Procurement Pivots®
Honest conversations and fresh perspectives to help procurement professionals, wherever you are in your career. Navigate change, grow with confidence and shape a career on your terms.Co-hosted by Donna Bowden (Procurement Career Coach, Founder of Narrate Your Career) and Laura Sellers (Executive & Leadership Coach, Founder of Coaching for Procurement) who bring a combined 20+ years of supporting procurement growth
EP70: Networking for Introverts: How to Feel More Confident and Less Awkward
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Does the thought of walking into a networking event where you don't know anyone fill you with dread? Do you find professional networking uncomfortable, awkward or exhausting? Or perhaps you know how important building relationships is for your career, but you're not sure how to approach networking in a way that feels natural to you.
Networking as an introvert doesn't have to mean forcing yourself to become more extroverted.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore how introverts can build networking confidence, develop...
EP69: Preparing for Your Procurement Team's End-of-Year Performance Reviews: How to Make Them Count
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How do you prepare for your procurement team's end-of-year performance reviews and make sure these important conversations really count?
What questions should you be asking? How can you make annual performance reviews more meaningful, rather than simply another HR tick-box exercise? And how do you recognise your team's contribution beyond procurement savings and traditional performance measures?
Perhaps most importantly, how can effective procurement leadership turn these conversations into opportunities to strengthen motivation, support procurement career development and progression, and improve employee engagement and retention?
For procurement leaders...
EP68: Team Dynamics in Procurement: The Complexities Behind Building a Great Team
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What does it really take to build a great procurement team?
You can bring together highly experienced, capable procurement professionals, but that doesn't automatically mean they'll work effectively together.
Because building a great procurement team is about much more than individual skills, experience and technical expertise.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore the complexities of team dynamics in procurement, the challenges procurement leaders face when building and leading high-performing teams, and the factors that can influence how successfully people work...
EP67: Pressure in Procurement: How to Respond Rather Than React
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How do you stay effective under pressure when working in procurement?
Managing competing priorities, demanding stakeholders, tight deadlines and increasing expectations can make pressure feel like a constant part of working in procurement.
But how often do you stop to consider where that pressure is actually coming from, and how it's influencing the way you think, behave and make decisions?
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore the challenges of managing pressure in procurement, why even experienced procurement professionals and leaders...
EP66: Evidencing Your Value Through Social Proof in Procurement
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You know the value you bring.
But how well can you evidence it?
In today's procurement landscape, being able to talk about your experience and achievements matters. But increasingly, there is another layer that can strengthen your credibility, confidence and career positioning: what other people say about you.
That's where social proof comes in.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore the role of social proof in procurement and how it can help procurement professionals and leaders better understand...
EP65: Building Procurement Interview Confidence: How to Be Ready Before the Opportunity Arrives
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How interview-ready are you right now?
Not when you've got an interview in the diary. Right now.
Because procurement opportunities don't always arrive when you're expecting them to. An internal opportunity can come up, someone in your network can make an introduction, or an initial conversation can suddenly turn into something more.
And if you haven't interviewed for a while, that can feel pretty daunting.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore what it really takes to build interview...
EP64: You Already Have a Personal Brand in Procurement. Does Yours Reflect Who You Are Now and Where You're Heading Next?
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You already have a personal brand.
The question is, does it reflect who you are today, what you want to be known for and where you're heading next in your procurement career?
Personal branding can be an uncomfortable topic. It can sound loud, showy or inauthentic. But your personal brand isn't about becoming someone you're not. And it certainly isn't just about what you post on LinkedIn.
It's about how people experience you, what they associate with you and what's being said about you when you're not...
EP63: 100 Days to Go: There's Still Time to Change Your Results in 2026 and How You Feel about the Year Ahead
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There are 100 days to go until the end of 2026.
How do you want to feel when you get there?
And how do you want to step into 2027?
September can bring a renewed sense of energy. But it doesn't always last long. Workloads increase, demands return and before you know it, you're back in the day-to-day with the end of the year approaching quickly.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots Podcast, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore how procurement professionals and leaders can use the final 100...
EP62: Why a Good Procurement CV Might Not Be Enough in 2026
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The procurement job market has changed.
Competition for senior procurement roles has increased, hiring processes have evolved and technology is playing a greater role in how applications are screened.
Which means the CV that successfully opened doors for you two, three or four years ago might not be enough to secure an interview today.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore what senior procurement professionals need to think differently about when it comes to their CV in 2026.
Drawing on Donna's...
EP 61: Using Boundaries to Elevate Your Impact as a Procurement Leader
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Procurement leadership, workplace boundaries, strategic leadership, career progression, prioritisation and high performance are more closely connected than you might think.
When we talk about boundaries at work, they're often associated with saying no, being less available or protecting our personal time.
But what if better boundaries could actually help you become a more impactful procurement leader?
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore why boundaries aren't simply about doing less. Used well, they can create the clarity, focus and space you need...
EP60: The Procurement Career Crossroads No One Prepares You For
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Procurement careers, career crossroads, career clarity, procurement leadership, career change and senior procurement job search can all collide at a point that many successful procurement leaders simply aren't expecting.
On paper, everything might look good.
You've built a successful procurement career. You're operating at leadership level. You're in a good organisation, perhaps with a team you enjoy working with.
But something doesn't feel quite right anymore.
You know you're ready for something different, or perhaps something more, but you're not entirely sure what that looks...
EP59: What Procurement Transformation Really Requires from Leaders
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Successful Traits of Procurement Leaders: Coaching
Procurement transformation, procurement leadership, coaching skills, stakeholder management, influencing skills and leadership development are increasingly interconnected.
Successful procurement transformation isn't just about having the right strategy, processes, technology or technical procurement expertise. You also need to bring people with you.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna Bowden and Laura Sellers explore why developing coaching skills can give procurement leaders a competitive edge and help them create greater impact across their teams, stakeholders and organisations.
We challenge...
EP 58: What Successful Procurement Leaders Do Differently with Stakeholders
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Procurement stakeholder management, stakeholder relationships, procurement leadership, influence, business partnering and procurement careers are all critical to becoming a successful procurement leader.
Strong stakeholder relationships don't happen by chance. They're built through trust, curiosity, credibility and consistency.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore what successful procurement leaders do differently when it comes to building relationships and influence across their organisations.
Whilst technical procurement skills remain important, your ability to understand, engage and influence stakeholders will often determine your long-term success as a leader.
...
EP 57: You’ve Got the Role - Now What? How Your First Few Months Define Your Success as a Procurement Leader
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Procurement leadership, first 90 days, stepping into a new role, procurement career progression, stakeholder management and leadership success are all critical factors when moving into a new procurement leadership role.
You’ve secured the role. But what you do next will define your success.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore how to successfully prepare for and step into a new procurement leadership role, focusing on what really matters in those first few months.
Too often, procurement professionals invest heavily in securing the role, only to leave th...
EP 56: Are You Asking the Right Questions as a Procurement Leader? Successful Traits of Procurement Leaders: Curiosity
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Successful Traits of Procurement Leaders: Curiosity
Curiosity is a critical skill in procurement leadership, yet many procurement professionals don’t fully understand how to apply it in their day-to-day role.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore how curiosity, questioning and self-awareness can elevate your procurement career, strengthen stakeholder relationships and improve decision making.
We discuss:
What curiosity really looks like in a procurement context and why it goes beyond simply asking more questionsHow asking the right questions can improve decision making, stakeholder relationships and bu...EP 55: How Are You Really Coming Across at Work? Successful Traits of Procurement Leaders: Self-Awareness
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Successful Traits of Procurement Leaders: Self-Awareness
How you see yourself isn’t always how others experience you.
And that gap can have a significant impact on your procurement career, career progression and leadership development.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore the role self-awareness plays in procurement leadership and why it is such a critical, but often overlooked, capability.
We discuss:
What self-awareness really means in a procurement leadership contextWhy there is often a gap between intent and perceptionHow others may experience your co...EP 54: Why Your Relationship with Your Boss Matters More Than You Think
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Your relationship with your boss is one of the most important factors in your procurement career, career progression and leadership development.
And yet, it’s often not given the attention it deserves.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore why this relationship has such a significant impact on your experience, progression and long-term career decisions.
We discuss:
Why this relationship can influence whether you stay or leave a roleWhy most relationships aren’t broken, but still aren’t working well enoughThe importance of taking time to ref...EP 53: Introverted in Procurement? How to Still Be Seen and Heard
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If you’re introverted in your procurement career, you might feel the pressure to be more visible, speak up more or show more confidence in meetings or whilst networking.
And that doesn’t always feel natural.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore what it really means to be introverted in procurement and how you can still have impact, visibility and influence without changing who you are.
We discuss:
What introversion actually means and why it is often misunderstoodWhy many procurement professionals identify with introverted pref...EP 52: Why so many Procurement Professionals are Burning Out
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Burnout in procurement is becoming more common.
And it’s not always for the reasons we think.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore why burnout is showing up more across procurement careers and what is really driving it.
We discuss:
Why burnout in procurement is increasing as the role continues to evolveThe pressure to constantly prove value and why this adds to the challengeWhy burnout is not just about long hours or workloadHow misalignment and the wrong environment can lead to burnout ov...EP 51: Internal Positioning – The Key to Progression in Senior Procurement Careers
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Internal progression in procurement doesn’t happen by default.
You can be delivering, experienced and performing well in your role, and still find that the next opportunity doesn’t come.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we focus on internal positioning and why it is the missing link to progression in senior procurement careers.
We explore what it really means to be seen as ready for the next level and how your day-to-day actions shape how others perceive your capability, potential and leadership.
We discuss:
Wh...EP 50: The Gap We’re Seeing Between Performance and Progression in Procurement Careers
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We’ve reached our 50th episode of Procurement Pivots, and rather than looking back, we wanted to focus on what we’re consistently seeing across the procurement profession right now.
There is a gap.
A gap between performance and progression.
We are working with capable, experienced procurement professionals who are doing a good job, delivering results and adding value. And yet, for many, that isn’t translating into the visibility, recognition or opportunities they expected.
In this episode, we explore why that gap exists and what i...
EP 49: Giving Feedback as a Procurement Leader to Drive Impact
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In procurement careers, your ability to give feedback to teams and stakeholders directly impacts performance, influence and progression.
Yet it’s one of the most avoided leadership skills.
Whether it’s not wanting to upset someone, not knowing how to say it, or simply not making the time, many procurement leaders hold back from delivering the feedback their teams and stakeholders actually need.
And when that happens, performance stalls, expectations become unclear, and frustration builds across procurement teams and stakeholder relationships.
In this episode of Proc...
EP 48: The Feedback Gap: The Dangerous Truth About Where You Stand
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Do you actually know where you stand in your procurement career?
Or are you making assumptions?
At senior level, feedback often becomes limited, filtered or disappears altogether.
And yet, this is exactly the point in your career where clarity matters most.
Without it, you risk making decisions based on perception rather than reality.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura explore what we’re calling the Feedback Gap - the space between how you think you’re performing and how you’re actua...
EP 47: The Truth About “Underperforming” Procurement Teams
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“Underperforming team.”
It’s a label that gets used quickly in procurement.
But what if it’s not the full picture?
In today’s market, procurement teams are under more pressure than ever.
Expectations are rising. Resources are stretched. Change is constant.
And what looks like underperformance is often something else entirely.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura explore what’s really going on behind so-called “underperforming” procurement teams, and what leaders need to focus on to turn things around.
EP 46: The Most Important Question in Your Procurement Career
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“Tell me about yourself.”
It sounds simple. But in reality, it’s one of the most important and most underutilised questions in your procurement career.
It shows up everywhere:
Interviews. Stakeholder meetings. Networking conversations. New projects.
And how you answer it shapes how people see you.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura explore why this question carries so much weight, and how procurement professionals can use it more intentionally to build confidence, credibility and influence.
Because this isn’t about w...
EP 45: The Uncomfortable Truth About Procurement Career Growth
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Procurement career growth often feels uncomfortable.
As procurement careers evolve, many professionals are being asked to step into greater visibility, leadership and influence.
You may want more impact, more progression or a more aligned role.
But stepping outside your comfort zone, whether that’s speaking up in meetings, building your presence on LinkedIn or developing leadership confidence, can feel unfamiliar and uncertain.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura explore why discomfort is a natural and necessary part of career growth, and how to...
EP 44: The Procurement Development Gap and How to Close It
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Procurement careers are evolving at pace.
The remit is expanding. Expectations are rising. Pressure is increasing.
Yet in many organisations, learning and development support has reduced, shifted or become less personalised.
Some procurement professionals receive strong internal investment. Others receive very little. Even within the same organisation, the level of development can vary significantly.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura explore what we are calling the Procurement Development Gap. This is the space between where your career is heading and...
EP 43: Speak to Be Seen: How Procurement Professionals Gain Influence
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Communication sits at the heart of every procurement career.
You can be technically strong, commercially capable and consistently deliver results. But if your communication does not land, your influence, credibility and progression can stall.
In this episode, Donna and Laura explore why communication is one of the most powerful differentiators in procurement today. They discuss how self-awareness shapes the way you show up, why your style must evolve as your stakeholder audience becomes more senior, and how subtle shifts in tone, pace and language can significantly elevate how you...
EP 42: When Did Networking Become So Uncomfortable in Procurement Careers?
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For many procurement professionals, the word networking triggers discomfort.
Awkward. Inauthentic. Contrived. Embarrassing.
And yet, relationship-driven opportunities remain one of the most powerful drivers of procurement career progression.
In this episode of Procurement Pivots, Donna and Laura unpack why networking has become so emotionally loaded in procurement careers, and why avoiding it may be quietly limiting your opportunities.
They explore the mindset barriers, the assumptions and the cultural narratives that make networking feel uncomfortable. More importantly, they reframe networking for what it truly is: building...
EP 41: The Procurement Visibility Gap: What Your LinkedIn Might Be Costing You
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In today’s procurement career market, visibility is no longer optional. Yet many procurement professionals remain hesitant, quiet or completely invisible on LinkedIn.
This episode tackles the uncomfortable but important question. What is your LinkedIn presence quietly costing your procurement career?
In a market shaped by restructuring, increased competition and fewer internal opportunities, LinkedIn has become a powerful career lever. Not just for job searching, but for positioning, credibility, discoverability and influence.
And yet procurement as a profession is still significantly underrepresented compared to other corporate functions.
...EP 40: Internal Leverage: The Procurement Career Advantage Many Miss
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In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore a topic that often feels uncomfortable but quietly shapes careers more than performance alone: internal networking.
Many procurement professionals associate networking with politics, self-promotion or big events. But internal leverage is not about being the loudest in the room. It is about building genuine, consistent relationships that create influence, sponsorship and long-term career optionality.
Donna and Laura unpack why internal networking feels emotive, how fear of perception holds professionals back, and why clarity of purpose changes everything. They discuss how procurement’s...
EP 39: From Operational to Strategic Procurement - The Reality Behind the Shift
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In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we unpack one of the most talked-about transitions in the profession: the move from operational to strategic procurement.
We hear it everywhere. Procurement must become more strategic. Roles are evolving. Expectations are rising.
But what does that shift actually mean in practice?
And why does it feel harder than it sounds?
In this conversation, Donna and Laura explore the realities behind the operational to strategic transition. They discuss why the word “strategic” is often misunderstood, how misalignment creates frustration, and...
EP 38: Owning Your Strengths: The Competitive Advantage in Procurement Careers
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In this episode of Procurement Pivots, we explore why owning your strengths is not simply a development exercise and how procurement professionals can use their strengths to accelerate their careers. This is a strategic advantage in your procurement career.
We often hear the advice to “know your strengths.” But many procurement professionals either underestimate what they bring, build their careers around strengths they do not enjoy using, or assume others automatically see their value.
In a competitive and evolving procurement landscape, technical competence alone is not enough. The real diff...
EP 37: Resetting as a Procurement Team After Restructure
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Navigating Restructure in Procurement Series – Part 4
In this final episode of our four-part series on navigating restructure in procurement, we turn our attention to the team perspective.
We have explored what happens when you exit an organisation, when you remain following change, and what leadership looks like in times of uncertainty. Now we focus on the collective impact. Because restructures do not just affect individuals. They reshape team dynamics, trust, identity and performance.
In this conversation, Donna and Laura explore the responsibility and opportunity procurement teams have to...
EP 36: The Procurement Leader’s Role in Times of Uncertainty
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Navigating Restructure in Procurement Series – Part 3
In this third episode of our four-part series on navigating restructures in procurement, we shift the lens to the procurement leader. Leading a team through organisational change can be one of the most challenging responsibilities in a senior role. You are supporting others while also managing your own emotions, dealing with ambiguity and being pulled in multiple directions by the business, stakeholders and your team.
In this conversation, Donna and Laura explore what makes this leadership moment so uniquely complex, why it can fe...
EP 35: Rebuilding Confidence After Internal Change
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Navigating Restructure in Procurement Series – Part 2
In Part 2 of our series on navigating restructure in procurement, Donna and Laura shift the focus to those who remain in the organisation after change has taken place. While redundancy often dominates the conversation, staying through a restructure comes with its own emotional, relational and professional challenges, many of which go unspoken.
Internal change can shake confidence, disrupt team and stakeholder dynamics, alter relationships and create prolonged periods of uncertainty. In this episode, Donna and Laura explore what really happens beneath th...
EP 34: Building Momentum After Redundancy
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Navigating Restructure in Procurement – Series Part 1
In this new four part series, we explore the realities of navigating restructure in today’s procurement landscape. And in this first episode, we explore one of the most challenging experiences a procurement professional can face: being made redundant.
Redundancy is never a simple moment. It brings waves of emotion, identity questions and uncertainty about what comes next. But it can also mark the beginning of a more aligned chapter once the dust settles. In this conversation, Donna and Laura break down...
EP 33: Building Stronger Procurement Teams Through the 7-Step P.R.O.C.U.R.E® Framework
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In this episode, Laura takes us behind the scenes of the team coaching work she has been delivering across procurement functions in the UK and internationally. While most leaders approach her with a specific challenge or goal in mind, the deeper work almost always centers around one thing: impact.
Using her 7-Step P.R.O.C.U.R.E Framework, Laura walks through the practical and human elements that shape how a procurement team performs, collaborates and influences. Whether you are leading a team, joining a new one, or navigating change...
EP 32: 6 Steps to Position Yourself for a Successful External Move in 2026
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In this episode, Donna and Laura revisit one of the most requested topics on the podcast: positioning, with a dedicated focus on external career moves.
With the market shifting again and early signs of improvement for 2026, many procurement professionals are already considering whether this might be the year to explore a new role. The challenge is that the job market at senior level remains highly competitive, and the old approach of updating the CV and starting to apply is no longer enough.
Drawing on 25+ years of combined experience across...
EP 31: The Career Story Behind Coaching for Procurement
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Donna Bowden Interviews Laura Sellers
This week, we continue our two-part mini-series where we turn the microphones on each other.
After more than 30 episodes together, many listeners have asked a similar question.
“How do the two of us support procurement professionals differently, and what does that look like in practice?”
In last week’s episode, Laura interviewed Donna.
This week, Donna interviews Laura.
In this conversation, Laura shares the career journey that led her into executive and leadership coaching, why she chose...
