Women now hold approximately 40% of procurement officer positions, according to a 2022 survey conducted by international consulting firm Gartner’s. However, they only hold 31% of procurement management positions. Despite the increased employment of women in this sector over the past five years, there is a lot of work still to be done to reach gender parity. To assist in achieving this, women in procurement can do a lot to advance their careers and flourish. This is according to MJ Schoemaker, one of the speakers at the upcoming Women in Procurement (WIP) Conference, which takes place in Johannesburg on 23 March 2023.

Schoemaker is the President of SAPICS and has enjoyed a diverse and exciting, global career in procurement and the broader supply chain. During her Fireside Chat at the conference, she will be talking about the importance of women elevating themelves through education, so that they are empowered to follow their career paths. In addition, she will be highlighting how important a community of professionals is and what can be gained from joining and actively participating in associations and other communities. Schoemaker will highlight SAPICS as an example: this is a community driven NPO that works on exactly these things such as events, networking and education. She will be using examples from her own career to support this.

“You need to make it happen,” says Schoemaker. “Only you have the power through networking, supporting others, being a team player and educating yourself to elevate and empower yourself and others!”

The one-day WIP Conference will address how women in the procurement space can accelerate their journey to value, by better harnessing networks, intelligence and the experience of those at the forefront. “Our speakers’ journeys, thoughts and learnings will deploy delegates towards success, understanding and intentionality in their careers”, says Masego Khutsoane,  CEO of Procurementor and Convenor of the event.

The WIP Conference aims to:

• Introduce a targeted mentorship and coaching programme for procurement professionals;
• Increase awareness of opportunities for women empowerment and funding;
• Expand networks to enable collaboration with other experts; and,
• Provide a platform for women in procurement to network and collaborate on various business opportunities.

The exciting Programme and speaker line-up includes:

• Keynote address: Mpho Matsitse - Head of Industry and Value Advisory: SAP Africa
• Fireside Chat: MJ Schoemaker (SAPICS President) and Allison Anthony (Senior Lecturer of Public Procurement Law:  UNISA)
• Master Class: Dawn Smith – Head of Training: Caliba Group
• Pressures in procurement: Mmatshepo Rasebopye - Director for Supply Chain Management; Gauteng Provincial Government

The hybrid event takes place on 23 March in Johannesburg and online.

The event is being supported by the Black Management Forum (BMF), the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport: South Africa (CILTSA), CILTSA’s Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLATSA) interest group, CVLC Communication, SAPICS and Tendai Mhlanga Photography.