Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership & Strategy

Leading to a Masters Degree in Merchant Leadership & Strategy

If you are an experienced manager in either a Merchant or Supplier Member of the BMF, the new Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership & Strategy will be of interest to you. The BMF is working with Birmingham City University who will run the course and award their Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership and Strategy to successful graduates. The course offers an advanced personal development qualification to senior managers who have a minimum of 5 years working experience in multi-site companies - but not necessarily with any degree level academic qualification. Credit is given to experience. There is a formal pre-selection procedure which requires a written submission and interview. Birmingham City University has wide experience of running similar courses for other industries and more particularly, for Jewson. The format is five modules including a final project, with a mixture of distance and workshop learning over a 12 month programme. The Postgraduate Diploma is separate and distinct from the BMF Diploma and Foundation Degree in Merchanting. Successful graduates will be able to progress directly on to a full Masters Degree.

Programme Overview • The course is part-time over 12 months with 14 workshop days and self-study • Entry is either with a degree or by demonstrated management experience (minimum two years in a branch management role in merchanting/manufacturing sectors) • The entry process is by interview and assessed case study submission • The main location is Birmingham City University, City North Campus, B42 2SU

Course Content Module 1: Strategy and Branding This module gives an understanding of the application of customer segments within multi-site companies to drive like-for-like sales. It will include a critical analysis of how of company strategy should be aligned to local requirements with the use of portfolio analysis including matrices and issues as a basis for prioritising action. Module 2: Leading Service and Change This module incorporates an understanding of how to lead change to optimise quality and service within the complexities of a multi-site company. This includes mental toughness, transformational leadership, effective change implementation and service leadership coaching. Module 3: Finance and Business Models This module incorporates the uses of financial operating data to gain insight into appropriate managerial actions that improve performance; including portfolio efficiency, revenue per customer hour and sales per square metre.

Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership & Strategy

Module 4: Operational Improvement and Innovation This module will incorporate a critical understanding of operational process design and changes to reduce costs, whilst optimising sales and service. It includes end-toend operational process mapping, operational innovation and P&L impact assessment. Module 5: In-Company Project The module will result in the production of a 5,000 word ‘critical report’ containing costed and timed recommendations that address a current company issue. The projects will be sponsored and approved by senior management of the learner’s company.

Entry Requirements The traditional requirement for entry onto postgraduate programmes is the holding of an undergraduate degree. Importantly the Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership and Strategy is also able to recognize your work experience. Appropriate work experience is a minimum of five year’s in a merchant, distributor or manufacturing operation with two years in a managerial position. You will be working currently for a BMF member company. Evidence of your experience will include a brief description of the job roles and responsibilities that you have fulfilled in the past along with a list of relevant training programmes and events. In addition, a written assignment of approximately 1,500 words is required in response to a briefing with relevance to the building distribution sector. This is then assessed and forms the basis of an interview with a Birmingham City University academic to ensure that your depth of thinking and engagement is fully reviewed. An outline will be provided for guidance.

Timing Nominations are open now until 30 April 2014 and should be made to the BMF on the attached form. Interviews will be held at the BMF Head Office in Coventry on a number of dates to be advised until the end of May. Candidates will be told if they have been successful in their application process in early June with Induction in July and the start of the first module in October 2014.

The MSc stage The Postgraduate Diploma award is an interim step that can lead to a Masters Degree. Achieving the Masters qualification requires a further year of part-time study, resulting in the writing of a 15,000 word thesis. The thesis is a report on the findings of original research into a contemporary issue in the merchanting industry, including a comprehensive literature survey of the current body of knowledge. The face-to-face aspects of this programme cover research methods and progress is driven by the individual candidate supported by an academic supervisor.

Fees The full cost of this Postgraduate Diploma is £5,500. This inaugural Postgraduate Diploma course is being sponsored by the Builders Merchants Training Trust who for this year only have generously agreed to subsidise each course student’s fees by 50%. The charge per student for the 2014 course will be £2,750 for the full course.

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Postgraduate Diploma in Merchant Leadership & Strategy

APPLICATION FORM To register your interest in the Postgraduate Diploma please return this form to the BMF at the address below. I wish to nominate the person named below for the Postgraduate Diploma. Please contact me to discuss the cost, written assignment and interview dates. Student Name Position Company Address

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Telephone Fax Email

Please complete and return to: Builders Merchants Federation 1180 Elliott Court, Coventry Business Park Herald Avenue, Coventry CV5 6UB Fax: 02476 854981 Email: training@bmf.org.uk www.bmf.org.uk

BMF 1180 Elliott Court, Coventry Business Park Herald Avenue, Coventry CV5 6UB Tel: 02476 854980 Fax: 02476 854981 Email: info@bmf.org.uk www.bmf.org.uk