Operations & Supply Chain

Supplier Relationship Management and Supplier Development

Strategic suppliers can drive innovation, cost improvement and resilience when relationships are managed well. This course covers supplier segmentation, relationship strategies, joint governance, performance management, supplier development programmes, collaboration and innovation, and measuring the value of SRM.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Treating all suppliers the same wastes effort and misses opportunities. This course helps you focus on strategic suppliers and build relationships that create mutual value.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

The course uses segmentation exercises, case studies, governance design workshops and negotiation role plays.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Segment suppliers by value and risk
Define relationship strategies for different segments
Establish governance and joint business reviews
Manage supplier performance with scorecards
Run supplier development and improvement programmes
Measure SRM value and outcomes

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

Procurement and category managers
Supplier relationship managers
Supply chain managers
Quality and engineering staff working with suppliers
Commercial managers

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Supplier segmentation
Relationship strategy
Joint governance
Performance scorecards
Supplier development
Value measurement

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1SRM Fundamentals

09:00–09:54What SRM is
09:54–10:48Benefits and challenges
10:48–11:00Buyer-supplier power
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–12:12Buyer-supplier power (continued)
12:12–13:06SRM maturity
13:06–14:00Exercise: Supplier landscape

Day 2Segmentation and Strategy

09:00–09:54Segmentation models
09:54–10:48Strategic supplier selection
10:48–11:00Relationship strategies
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–12:12Relationship strategies (continued)
12:12–13:06Account plans with suppliers
13:06–14:00Workshop: Supplier segmentation

Day 3Governance and Performance

09:00–09:54Governance structures
09:54–10:48Joint business reviews
10:48–11:00Scorecards and KPIs
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–12:12Scorecards and KPIs (continued)
12:12–13:06Escalation
13:06–14:00Exercise: Building a scorecard

Day 4Supplier Development

09:00–09:54Capability gaps
09:54–10:48Development programmes
10:48–11:00Collaborative improvement
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–12:12Collaborative improvement (continued)
12:12–13:06Innovation with suppliers
13:06–14:00Case study: Supplier development

Day 5Value and Sustainability

09:00–09:54Measuring SRM value
09:54–10:48Risk and resilience
10:48–11:00Sustainability collaboration
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–12:12Sustainability collaboration (continued)
12:12–13:06SRM roadmap
13:06–14:00Capstone: SRM plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

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