Procurement is no longer viewed solely as a cost-control function.
As supply chains become more complex, geopolitical uncertainty increases, and digital technologies transform business operations, procurement professionals are expected to act as strategic advisors who drive resilience, innovation, and growth.
According to the CIPS Global State of Procurement & Supply 2024 report, 68% of procurement leaders believe the influence of procurement is increasing within their organisations, reflecting the profession’s growing role in strategic decision-making. Furthermore, 65% of organisations plan to invest in digital technology and 60% plan to invest in staff development and training, underlining the demand for new skills across procurement teams.
Data Literacy and Analytics
Modern procurement generates vast amounts of data, from supplier performance metrics and spend analysis to market intelligence and risk indicators. Procurement professionals who can interpret data and turn insights into action are becoming increasingly valuable.
Advanced analytics allows organisations to identify spending patterns, improve sourcing decisions, monitor supplier performance, and forecast future demand with greater accuracy. Rather than relying on intuition, leading procurement teams are making evidence-based decisions that create measurable business value.
As procurement continues its transformation into a strategic function, the ability to analyse and communicate data effectively will become a core competency.
AI and Digital Technology Fluency
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping procurement processes. Deloitte’s 2024 Global CPO Generative AI Survey found that 92% of Chief Procurement Officers were planning or assessing Generative AI capabilities in 2024, although only 37% had progressed to active pilots or deployments.
Technology is already helping procurement teams automate administrative tasks, analyse contracts, generate sourcing documents, improve supplier discovery, and identify risks more quickly.
However, the real value of AI lies not in replacing procurement professionals, but in allowing them to focus on higher-value strategic work.
As one procurement leader quoted in the CIPS report noted:
“Although automation is growing, it’s only making the relationship element more important to procurement success.”
Stakeholder and Relationship Management
Despite advances in technology, procurement remains fundamentally people-driven. Successful procurement professionals must influence stakeholders, align competing priorities, and build collaborative supplier relationships.
Internal stakeholders increasingly expect procurement to provide commercial insight rather than simply administer purchasing processes. Meanwhile, supplier relationships are evolving from transactional interactions to strategic partnerships focused on innovation, sustainability, and resilience.
Strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills therefore remain critical differentiators in high-performing procurement teams.
Sustainability and ESG Expertise
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations have become central to procurement strategy. Research from CIPS found that 69% of organisations plan to invest in sustainability initiatives and 77% already have an ethical sourcing policy in place.
Procurement professionals increasingly need to:
- Assess supplier sustainability performance
- Measure Scope 3 emissions
- Support ethical sourcing initiatives
- Ensure supply chain transparency
- Navigate evolving regulatory requirements
The ability to embed sustainability into sourcing decisions is becoming as important as traditional cost and quality considerations.
Commercial and Risk Management Skills
Recent years have demonstrated how vulnerable global supply chains can be to disruption. Geopolitical instability, inflation, logistics challenges, and supplier financial difficulties continue to create uncertainty. The CIPS report identified geopolitical factors as a major supply chain disruption risk for 69% of procurement leaders.
As a result, procurement professionals must strengthen their capabilities in:
- Risk assessment
- Supplier resilience planning
- Market intelligence
- Scenario analysis
- Strategic sourcing
Those who can balance cost optimisation with supply continuity will be best positioned to deliver long-term value.
Conclusion
The procurement professional of 2026 will be part analyst, part technologist, part commercial strategist, and part relationship manager. While technologies such as AI will continue to automate routine activities, human skills including influence, collaboration, and strategic thinking will become even more important.
Organisations that invest in developing these capabilities today will be better prepared to navigate uncertainty, accelerate transformation, and position procurement as a true driver of business success.
Citation List:
Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) and GEP (2024) Global State of Procurement & Supply 2024. Available at: https://cips-download.cips.org/expert-reports/global-state-of-procurement-supply-2024 (Accessed: 18 August 2026).
Deloitte (2024) CPOs Steering GenAI in Procurement Through Uncharted Waters: 2024 Global CPO GenAI Survey. Available at: https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/services/consulting/blogs/business-operations-room/generative-ai-in-procurement-cpo-survey.html (Accessed: 18 August 2026).
CASME (2024) CIPS Futures Conference 2024: Trends and Action Points for Procurement. Available at: https://casme.com/news/cips-futures-conference-2024-trends-and-action-points-procurement (Accessed: 18 August 2026).
