Navigating your career in procurement
Procurement careers within the Queensland Government are diverse, and the way we navigate our career paths has changed.
You need to be both proactive and courageous to build the skills for a successful career in procurement.
Our role has changed
Achieving your career success will be shaped by how well you actively take the lead to seek out opportunities to broaden and deepen your skills - often by moving sideways or even out of your current stream to achieve your long-term career goals.
As procurement professionals, we need to continue to build the expertise needed to strategically focus our services as a trusted business partner.
Our professionals now draw on an even greater set of skills to deliver procurement outcomes that align to the drivers in the Queensland Procurement Policy, including:
- technical skills
- relationship management, negotiation and leadership skills
- commercial skills and business acumen
- project management skills
- finance skills
- digital and technology skills.
Continuing professional development
Accessing relevant continuing professional development (CPD) is key to progressing your career goals.
There are many ways you can drive increasing the breadth and depth of your expertise:
- formal training
- short courses to target specific skill development priorities
- best practice thought leadership
- participate in the Cross Agency Task Placement Program
- continuing professional development
- university study.
Finding new career opportunities
- Temporary and permanent roles advertised on Smart Jobs
- Request a task placement
- The Queensland Government Graduate Portal accepts applications for graduate entry.
How career development has evolved
Historically, careers were a linear journey. You would progressively increase in seniority in your profession, and you had little control of your own continuing professional development (CPD).
Today, you and your employer are likely to negotiate what support the employer can offer to assist you to:
- meet the increasingly complex job requirements
- access professional courses and applied experience
- advance your career progression goals
- co-contribute to time release requirements from the job where it will meet your personal priorities
- co-contribute to funding for CPD where it meets a personal priority to accelerate development or leverage an opportunity.
The table shows this shift from a traditional, manager-led career journey to a more contemporary, person-led approach where you:
- actively seek to develop a good understanding of the career options available to you
- map the desired career pathways and options that will guide towards achieving your career goals – including sideways moves to deepen experience/exposure and desirable job promotions
- position yourself to access the needed experiences, knowledge, coaching and training to underpin your career journey strategy.
Traditional vs contemporary approaches to career development and management
| Traditional | Contemporary |
|---|---|
| Career development means ONLY upward progression | Career development means growth through new experiences |
| New positions are offered to me when I am seen to be ready | I seek out and find new opportunities |
| My manager lays out my career plan for me | My manager, mentor and others help me find job opportunities |
| Development funding focuses on mainly senior leaders | Development funding is applied to all roles and functions |
| My manager decides when I am ready for a new position | I decide when I'm ready to change roles or compete for an advancement opportunity |
| Taking a new assignment is often seen as disloyal and risky | Seeking out challenging roles and moving to a new position is respected and considered important for continued growth |
Want more information?
To find out more, email skills2procure@epw.qld.gov.au.