Procurement Is No Longer Just About Cost Savings
For years, procurement was primarily seen as a cost-cutting function. Teams were measured by how much they could save and how well they managed supplier contracts.
But today, the role of procurement is transforming. Organizations are no longer simply looking at the lowest price they need agility, specialized expertise, and resilience in their supply chains.
This shift explains why more procurement leaders are turning to external talent to complement internal capabilities. Done right, external talent strategies not only bring flexibility but also unlock global innovation.
Why Procurement Teams Are Embracing External Talent
Several forces are driving this shift:
- Access to scarce skills
Procurement requires expertise in data analytics, sustainability, contract compliance, and supplier risk management. These skills are not always available in-house. External talent pools make it possible to quickly access specialists when needed. - Agility in volatile markets
Supply chains face unprecedented disruption from geopolitical tensions to inflation and ESG regulations. External experts allow teams to adapt faster without permanently inflating headcount. - Digital transformation
Procurement technology (AI, RPA, spend analytics) requires niche knowledge. Rather than hiring full-time staff for tools that evolve quickly, companies bring in freelancers or consultants with up-to-date expertise. - Focus on strategic impact
By outsourcing transactional tasks like supplier onboarding, invoice verification, or data cleansing, procurement leaders can reallocate internal staff to strategic partnerships and innovation.
How External Talent Helps Procurement Drive Business Value
Procurement’s role is evolving from cost controller to value creator. External talent contributes in three critical ways:
- Innovation: Specialists from different regions bring new ideas on supplier management, sustainable sourcing, and digital tools.
- Resilience: External professionals allow procurement functions to scale capacity during crises (e.g., sudden supplier failure or compliance audit).
- Speed: Access to a global talent marketplace shortens project timelines, whether implementing a new ERP module or conducting supplier risk assessments.
According to Deloitte’s 2024 CPO Survey, 65% of procurement leaders now rely on flexible talent models to navigate volatility and that percentage is expected to grow.
Common Challenges in Working With External Talent
Of course, leveraging external talent is not without pitfalls. Procurement leaders often face challenges such as:
- Compliance and contracts: Misaligned contract terms or misclassified workers can create legal risks.
- Integration with internal teams: External experts may lack context or alignment with company culture.
- Cost predictability: While external resources offer flexibility, without the right model, costs can become difficult to forecast.
This is where platforms like Breedj bring value by ensuring compliance, offering transparent pricing, and aligning external talent with business goals.
Best Practices: Making External Talent Work in Procurement
To maximize results, procurement leaders should adopt a structured approach:
- Define clear outcomes
Instead of just filling gaps, articulate what business results external talent should deliver (e.g., reduce supplier onboarding time by 30%). - Choose the right engagement model
• Freelancers for short-term niche expertise.
• EOR/portage models for long-term remote employees.
• Consultants for strategy or change management. - Ensure compliance and governance
Partner with platforms that guarantee legal employment contracts, payroll compliance, and data protection. - Onboard external talent like internal staff
Provide context, assign mentors, and integrate them into digital workflows (ERP, e-procurement, collaboration tools). - Measure impact
Track KPIs like supplier savings, risk reduction, and cycle-time improvements. This transforms external talent from a cost to an investment.
The Breedj Approach: Borderless Talent, Compliant and Impact-Driven
At Breedj, we understand procurement’s dual challenge: achieving efficiency while contributing to broader corporate goals like ESG and impact. Our platform helps procurement teams by:
- Providing access to vetted external professionals in sourcing, compliance, finance, and digital procurement.
- Guaranteeing full compliance through Employer of Record (EOR) and portage salarial solutions in Africa and beyond.
- Offering transparent pricing (€390/month + salary), ensuring cost predictability.
- Driving impact by connecting companies with highly skilled professionals in Africa, helping organizations achieve both business and CSR goals.
With Breedj, procurement leaders don’t just reduce costs they also build resilient, ethical, and future-ready supply chains.
The Future of Procurement Is Hybrid
The procurement function of the future will be hybrid: a core team of internal experts empowered by a flexible layer of external talent. This model balances stability with adaptability, allowing organizations to innovate, reduce risks, and remain competitive in a fast-changing world.
As procurement leaders look beyond traditional cost metrics, external talent becomes a strategic lever. The question is no longer if procurement should tap into external talent, but how. And with platforms like Breedj, the “how” becomes simple, compliant, and impactful.
