In this age of cut-throat competition business leaders have to stay ahead of their game. They must assess a situation correctly and come up with impactful solutions. Frontrunners of every industry must stay sharp and push their limits to ensure that customers are provided with the best services.
Same goes for leaders in the arena of procurement. These leaders must set the strategy, achieve efficiency, foster innovation, and develop good relationships with suppliers. They are more than just overseeing daily procurement processes; they are strategic thinkers who guide the way the entire supply chain and procurement operations go.
They set the strategic goals for the procurement department, aligning them with the organization’s overall business objectives. They guide the team on long-term sourcing, vendor management, cost reduction, and risk mitigation strategies.
These leaders are usually the first in implementing latest technologies and best practices, including automation, digital platforms, and data analytics, to enhance the procurement process and decision-making. They coordinate and engage cross-functional teams. They also contribute to a professional workforce through mentoring, development training, and career development programs.
One such frontrunner in the field of procurement is Paula Irwin. She is the Director of Corporate Procurement in Black & McDonald Limited– a premier integrated, multi trade solutions provider serving construction, facilities management, and technical solutions markets in North America. Black & McDonald has been operating for over 100 years across a diverse range of markets and has established a strong reputation for customer-centric solutions and business excellence.
Responsible Leadership
As part of her job, Paula oversees the company’s procurement initiatives. She ensures that sourcing and purchasing operations are in line with Black & McDonald’s quality, sustainability, and innovation commitment. Her leadership in this area is essential to ensuring the company’s competitive advantage and building long-term relationships with clients and suppliers.
Aside from her corporate responsibilities, Paula is also engaged in various external roles that broaden her professional perspective and contribute to the broader industry. She is a non-executive director of various institutions, where she collaborates on developing ethical procurement charters and governance frameworks to establish industry best practice. One major project includes trying to gain support from critical stakeholders in the aim of championing ethical approaches to procurement as an extension of her work on developing supplier codes of conduct.
Furthermore, Paula is engaged with the community and establishing international relations. This role requires strategic thinking, community engagement, and sound decision-making, all of which are consistent with her leadership style in corporate and community settings.
Paula’s diverse experience in commercial roles, board membership, and political advisory positions has had a significant impact on her procurement strategy. She leverages these experiences to fuel ethical and sustainable practices in the procurement process, introducing innovative analytics, automation, and digital solutions to enhance decision-making and deliver real-time visibility into the supply chain. This application of technology not only boosts operational excellence but also supports compliance management by establishing robust governance frameworks and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Her own dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion in the procurement function is apparent through her participation in several initiatives. For example, she engages in mentorship schemes that involve the exchange of experiences and the opportunity to learn from similar professionals, which helps to build future procurement talent. This commitment is part of a wider industry vision that considers procurement a rewarding and dynamic career, with scope for personal and professional development across categories and disciplines.
Paula Irwin is a leader of an exemplary leadership style that integrates corporate greatness with industry growth and community engagement. Her multifaceted jobs and exposures not only secure the success of Black & McDonald Limited but also positively affect the overall procurement sector, with right values, sustainability, and continuous improvement promoted in the sector.
A Journey worth Admiring
Paula’s journey started in Contracts Management. She started as a Contracts Specialist at Allied Signal Aerospace (now Honeywell) and then joined MDA Space (formerly SPAR). At MDA Space, she enjoyed rapid promotions through progressively more senior roles culminating in the position of Director, Contracts and Subcontracts.
Paula was involved in every step of the contract’s life cycle, from contract/business agreements drafting, review and execution, sourcing, fact-find and negotiations, customer proposals, contract management, supplier management, and contract closeout.
After 23 years with MDA Space, she wanted to make a change. She was scouting opportunities in her field but with a bigger focus on supplier management, which she enjoyed the most. She was fortunate to find Black & McDonald.
A Strategic Leader Driven for Change
As the Director of Corporate Procurement at Black & McDonald Limited, Paula focuses on providing procurement services to all the different regions in which the company is active and arming them with the right information, such as market intelligence and spend reports & analytics.
Paula has a clear and compelling vision that aligns with the organization’s long-term goals. She is always thinking ahead, anticipating trends, and positioning her team for future success.
She balances between managing long-term vision with ensuring that the day-to-day operations run smoothly and efficiently. Of key, she translates goals into daily actions and empowers her team to execute on the most impactful tasks while always thinking of what should come next.
Keeping her team in mind, Paula makes sure that they know and understand the “why” behind what they are doing. She helps them with translating strategic goals into daily actions. She remains flexible and ready to pivot when circumstances demand it (especially when addressing supply chain disruptions).
Constant Collaboration for Effective Execution
When Paula first started with Black & McDonald, she did a roadshow where she visited the different regions and different departments. The purpose of this roadshow was to let them know the services that her team and she can provide, what initiatives they are working on, and to ask how they can help with their business goals.
“My team and I often interact with various departments like finance, operations, and marketing,” states Paula. She ensures that the procurement strategy and any initiative is well-communicated and aligned with the needs of those teams.
Balancing all Turfs
Paula believes that as a leader there are many demands that she must fulfil, but not all tasks are equally important or urgent. She identifies what is truly needed to move the needle – both for her professional life and personal life. Of key, she delegates and empowers her team. She expresses, “I can’t do everything myself and I rely on, and draw from, my team’s respective strengths and expertise”.
Staying at the Top of the Game
Paula always ensures that she stays ahead of all the trends and overcomes all the challenges in an effective way.
She employs the following strategies to stay ahead of trends:
- Leveraging data analytics to gain insights into market trends, supplier performance, and cost-saving opportunities.
- Implemented agile procurement processes to quickly adapt to market changes and disruptions.
- Invested in my team’s training and development (e.g. Supply Chain Management training modules, Emerging Leaders) to keep pace with evolving industry standards.
- Prioritizing sustainable procurement practices to meet regulatory requirements and customer requirements.
Furthermore, Paula uses the techniques mentioned below to overcome various challenges:
- Building strong, collaborative relationships with suppliers to ensure best price and on-time performance. Regular communication and joint problem-solving is key.
- Implementing cost management techniques and spend visibility.
- Developing a risk management plan to address supply chain disruptions, pricing instability, and regulatory changes.
Words of Inspiration:
Paula advises emerging entrepreneurs to keep abreast of industry trends and best practices and to be prepared to adapt to changing market conditions and disruptions. She encourages them to cultivate relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders. “Take advantage of various webinars and conferences,” she says. Paula states that networking can provide valuable insights. She further states that it is essential to develop strong communication and negotiation skills. “Develop risk management strategies to mitigate risks associated with supply chain,” she further adds.
The Road Ahead:
Speaking about the future, Paula states that she will continue to focus on creating value for the organization beyond cost savings. She shares that she has aligned her long-term goals to meet the company’s 2030 plan and beyond.
