A procurement lens on business growth P R O J E C T PA R T N E R S
A procurement lens on business growth W R IT T EN BY
D a l e B e n to n P R ODU CED BY H ey ke l O u n i
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Jill Robbins, Senior Director, Global Procurement of Indirect Goods & Services at Elanco, explores how a procurement lens enables smarter business growth
T
he typical career journey for any procurement professional is often one of great
variety, but it’s this variety that enables a greater understanding of the value that procurement brings to the enterprise. For Jill Robbins, Senior Director, Global Procurement of Indirect Goods & Services at Elanco, this is most certainly true as she lives by a key philosophy that helps her drive the value of procurement. ”Procurement has a unique lens and insight into all aspects of the business. There are always going to be people that do not understand the value of procurement - and that’s how you learn to up your game and to be better at what you do,” explains Robbins. “While we’re not 4
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the experts in marketing or in research
developed an understanding of the
and development, or in IT, we do see
importance of strong category strategy,
opportunities and connectivity across
supplier relationship management and
the value chain that others may not be
supplier consolidation, building programs
able to see that drive enterprise effi-
from the ground up. She was given a
ciency and productivity.”
lot of autonomy to work for a company
Prior to Elanco, Robbins worked for a large healthcare conglomerate of hospitals and rehabilitation centers. It is here
with very strong procurement talent at that time. Following this, Robbins transitioned
that Robbins was first exposed to infor-
to Eli Lilly and Company, holding a
mation technology procurement, lead-
number of roles, including Sourcing,
ing competitive bids, RFPs, RFQs, and
Research & Development, Information
supplier relationship management in the
Technology and Procure to Pay opera-
medical information space.
tions, as well as general and adminis-
She moved on to Ingersoll Rand where
trative procurement.
she fully immersed herself in strate-
“I sourced everything from consulting
gic sourcing on a global scale. Under
services to benefits, financial services -
the tutelage of ‘great mentors’, Robbins
everything that is behind the scenes at w w w.e l a n co.com
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a company,” she says. From there she moved into a corporate finance and an investment banking role. This is where I saw all sides of the business across the value chain, which gave me a very unique perspective.” It was during this time that Robbins was given advice on how to advance in procurement. “I was told that I needed to have a core finance role, which is why I accepted a role in corporate finance investment banking, even though it has little to do with procurement. In many organizations, procurement reports up through finance,” she says. Upon completion of the corporate finance investment banking role, she moved into a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt role, “working on supplier master data governance to deliver a single version of the truth through a Lean Six Sigma effort. I have my Lean Six Sigma black belt certification, as well as my Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) and Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.)”. After this, Robbins moved to Elanco Animal Health, at that time a division of Eli Lilly and Company, leading all the indirect procurement globally. Also during this time in Corporate America, Robbins and her husband, 6
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“ Procurement has a unique lens and insight into all aspects of the business. There are always going to be people that do not understand the value of procurement - and that’s how you learn to up your game and to be better at what you do” — JILL ROBBINS SENIOR DIRECTOR, GLOBAL PROCUREMENT OF INDIRECT GOODS & SERVICES ELANCO ANIMAL HEALTH w w w.e l a n co.com
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who is an attorney by trade, opened a few franchised Sky Zone indoor trampoline parks, As well as authoring a children’s book. These entrepreneurial experiences have made Jill a better corporate employee and steward of funds, by exposing her to how an operation works at all levels. “When you sign the front of a check vs. the back of the check, it gives you a different level of appreciation on how every decision and employee impacts business profitability,” explains Robbins. In 2018, Elanco separated from Eli Lilly and Company after completing an IPO. One of the first projects from this, from a procurement perspective, was the acquisition of a new ERP system. Robbins and her team have played an instrumental part in negotiating with major suppliers to establish Elanco’s own systems, as well as negotiating with and securing agreements with other major technology and employee benefit companies around the world. “My team has been instrumental in driving value, driving efficiency and protecting the company from a risk perspective,” she says. “Then we focused on ensuring that long-term value is secured during contract negotiation. It’s easy for procurement to 10
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secure short-term value, but you have to look at every deal across the duration of the relationship.” “With the unique lens procurement has across the value chain, we’ve been instrumental in really changing the culture to be more ownership minded, establishing policy training around financial controls. It’s about shaping how the business spends money versus just saving money, which again is very instrumental in ensuring sustainable value in what we do and how we do it.” PROCUREMENT VALUE CHAIN CONNECTIVITY The perception of procurement is transforming on a global scale. Businesses are ‘waking up’ to the idea that procurement is more than a cost center or support function – we are now a proven profit center and business enabler. “In my 20 years of procurement experience it can be an uphill battle at times, because people do not always treat company dollars the same way they treat personal dollars. Or sometimes they just don’t have the right discipline or mindset,” she says. “At Elanco we’ve simplified the branding effort on what to do, how to do it, and when to pull procurement in through a Buy SMART approach.” w w w.e l a n co.com
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“We are getting recognition across the business on the enterprise value
externally is invaluable,” she says. Over the course of her career,
secured and spend optimization, through
Robbins has established herself as
improved involvement upfront with busi-
a true champion of Procurement.
ness partners to enable a procurement
Speaking regularly at global events and
view early in the process of outsourcing.”
conferences, Robbins promotes the
Robbins highlights, “The first earnings
value of procurement across business
call, we had as an independent company,
areas and industries.
Procurement was mentioned. That rarely
“One of my philosophies with my team
happens. procurement has proven and
and the business is: ask why, and then
continues to play an instrumental role in
ask why again, sometimes up to 5 times.
maximizing our margins and achieving
Ask with internal stakeholders, and
the goals as an independent business.”
ask with suppliers. We’ve had various SRM meetings, where I ask my suppli-
LEADERSHIP, TALENT AND
ers what margins they are making on
RETENTION
this account? How can we both benefit
As part of her role, Robbins is responsi-
by becoming more efficient and produc-
ble for a truly global procurement team.
tive?” She adds, “by asking these ques-
With direct reports coming in every
tions, the revelations and learnings are
time zone and proving communication
invaluable in helping to inform a more
vital to achieving procurement excel-
profitable and productive future.”
lence, Robbins is keen to highlight the
“You’ve got to ask the tough ques-
significance of investing in the people
tions. Your toughest negotiations
of the business. “We have a globally
are oftentimes internal, not with the
diverse and extremely talented team,
supplier. Procurement has a unique and
so having regular one-on-one meet-
valuable lens that really no one else in
ings, coaching and mentoring sessions
the company has. When you work with
with those individuals is critical. Getting
thousands of suppliers and billions of
people exposure to what is going on
dollars in spend, you can see things in a
across industries and best practices in
way that others do not. Even in finance,
the procurement discipline, is critical. In
you see things from an accounting
addition, the networking internally and
perspective, procurement has a unique w w w.e l a n co.com
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lens seeing how spend is interconnected across the business.” “Procurement talent has evolved over my 20 year tenure in the discipline. I have learned that you can diversify yourself within procurement. I think that’s something that, historically, has been undervalued. You can source direct materials, you can source indirect materials, and you can take an operational business role to get full exposure across the business. Seeing how things are done in business development is a great opportunity as well.” Personal and career development doesn’t just happen inside a company; it happens outside of the company as well. Robbins encourages her team to get involved in their community and in different organizations that they’re passionate about, as she recognizes the
has their back when things get tough”.
business acumen and relationship skills
Leadership is not showboating, it is about
gained are transferable.
developing strong talent that makes the
Jill’s philosophy and leadership style
business more profitable and productive.
enables optimal team collaboration. She believes it is imperative to “treat team
JILL’S ADVICE TO THE YOUNG
members as equals. We are all on the
PROCUREMENT TALENT:
same team, I allow autonomy and the
• Learn everyday
ability for each team member to learn
• Read about your categories and trends,
and grow, providing coaching along the
there are many blogs and LinkedIn arti-
way. Employees must feel safe to do
cles available for no cost
their best work and know that their boss 14
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•K now your suppliers, do your research...
“ We’re not the experts in marketing or in research and development, or in IT, but we see opportunities and connectivity across the value chain that others may not be able to see, while we look to drive efficiency and productivity” — JILL ROBBINS SENIOR DIRECTOR, GLOBAL PROCUREMENT OF INDIRECT GOODS & SERVICES ELANCO ANIMAL HEALTH
information is power in every
how a business works and what
negotiation.
can be improved; on the tough days,
• Shadow those more senior than you in
remember this!
negotiations, both internal and external • Ask why 5 times, when a business
PROCUREMENT GROWTH JOURNEY
stakeholder resists consolidation of the
Elanco is at the start of its growth
supply base or when you bring back a
journey, but it can already look to the
best practice to test and they respond
future with solid foundations in place
“we cannot do that, this is how we have
within its procurement function. The
always done it”, etc.
future is one of opportunities and for
• P rocurement has the “best seat in the house” when it comes to learning
Robbins, it will be one that contains systems and streamlined processes in w w w.e l a n co.com
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“ Our toughest negotiations are oftentimes internal, not with the supplier. Procurement has a unique and valuable lens that really no one else in the company has” — JILL ROBBINS SENIOR DIRECTOR, GLOBAL PROCUREMENT OF INDIRECT GOODS & SERVICES ELANCO ANIMAL HEALTH
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order to create a single source of truth with strong metrics. As technology continues to redefine the world over, procurement is no stranger to disruption and innovation. Robbins views technology as driving a more proactive approach to the supply chain needs, versus a reactive approach. “I can remember when I started my career, it was very much the business would enter a requisition and then procurement or a buyer would react to create an order, then everyone would go on their merry way,” she says. “Today, I see guided buying and sourcing from a select group of suppliers for goods and services, allows the business to maximize the leverage and value with those suppliers. Guiding the business to sourced suppliers is key to category strategy compliance, maximized SRM and spend optimization; all of which maximize operating margins.” With regards to back office functionality and supplier on-boarding, Robbins sees the automation of processes through artificial intelligence and RPA. “So many companies have gone offshore for the back office P2P and I would like to see, in combination of going offshore, we automate those processes as much as possible to maximize value and w w w.e l a n co.com
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productivity,” she says. “Then you have
Jill Robbins
more reliable data as a result. With this
Senior Director, Global Procurement
approach using artificial intelligence and
of Indirect Goods & Services
RPA, renders a much more reliable and
Elanco Animal Health
repeatable result; and it’s more efficient than waiting for a person who is two time
Jill is an entrepreneurial procurement leader
zones away to get something done.”
with proven delivery of procurement trans-
“As an independent company we have
formation, vision and strategy delivering
an opportunity to pull all of our contract
multi-million-dollar savings for multi-na-
information together into a single
tional corporations across a number of
version of the truth for all contracts
industries: healthcare, industrial products
across the enterprise, historically many
and life sciences. Jill holds certifications
functions stored contracts in disparate
from the Institute of Supply Management
systems. There are so many synergies
(ISM) as a Certified Purchasing Manager
when it comes to contract manage-
(C.P.M.) and Certified Professional in
ment,” she says.
Supply Management (CPSM); she is also
“Make it easy for people to Buy
certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
SMART,” she says. “Give the business
A visionary leader, throughout her career,
everything they need in an easy to
Jill is relentlessly striving to make things
use way because we’re all consumers,
better, easier, and more profitable, while
we all use Amazon and the Internet to
continuously coaching her teams to
buy things. It should be no different in
think bigger, deliver more value and
the workplace.”
connect the dots across the value chain. Jill is also acknowledged as an industry expert on negotiation, entrepreneurship, talent development and retention, and is a process automation advocate. Jill is a highly sought-after speaker on a variety of procurement and business productivity topics.
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