Matrix & Supplier Strategy | Segmenting procurement for strategic impact |
| Session 4: Lifecycle Costing & Delivering Value | Beyond price, understanding the true cost of ownership |
| Session 5: Delivering Outcomes Through Suppliers |
From contracts to performance |
| To End the Day: Integration & Personal Action Planning | Strategic procurement is not a process, it is decision making under uncertainty, delivered through relationships, measured over time. |
Who Should Join?
This programme is ideal for procurement leads, supply chain managers, and operations directors across both the public and private sectors. Whether you are operating in a complex public health context (e.g., OGP/HSE) or managing portfolios for large private corporations and independent hospitals, these tools are universally applicable. It is particularly valuable for those managing high stakes, long term contracts where the impact of failure carries significant clinical, financial, or reputational risks.
Programme structure
Online only, Live on Zoom with Dr Paul Davis
- Date: Thurs Aug 20th 2026
- Time: 9.30am -4pm
For further information please contact the Programme Chair, Dr Paul Davis: paul.davis@dcu.ie
Applicants to the programme is closed.
Any questions on the application process please contact the Programme Coordinator, Karena Flynn Thai at karena.flynnthai@dcu.ie or executive.education@dcu.ie
Our staff
Dr. Paul Davis
Associate Professor Management
Programme Team
Dr Paul Davis, Programme Chair, Associate Professor of Management
Dr. Davis is Head of the Management Group (School) in Faculty of Business in DCU. He is Program Director for the MSc in E-Commerce having previously completed 8 years as Program Director of the MSc in Strategic Procurement and the MSc in International Management. He has completed lecturing assignments at UCSC, Italy, ESB, Germany, QMUL/BUPT , Beijing, China. He is currently Chair and director of the Global Standard for Purchasing and Supply Chain Education. He is a past council member and past president for the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management.
He has previously been seconded to the Health Service Executive ICT Strategy Unit, advising on procurement strategy and market engagement. He has been on the Procurement for Innovation working group and was responsible for the delivery of the research that led to the publication of the 10 Step Guide to Smarter Procurement. He served on on the Advisory Board to the National Procurement Service at the OPW.
Dr Davis was lead PI in DCU for the Winning Tendering Project with a budget of €3.7 million euro. The project was a strategic project aimed at transforming the public tendering experience of Small Indigenous Suppliers in the Ireland / Wales region. The project addressed skills gaps of SIS’s and Public Procurers which inhibit the regions competitiveness and sustainable development. This work builds on the successful MSc in Strategic Procurement in DCUBS which has been endorsed by the public sector in Ireland , in particular the National Procurement Service of the OPW, and the National Public Procurement Policy Unit of the Department of Finance, Enterprise Ireland and IBEC. Dr Davis is currently PI for the following H2020 projects in DCU Business School: Pathway, Magic, Inlife
About This Course
How does this benefit your organisation?
Strategic procurement is the difference between a cheap contract that fails and a value based partnership that lasts. By attending this course you and your organisation will:
- Reduce hidden costs by identifying and eliminating the delayed expenses associated with poor implementation, vendor lock in, and scope creep that often dwarf the initial purchase price.
- Enhance risk resilience by moving away from inheriting risk and instead proactively allocating it to the party best equipped to control and mitigate it.
- Optimise resource allocation through the application of the Kraljic Matrix, ensuring your team’s time and effort are focused on high-impact strategic categories rather than being consumed by non critical administration.
- Improve outcome delivery by shifting the organisational focus from simply managing contracts to fostering strategic relationships that drive innovation, performance, and long term capability
Who Should Join?
This programme is ideal for procurement leads, supply chain managers, and operations directors across both the public and private sectors. Whether you are operating in a complex public health context (e.g., OGP/HSE) or managing portfolios for large private corporations and independent hospitals, these tools are universally applicable. It is particularly valuable for those managing high stakes, long term contracts where the impact of failure carries significant clinical, financial, or reputational risks.
By participating in this programme, you will:
| Shift Your Professional Mindset: | Move from a compliance led, short term horizon to an outcome led, long term strategic horizon. |
| Master Total Cost Evaluation: | Learn to build a balanced “performance dashboard” that measures cost, quality, delivery, and innovation. |
| Gain Competitive Advantage: | Understand how to build inter organisational routines with strategic partners that create unique value. |
| Develop a Personal Action Plan: | Leave with a concrete diagnostic of your own procurement portfolio and a specific plan to address your highest risk categories. |
How To Apply
Duration and dates
One Day Online Course over Zoom.
Broken out into 5 main Sessions.
Date: Thurs Aug 20th 2026 ( 6.5 Contact hours)
Time: 9.30am – 4pm
Fees per applicant are: €400.
If you have any questions about the application form and for further information please contact the Programme Coordinator Karena Flynn Thai at karena.flynnthai@dcu.ie or executive.education@dcu.ie
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