James Meads is a seasoned Procurement practitioner-turned-consultant and the Founder of ProcurementSoftware.site, a free to access website for anyone seeking a simple way to filter, compare and shortlist digital procurement solutions. Built by practitioners and completely unbiased, Procurement Software and James offer an easy-to-use, free resource for practitioners and solution providers alike. James also advises procurement technology start-ups / scale-ups, helping them understand their market, develop their product and reach their target audience – along with hosting, MCing, and moderating webinars for ProcureTech SaaS providers and hosting the Procurement Software podcast.

James returns to The Way We Source podcast for a fantastic discussion with Sam Jenks about the current state of Procurement, technology adoption, Procurement advocating and investing in itself, and more!
Get in touch with James Meads on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-meads/

And visit ProcurementSoftware.site

To learn more about Kodiak Hub and our world class Supplier Relationship Management solutions, check out: https://www.kodiakhub.com

(00:37) - Introducing James Meads

(01:34) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to James now?

(02:23) - Does James see anything that will help Procurement be more strategic?

(03:33) - James talks about his journey with ProcurementSoftware.site

(06:30) - What sets ProcurementSoftware.site apart from other Procurement agencies?

(07:25) - What does James think about build vs. buy with procure tech?

(12:38) - What are the biggest barriers for Procurement to get new technology?

(16:26) - How can more of an entrepreneurial spirt empower Procurement?

(21:10) - How can Procurement sell in the idea of pragmatism to their business?

(24:20) - Why does Procurement prioritize technocracy over entrepreneurialism?

(29:23) - Does Procurement have a problem with improving soft skills?

(30:39) - What have been the major eras of James’ 23 year career in Procurement?

(33:31) - Does James think Procurement has become the function of “No”?

(34:51) - James answers our round of quick-fire questions

Richard, Procurement Interim Practitioner and Chartered MCIPS professional, brings nearly two decades of hands-on experience delivering strategic procurement solutions across interim, consultancy, and in-house roles. Based in Surrey UK and working across the South East, Richard has led high-impact projects in HR, Professional Services, Consultancy, Fleet, and Contingent Labour across FTSE 100s, global corporates, the public sector, utilities, and startups—both in the UK and internationally.

In this episode, Richard joins Sam to explore the realities of interim procurement—how to deliver measurable value fast, build trust within teams, and navigate complex transformation projects. He shares insights on how businesses can get the most out of procurement interims and how he connects clients with top-tier professionals from his trusted network through his consultancy.

As a mentor to aspiring procurement interims, Richard also dives into the freelance market, offering practical advice for those getting started. Whether you're looking to strengthen your procurement delivery or develop your interim career, this episode is packed with real-world guidance and inspiration.

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richardstruthers

(00:38) - Introducing Richard Struthers

(01:21) - What does Procurement & Sourcing mean to Richard?

(02:38) - What does Richard see as the variety of the role of Procurement?

(04:22) - What advice would Richard give to someone thinking about starting with Procurement?

(06:20) - What services does Richard provide at Rosemae Procurement?

(08:44) - What attracts Richard and others to an interim Procurement role?

(11:18) - What does an interim Procurement role teach you that a permanent role doesn’t?

(13:01) - What are some of the primary challenges that Richard meets in his interim work?

(14:57) - What sort of common challenges does Richard face when he starts an interim role?

(16:50) - Why would a Procurement organization bring in an interim instead of a consultant?

(18:16) - How do organizations scope for and bring in interims and how do they succeed or fail?

(21:08) - What is the importance of CIPS for Purchasing professionals in the UK?

(23:35) - Are there any particular skills that Richard has developed in his interim Procurement work? And how has CIPS contributed?

(25:45) - How has Richard seen Procurement evolve during his 20+ year career?

(28:18) - What areas of Procurement will be changed most by technology over the coming years?

(31:48) - How can Procurement improve supplier relationships?

(35:42) - What makes a good interim Procurement leader?

(38:48) - Richard answers our round of quick-fire questions

Susan Walsh, Founder & Mistress of Data at The Classification Guru, is a globally recognised expert in data classification, cleaning, and transformation who has spent over a decade helping organisations across many industries resolve their "dirty data" issues.

In 2017, she founded The Classification Guru Ltd to provide innovative solutions to data problems, particularly in procurement, where clean and accurate data is critical. Since then, Susan has successfully worked with over 90 clients worldwide, unlocking the true potential of their data. Beyond being an entrepreneur, Susan is an influential thought leader, global speaker, and advocate for clean data and the author of the acclaimed book, “Between the Spreadsheets: Classifying and Fixing Dirty Data,” a practical guide for professionals tackling data issues.

In this fantastic episode, she joins Sam to discuss the importance of data quality in Procurement for insights, efficiency, & AI excellence, the challenges that Procurement teams face with their data, how teams can best clean & harness the power of their data, and more!
Connect with Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanewalsh/

Learn more about Kodiak Hub’s SRM platform: https://www.kodiakhub.com

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:39) - Introducing Susan Walsh

(01:40) - What does Sourcing & Procurement mean to Susan today vs. 3-5 years ago?

(03:08) - What does Susan think that Procurement is getting wrong?

(04:26) - What is Susan’s mission and offerings with The Classification Guru?

(05:13) - What is the end state of Procurement data that Susan helps teams to achieve?

(06:40) - Where does data play a role in Procurement driving value for their business?

(08:18) - What are the barriers that teams have to fix their data?

(09:40) - What are the eras of data management in Procurement that Susan has seen in her career?

(11:47) - Are centers of excellence and data ops essential for successful Procurement teams of today and tomorrow?

(13:49) - Where does Susan see teams struggling most to get the most value out of their data?

(14:27) - Can Data Analysts make the transition to being a solid hire in a Procurement team?

(15:00) - Why would Data Analysts struggle to work in Procurement?

(18:00) - Can AI drive value for Procurement without clean, complete data?

(19:00) - Will teams with clean procurement data be able to harness the value of AI?

(19:38) - Where does Susan see AI making the biggest impact in Procurement?

(21:05) - Does Susan think that technology can do more complex actions like strategic work?

(22:23) - Susan talks about her book “Between the Spreadsheets” and her upcoming follow-up

(25:00) - Susan explains her COAT Methodology

(27:43) - How does Susan get businesses to focus on fit-for-purpose accuracy in their data?

(30:25) - What is a data horror story that Susan has seen?

(32:38) - How did Susan solve her data horror story?

(36:01) - Where does Susan see that Procurement teams can get started with their data cleaning and classification?

(39:17) - Susan answers our quick-fire round of questions