Provides senior buyers, contract and supply chain managers with the expertise to improve organisational procurement and to fulfil organisational objectives. It gives you the knowledge base to reduce cost, improve quality and timescales, manage the supply chain and deal with legal issues.
You will need to have achieved the CIPS Diploma in procurement and supply.
Typical job titles:
- Buyer
- Procurement / purchasing executive
- Procurement specialist
- Contract officer
- Supply chain / inventory / logistics analyst
- Supply chain / inventory / logistics planner
Core skills upon completion of this qualification
Provision of advice and guidance to key stakeholders on the performance of organisational procedures and processes in procurement and supply.
Compulsory units
Unit Title: | CIPS Reference: | Guided |
Management in procurement and supply | AD1 | 50 |
Managing risks in supply chains | AD2 | 50 |
Improving the competitiveness of supply | AD3 | 50 |
Optional units
Unit Title: | CIPS Reference: | Guided |
Category management in procurement and supply | AD4 | 50 |
Sustainability in supply chains | AD5 | 50 |
Operations management in supply chains | AD6 | 50 |
CIPS examinations for qualifications units are hand written and paper-based.
The following principles are adhered to when CIPS exam papers are developed:
- The unit content will be assessed through the use of the learning outcomes (LOs), and parts thereof, published within the unit content guides. All LOs will be assessed within every assessment.
- All LOs within a unit are weighted equally. The coverage of each LO within an assessment is equally weighted.
- All questions within an assessment are compulsory. There are no optional questions. All assessments are marked out of 100%.
- The standard of the assessment is set by the LOs within the unit content.
Unit | Exam format (3 hours). Pass mark 50% |
AD1 Management | Unseen case of around 500 words and four questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. Questions should be answered within the context of the case. |
AD2 Managing risks | Unseen case of around 500 words and four questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. Questions should be answered within the context of the case. |
AD3 Improving competitiveness | Pre-released case. The case will be 12-15 pages long and based on a realistic organisation. The case is published on the website at least four weeks in advance of the exam date to allow candidates to analyse the information and prepare for the exam. The exam is open-book and there will be four exam questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. Questions should be answered within the context of the case. |
AD4 Category management | Four exam questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. |
AD5 Sustainability | Four exam questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. |
AD6 Operations management | Four exam questions each worth 25 marks, each testing a different learning outcome. |
Examination pass marks:
- Distinction 75 - 100%
- Merit 60 - 74%
- Pass 50 - 59%
- Fail 0 - 49%