“The most critical thing right now is to really develop the relationships with the people you work with, spend time with them understand them really well and form as trusting a relationship as you possibly can” Tim has had a diverse journey in procurement, working in the industry for nearly 20yrs. He began his career joining Tesco on their graduate scheme and hasn’t looked back, working for various companies in retail, automotive and property both in the UK and internationally. He now heads up procurement for one of the largest UK property services companies, where over the last 3 years he has taken the area from a brownfield space to a mature function. Tim shares his journey into procurement and discusses the importance of emotional intelligence in the field. He highlights the challenges and opportunities in procurement, particularly in managing time and resources. Tim also explores the evolving talent landscape in procurement and emphasises the need for continuous learning and development.  He discusses the balance between a cash-driven approach and a business partnering approach in procurement. Tim and Martin discuss the challenges of prioritisation and uncertainty in procurement. They highlight the difficulty of determining priorities and the unpredictable nature of outcomes. They also emphasise the importance of developing strong relationships with stakeholders to navigate the changing business landscape. This episode of Talent Talks covers: Emotional intelligence within procurement.Adaptability and being open to change within the industryFocusing on business priorities while striving for continuous improvementEmbracing new challenges and experiences.Building strong relationships